Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-12-20

On the 23rd of November, lS49
Prof. John W. Webster, of Harvard
university, in his laboratory struck
DR.. George Parkman, a millionaire OF
Boston, with a billet of fire wood and
killed him.
On July 4, 1900 Prof Charles R.
Eastman, of Harvard university, shot
Richard H. Grogan, Jr., with a pistol
and killed him.
On Nov. 80, 1S49. Prof. Webster was
the succeeding year he was tried
held for execution, and in June of the
same year he was hanged.
On July 5, 1900, Prof Eastman was
placed under arrest. The killing was
admitted and charged to accident. On
the next day he was released from
custody.
On Oct. 20, 1900, Prof. Eastman
was indicted for murder. On the 21st
he was taken into custody, and in jail
awaits trial for murder.
This in brief is the story of two
murders which in the history of Har-
ward university have been charged
against professors who were members
of it's faculty. The parallel goes fur
Their in that both killed intimates and
that the blows that struck them down
were not death in Fermentation, but
| were the result of peculiar condi-
tions. Prof. Webster struck in the
height of passion, while if the prose-
cution against Prof. Eastman can
prove it's case, it will be shown that
Prof Eastman was similarly acting
| under the stress of sudden excitement.
In both cases the murderers and their
victims were men who stood highly in
| the community, were known as men
of upright character, wealth and posi-
| ton.
The Eastman case is likely to be-
come cause celebre before it is sent
to the jury and definitely and finally
decided. The case of Prof Webster
attracted the attention of the higher
class of society throughout the coun-
try and involved during the trials
many names of the highest standing
in the land.
Both stories are replete with inter-
est and abound with mysterious fea-
lures. The unraveling of them Of
fers fine scope for a narrator of
criminal history and will be read
everywhere with zest
1t is perhaps better to cover, in
passing the salient features of the
Eastman case, which still presents it's
unsolved question before turning to
the other, which can now be recited
in it entirety.
Last Case.
Prof. Eastman is the son-in-law of
Prof. Alvin Clark, the Boston million
aire and noted scientist, who achieved
fame couple OF decades ago by his
skill in the manufacture of telescope
lenses which enabled him to discover
important astronomical facts. His
most important discovery was the
companion to Sirius, then unsupported.
For this he was awarded the Lelande
medal by the French academy. Later
he aided in other important discover
les and enabled the astronomers by
his skilled lens to complete the i'm
portant work recently done at the
National observatory, the Lick OBJ
servatory, the observatory at the
Chicago university and the Russian
observatory. In the course of his
work he acquired large Independent
fortune, and on his death this passed
to his two daughters and sons in-law
Prof. Eastman was one of these,
and his victim, Richard H. Grogan,
was the other. Both men had married
DR.. Clark's daughters after a vigor-
Gus opposition from the parent, but
they had overcome his objections and
in the closing years of his life they
| were on excellent terms. After the
millionaire's death there was some
talk of dissension between the sons
in-law relative to the division of the
estate, but these rumOrs were never
confirmed and will probably be dis
proved unless the prosecution has
knowledge which it is not known to
| possess. There can be no such mo-
tive adduced is the opinion Of those
most familiar with the case
However that may be, the prosecu-
ton hopes to prove that between these
two men there was bad blood and
that they had quarreled before and
that the murder was the outcome of
| such another outbreak of ill-feeling
| The families of both men scout the
idea that other than accident caused
the unfortunate shooting.
The shooting occurred On the fourth
OF July. There was an ARRANGEMENT
between the families by which a fam
| lily reunion and dinLC- party was to
| be served at Grogan's house at noon
on that day The homes were adjoin-
ing on the Clark estate with nothing
but lawn between them. Eastman
went early to the other house and the
families gathered at dinner as plan
ned, the men having spent the morn
| in celebrating the nations natal day
| as though they were again boys, fir.
ing crackers and torpedoes continu-
ously In the afternoon the two start
| ed out together to attend a swimming
| carnival at Captains sland, near Bos.
ton, but firing of the sport early they
| returned home to indulge in target
| practice in the back yard of the Gro
| gan home.
This is the part Of the prQGQsm that
the police believe is illogid They
see no reason for the sudden deter,
mination to return, and the avowed