Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1850-08-08

ces, as to form proper and sufficient ba-
sis for Executive interference.
To this painful conclusion the commit
tee have unanimously come.
The committee, therefore, respectfully
report, that they cannot consistently with
what they conceive their duty, recon-
mend communication of the sentence, in
the case of John w. Webster, as prayed
for in his petition.
Nothing now remains for the committee,
in the discharge of this painful duty, but
toadvise your Excellency in determining
upon time for the execution, they name
FRIDAY, THE rH1Rr1Eru DAY OF AuGusr
NEXT, as the day; and recommend to your
Excellency to decide upon that day as the
time for the execution of John w. Web
ster. JOHN REED, Chairman.
Council Chamber, July 10, 1850.
After the conclusion Of the reading Of the Re-
port, His Excellency, Gov. Briggs, read to the
Council the following
ADDRESS:
To the Honorable Council:
The Council, having considered and act
ed on the case of John w. Webster, a con-
yict under sentence Of death, it becomes
my duty, as the Chief Executive Magis-
trate of the Commonwealth, to make fl
nal decision on a question involving the
life OF the prisoner. feel the weight Of
its responsibility. But it is RESPONSE
bility found in the path Of official duty,
and l am not disposed to evade il ,or shrink
from it. For eight months past this ex-
traordinary case has created deep and
painful interest among the people of Mas.
sachusetts, and of the whole Union. Its
history is as brief as it is terrible and in.
strdctive; every new development in its
progress has been more strange, and has
increased that interest.
On the 23d day Of November, lS49
DR. George Parkman, well known ane
highly respectable citizen of Boston, lef
his house and family on business, as wa.
usual for him, and never returned to them
His unexpected absence alarmed his fami
| ly, and excited the attention of the peopl,
| in and around Boston. In the course o
! day or two it was understood that til,
prisoner had said that DR. Parkman me
him at his rooms in the Medical College
in the west part Of the city, not far From
half-past one o'clock on the day of his dis
appearance, and that he then and ther,
paid him sum of money, which he, D.
Parkman, took into his hands and hastil,
rushed towards the outer door.
DR. Parkman was also seen by other per
| re II
forty feet Of the door of the College, an,
walking quickly towards it. These, will
other circumstances directed the publ
mind towards the College buildings. Th
next Friday, one week after the disap
pearance of DR. Parkman, the dismember
ed parts of human body were found il
different places in and under the rooms oc
cupied by the prisoner, in that College
some of them in a furnace nearly destroy
ed by fire, some of them packed in tea
chest, and other parts in the vault of
privy attached to his laboratory.
Suspicious were strongly fixed on him
and he was arrested and committed to Lev
erett street Jail. A coroner. inquest wa
called, and after long examination into tn
facts Of the case, conducted in secret, tn,
Jury reported that the remains found wer
parts Of the body of the late DR. Georg
Parkman, that he came to his death by vi
olence in the Medical College in Boston
on Friday, the 23d day of November, an,
that he was killed by John w. Webster
The evidence taken before the inquest wa
not given to the public. In January, 1850
the case was laid before the Grand Jur,
for the county of Suffolk, and the investi
CATION before that body resulted in fndin
ar indictment against the prisoner for tn
murder Of DR. Parkman.
! He was arraigned on the indictment an
plead not guilty. Two of the most abl
and distinguished lawyers of the Common
wealth were, upon his own selection, as
signed to him as counsel by the Suprem
Court, and his trial before the full benc
Of that Court fixed on the 10Th day {
March. Some time before the day of tri
al, the Attorney General furnished tn
counsel Of the prisoner. not only with
list of the names of the witnesses to b
called against him, which is required to b
done in all capital cases in this Common
wealth, but also with copy of the test
mony taken before the Coroner's inques
and which had been produced against hi'
before the Grand Jury.
The time appointed for the trial arrive
when four Judges of the Supreme Coul
were present, and sat during the trial.
pursuance Of the provisions of law, sixt
Jurors had been drawn from the Jury DO
in the county of Suffolk. By law, the pris
oner had right peremptorily without gi,
ing any reason,to challenge twenty Juror
and for good reasons TO object to any 9th
ers whose names might be called. In err
pannelling the Jury who tried him, tn
prisoner exercised his peremptory rigl
Of challenge in only fourteen instances.
The trial was one of SURPRISING inter
est and solemnity, and lasted eleven day
; On the part Of the prisoner, the case VIZ
argued with great earnestness, candor all
ability, by the Hon. PIiny Merrick, h
senior counsel. After denying that the e,
:. idence on the part Of the Government ";
> sufficient to prove that the prisoner kille
DR. Parkman at all, the counsel took tt
g. ound that if in any event the jury shou
come to the conclusion that he did kill hin
then the circumstances Of the case wei
such as to satisfy them that the killir
could not have been premeditated, but W;