Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-09-03
FAMOUS WEBSTER MURDER TRIAL

markable Murder Trial Wherein tn,
s"Corpus DeIicti' Appeared Alive ant
Well.
Perhaps the most interesting Grim
inal case that ever occurred in this
country, up to its date, was that OF
the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
against John w. Webster, who was
charged with the murder of DR.. George
Parkman. After a trial of eleven
days, during which one hundred and
sixteen witnesses were examined.
Webster was found guilty and SEN
fenced to be hanged.
The incidents that surrounded this
famous case are much the same as
those surrounding the present trial
Of the. sausage maker, Luetgert, now
pending in Chicago. The mystery
alone attending the present trial Gre
ateS the interest and excitement that
watches it's development, while in the
former case not only was the crime
surrounded by the deepest mystery
even an absence Of the dead body
but the principles involved were men
of the highest reputation, culture
and standing.
Both Parkman and !. Webster were
graduates of Harvard. Parkman en-
tered the medical profession, being
also a graduate Of the University of
Aberdeen, Scotland. He was strict
business man, and accumulated both
money and reputation, and was the
author Of a number of works rela-
tive to his profession. He gave the
ground to Harvard College upon which
the medical school was built, and
through gratitude for this kindness the
chair of anatomy and physiology was
named the Parkman Professorship and
was filled for quite number of years
by DR.. Oliver Wendell Holmes, who
was present at the trial as an expert
witness regarding anatomical proper
lions.
Prof. John White Webster, after
from the medical depart
ment of Harvard, entered upon the
editorship of philosophical journal
in Boston, but eventually was elected
to the professorship of chemistry and
geology at Harvard. He was the au-
thor of several works on chemistry |
and kindred subjects. At the time of |
the murder he was under financial OBJ |
legation to DR.. Parkman, having re- |
ceived several loans from him. Some |
time previous to the murder his in |
debtedness aggregated something in |
lars, which was secured to Parkman |
by a chattel mortgage on personal
goods, including a fine collection Of |
minerals. Later Webster sold this
same collection of minerals to man
named Shaw, a brother-in- law of
Parkman, who, through courtesy, al
owed the collection to still remain
n Prof. Webster's possession. Shaw
mentioned the matter to DR.. PARK man,
Who became very angry and denounced
Webster in strong language. On va
'ious occasions Parkman solicited the
,ayment of the money due, and Upon
Webster's inability to make payment,
him as a swindler.
One day Prof Webster called upon
nr. Parkman in the morning, and |
told him that if he would call at the
college after the close of his lecture,
which occurred between one and two |
o'clock he would pay him the money |
due him. This was on Friday, the |
ed of November, 1849, DR.. Parkmau
was seen by several persons walking
rapidly toward the college between |
the hours of one and two. He was |
also noticed by one witness in the col
lege going toward Prof. Websters
room. This was the last time That |
DR.. Parkman was ever SEEM
It developed that Parkman never
left the college; yet number Of very
reliable persons swore that they had
met him at various places later than
two o'clock on the streets of Boston.
Among these was clergyman with
whom DR.. Parkman had an engage
ment at five o'clock. The clergyman
verified DIR. Parkman's call by his
notes made that day, saying that DR..
Parkman had called and had remained
about twenty minutes.
A lady and her daughter testified
that they had passed Parkman on the
street. Being intimately acquainted,
they spoke to him and he returned tbs
recoenition. This occurred, they said,
near five o'clock. This evidence was
cumulative. yet it proved fallacious
and awaited little.
In the Luetgert case, along the same
line. is little Louis Luetgerts testi-
mony, saying that he heard his moth
ers voice in his room after she went
with Luetgert to his room in the base
ment of the sausage factory. This
evidence in itself is good, but future
developments, as il the Webster case,