The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-07-21
Of the Court who sat with

on with the other members of the Court who sat with
| him st the trial
The jury retired to their room and after
Of three hours late Saturday evening returned into
Court with q verdict of guilty The next Monday
morning the prisoner was again brought into Court
and received from the Chief SUI ce the sentence OF the
law which doomed him to suffer death by hanging at
such time rs the Executive Of the Common shall
appoint.
transmitted to the Governor and Council, by the
Sheriff Of the county of Suffolk according to the drso-
ton Of the statute.
On the oath of April the prisoner sent by the hand
OF his friend to the Governor and Council petition
fer pardon under his own hand on the ground OF his
entire innocence OF the crime OF which he had been
convicted and for which he was under sentence or
death. All proceedings on this petition before the
Executive we're suspended in consequence OF having
received notice from the counsel OF the prisoner that
they about to make application to the Supreme
Court for writ OF error to be issued In mis- on
account of certain alleged Irregularities which had
been discovered in the course OF the proceedings
against him That application was heard before the
full court, and overruled. . .
pronounced by the Chief Justice, all the proceedings
In the declared to be according to established
judicial forms and the laws Of the commonwealth
On the 4th of June, and before the question on the
writ of had been settled by the court the Rev
DR. Putnam for the prisoner asked to be permitted
to withdraw the petition which had been to
the Governor and Council for further considsra'on;
Council and the petition, In day or two was HANDED
| to DR.. Putnam.
On the first day Of July, DIR Putnam placed In the
hands Of the Governor another petition signed BY the
prisoner, asking ter Communication Of his sentence
On the second day of July this petition referred
| to the Committee on Psrdons and on the same day,
Dr.. Putnam appeared before them, and made . state
| in which the prisoner admitted that he Killed DR..
Psrkmsn at the time and place charged against him,
but denied that the act was premeditsted.
| He narrated what the prisoner declared to b. the
manner of killing, and described minutely the mode
and process in which the body Of DR.. PsrkmAn was
The prisoner alleges that the single blow with
stick Of wood two feet long and two inches Thick BY
which Dr.. Parknan was killed, was given by him IN
Of passion" and while DR.. Parkmsn was speaking and
calculating in the most violent and menscing man.
er thrustng the letter and his INST in his face that
In his fury he seized whatever thing handies and
that was stick Of wood and dealt to him an instan-
taneous blow, with all the force that passion could
give, and that he did not know, think nor care
where he should hit him, nor how hard nor what the
effect would be.n
proved upon the trial. Dr. Putnam addressed the COM
mittee length in able and impressive argument
petition from the family of the prisoner was before the
committee, AID large number Of other petitions,
some for full pardon and others tor Communication,
| were In the hands of the committee.
Most of these petitions were from people, men and
women, in other States, and generally based their
petition for remission mitigation Of the sentence,
on the ground of the great doubts Of the prisousrs
guilt The committee gave three hearings, ansr the
meeting ut which DIR. Putnam addressed them and
listened to those who desired to be heard In aid OF the
prisoners petition and In support OF DR.. PutnAms
This Committee on Pardons consisting Of the Lieut..
Governor and other Councillors after full care
full and patient hearing Of all that could be offered BY
the friends Of the prisoner aud by Others who were
pleased to be heard in his behalf came to the unan
nous opinion that there were no sufficient reasons 10
justify them in recommending the interposiuon OF
They recommended that the Governor be advised to
court carried into effect on the soth day Of next
The Council, with but exception concurred with
the report Of the committee and advised the Gsvsrnor
carry out the sentence OF the court rs
In carefully and anxiousy examining and sonsider-
ius the case do not feel authorised BY any oonsids
raions which have been to my mind 70 set
aside the deliberate verdict Of the jury arrest the
solemn dsceee Of the law by the highest
| gard the opinions and advice Of the Council
If the circumstances Of the killing, as stated by the
prisoner taken to be true, IL may be we'll qussson-
ed whether the Executive Council could interfere
with the sentence without violating the settled laws OF
In his charge to the jury this case the Chief JUS
tice Gays lit Is settled rule, that no provoeasion
with words only, will justify mortal blow. Then II
upon provoking language the party Intentionally
vsnge himself with mortal blow, 1t Is unquesttonsoiy
The only new fact brought to light - to the killing,
depends upon the word Of the prisoner IL will hardly
be pretended by any one, that the declaration OF
person under sentence Of death, should be permitted
to outweigh the doings Of the court and jury, and
him from the consequences which are to foov
IL Il csndidly stated by Dr. Putnam In his able
gument and by several Of the petitions presented II
favor Of communication received since his confession
that standing he does, the word OF the prisoner
| entitled to NO credit.
II the circumstapces disclosed the trial relied
on support his statement, the reply is that those
urged In his favor before the jury
and they have decided against him The facts q this
appalling before the world they viii her~afssr
ali the gloomiest pages In the record OF crime
It il undisputsd, that on the 2aA day of November
lSle, John White Webster, q tfessor In Harvard
University and In the Medical College In Boston did
mid day, In his room In that college, within few
scientific lectures to large class Of young men, With
unla wful Violence take the life Of Dr. George Park
man respectable citizen OF boston .no hsd come v
That aner taking his life, he evhcerated, and In
| manner most shocking TO humanity mutilstsd the
body Of his victim burning parts OF IL In furnace, and
dspsstng other parts of II in different places In the
building where they found by persons who were
That afer Killing him he robbed his lifsess srsdI-
tor by taking from him two notes Of hand signed BY
another crime by making isi,e marks upon tsoss
notes, and that jury OF his country empsnsllsd
cording to law, under the direction OF tour Of the
Eve eminent Judges constituting the Supreme court
Of hassacbasett,, after long patient, and impartial
trial and after hearing In his defence the .rgumsnts
Of learned ssd eloquent counsel upon their osths,
Upon that verdict, the Court pronounced the awful
sentence OF death In such case there should be CD
vous and conclusive to authorize tue pardon
Ing TO ntspose and arrest the sword Of justice
| I do not see these reasons.
The combined circumstances OF the case force ne
TO the conclusion that this safety Of tn. community,
the involabity Of the Law and tn. principles Of i'm
hope IL ~ not necessary for me To say thstit wsud
have given unspeaksblv pleasure - have come TO
different result and that would do anything on earth
In my power short Of violating duty TO alleviate the
suasrinss OF crushed ana broken n.artsd family
GBO y. BKIuGs.
c.rserL cuAnsrs, 18th July 1850. q
Our Washington Correspondence.
Wsssrseros, July 10, 1850.