The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-07-03
TELEGRAPHIC INTELLIGENCE.
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HIGHLY INTERESTING INTELLIGENCE.
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THE EXTRAORDINARY CONFESSION
PROFESSOR JOHN W. WEBSTER,
oP TIKI
MURDER OF DOCTOR GEORGE PARKMAN.
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Thrilling Account Of the NTurder,
by the Murderer.
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TIE WAY THE BODY Was DISPOSED 6P.
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THE WAY THE BODY WAS DISPOSED or
ADDITIONAL ADviCES FROM EUROPE
DC, &c, DC.
The Con ssion of Professor Webster, OF the
Murder of DIR. Parkman.

BOSTON, July 2, 1850.
At the meeting of the Council, this morning, tho
of Professor Webster referred to committee
Before the committee, at IL O'Clock, appeared the
Rev. DR.. Putnam, the spiritual adviser of the con-
demnod with etition for q commutation of punish
ment, together with confession that he killed Dr.
Parkman.
The Reverend gentleman prefaoed the statement by
few remarks relative to the manner in which tho
confession made to him. He stated that he had
previous ceship with Professor Webster
before being called to act the capacity of his spiritual
adviser In the first few weeks of his visits he sought
no acknowledgement of the prisoner. At lenseh on
the 23d Of May ho visited him in his CELL and manded
of him. for his well being, that he should tell the
truth in regard to the matter and he acceded to the
request, by making statement, which was now sub
mitted for the consideration of the Council.
1t was In substance follows
THE CONFESSION.
On Tuesday, Goth November, L sent the note to DR..
Parkmsn, which, il appears, carried by the boy
Maxwell 1 handed it to Littlehed unsealed. 1t was
to ask DR.. PGrkman to call at my rooms, Friday
the 23d after ny lecture He had become of late very
importunate for his pay He had threatened me with
suit; TO put officer in my house, and to drive me
from my professorhip, If L did not pay him. The
purport of my note was simply to ask the con
ference. did not tell him, in it, what 1 could
do, what had to say about the payment.
wished to gain, for those few days, release from
his solicitations to which L liable every day.
on OCCASIONS and in q manner very disasreeable
and alarming, and also to avert for long time, at
least the fulment ofrecent threats OF severe mes-
sures. did not expect TO be able to pay him when
Friday should arrive. My purpose was, If he hould
accede to the proposed interview to state TO him my
embarrassments and utter inability to pay him at pre-
sent-to apologize for those things in my conduct
I,oA 1.I 4;
mercyto beg further time and indulgence for the
sake ofmy family If not for myself and make good
promises to him 1 could have any hope of
keeIing 1 did not hear from hinton that sday
the next, wednesday, but found on Thursday he
had been abroad in purSuit Of without finding me-
imagined be had forgotten the appointment, else
did not mean to wait for It. feared he would
in upon at my lecture hour, while was prepar-
ing my experiments for it therefore, called at his
house that morning, Fndsy) between eight and
nine o'clock to remind him Of my wish TO him at
the College, at halipast one-my lecture closing at
one. did not stop TO talk with him. for | expected
the conyorsaton would be long one, and had my
lecture to prepare for for it necessary for mo
TO have my time and also to keep my miud free from
other exciting matters. DIR. Parkman agreed to cal
on me a. l proposed. He came, accordingly betwcsn
hafpast and two o'clock entering at the lscture
room door. was engaged in removing some glasses
called the upper laboratory. lie rapidly down
the step, and followed the laboratory He I'M
mediattly addressed with great energy" Are you
ready for me, sir' Have you got the money! I
piled, "No Dir. Parkman;" and 1 was then begin
ming to state my condition and my appeal to
him. but he would not listen to me, and interrupted
me with much vchemcncc He called mo scoundrol
and liar, and went on heaping the most bitter
taunts and opprobrious epithets While he speak
H.. +. Il.
took from among them my two notes, and also an
old letter from DR.. Iossack, written mauy years
ago, coDgratElating him his success in get
ting me appointed Professor Of Chemistry You
sce,n he said, IL got you into your Office and
now j will get you out Of It," lie put back into
his pocket all the papers except the letter ssd the
notes. cannot tell how long the torrent Of threats
and invectives continued aud recall to memo
~ but small portion Of what he said; at FIRST kept
interposng, trying to pacify him, that might OBJ
tain the object for which, sought the interview but
could not stop him. and soon my own temper up;
forgot everything and felt nothing but the sting Of his
words. I was excited to the highest degrss of pas
sion, and while he speaking and calculating in
the raoGt violent and menaeing manner thrustng the
letter and his fst into my face, in my fury seized
whatever thing was handiest Qt a stick of wood
and dealt him instantaneous blow with all the force
that passion could give IT, 1 did not know or think
or carc, where should bit him, nor how hard nor
What the effect would be. II was on the side Of his
head, aud there nothing 10 break the force Of
the blow. lie fell instantly upon the pavement.
There second blow; he did not move I
stopped down him, and he seemed to be
lifeless Blood flowed from his mouth, and got a
sponge and wiped it away. go. some smmons and
applied ito his nose, but without effect Perhaps
spent ten minutes in pts to resusctate him but
1 found he was absolutely dead In my horror aud
condemnation ran instiEctively to the doors and
boed them the doors Of the lecture room and Of the
laboratory below. And then, what was I TO do
IL never occurred to 10 90 out and declare what
had been done, and obtain assistance saw nothing
but the alternative Of successful movement and CEN
ceaiment OF the body the hand, and Of infamy
and destruction on the ether. The first thing I did
40 soon as could do anything was to draw the body
INTO the private room adjoining, where took of the
clothes, and began putting them into the FIRE which
was burning in the upper laboratory They were all
consumed there that Afternoon with papers pocket
book, and whatever they contained. I did not ex.
anime the pockets nor remove anything except
the watch. saw that or the chain of t. hanging
out took H. and threw 1t over the bridge a. went
TO Cambridge. My next move was to get the body
into the sink, which stands in the small private room;
by setting the body partially erect against the corner
and BY getting up into the sink myself I succeeded
In drawing il up there Ii was entirely dismcmbored
IL was quickly done, a work Of terrible and despe
rate necessity. The only instrument was the knife
fouhu by the officers in the tea chest which kent
tut cutting corks made no use ofthe Turkish knife
as u was called at the trial That had long been
Kept on my psrlor msntelpiece in Cambridge as Gu.
nous ornament. Ny daughters frequently cleaned Il;
hence the marks Of oil and whiting found O., n I
mad lstely brought IL into Boston TO get The silver
sheath repaired While dismemberine the bodv
Nresm OF Cochituste water was running through
the sink carrying OF the blood in a nine that
passed down through the lower laboratory There
must hsve been leak in the pipe, for the
ceiiing below was stained Immediately around it
Ihere was FIRE burning in the furnace Of theIover
laboratory. Little6eid vas mistaken ia thinking