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

Whatever the motive IN returning
the two did seek the the rear lot OF
the Gorgan home, armed with pistols
and did fire a number of shots at tar
gets erected in the rear. They con
tinued without attracting attention
until there was a shril cry from Gro
gan and Eastman rushed to the house
| bleeding and shouting that Grogan
was shot.
The households responded to the
cry, but the first to reach the scene
was Belle Bryan, the housekeeper OF
the Grogans She was the only one
that saw the man conscious. When
| the others came he had lost conscious.
ness and was rapidly nearing death
which came within ten minutes of the
firing Of the shot. Medical assistance
| was summoned, but without avail.
The story that Eastman told of the
shooting was the same as that to
| which he has since adhered. He said
that the two were shooting together
and had exhausted the ammunition
for the small calibre revolvers which
they had been using. Grogan had
one charge in his revolver and was
aiming at the target when Eastman
picked up an old rusty Colt that lay
by. He was examining it when it sud-
denly exploded in his hand and the
bullet struck Grogan in the left
breast. AS he fell the stricken man
half turned toward his urother-in-law
crying I'm shot," and fell to the
ground. AS he fell to his knees the
revolver which he held in his hand
was discharged and the bullet sped to-
ward Eastman who rushed to the fall
ing figure, and struck the Harvard
professor in the hip cutting a furrow
in his flesh, but doing no further
harm
This story might have availed to
clear him of all blame for the tragedy
and led to its acceptation as an acct
dent had not the housekeeper averred
that as she reached Grogan's side he
declared that he had been murdered
The coroner's jury which investigated
the case accepted it in spite of her
testimony and acquitted the in
structor in spite of this fact the dis
trict attorney has seen fit to arrest
the man and hold him for trial on the
murder charge.
1t is generally believed that in the
investigation that has been conducted
subsequently that some hidden facts
regarding the relations of the men
has come to light, but just what the
nature of these discoveries are will
not be made clear until the case comes
to trial. Meantime Boston is intense
ly excited over the case and is unable
to determine which of the three theo-
ries-an accident, duel or a murder
is the correct one. The remainder
of the country will follow the case in
its trial through it's devious courses
with deep interest and reach it's con-
clusion when the evidence is all ad-
vanced.
Parkman's Murder.
In the former case-the murder of
DR.. George Parkman-the evidence
which first led to the arrest of the ac
cused Prof Webster was much less
that which the present case presents
against the prisoner. Prof. Webster
had not confessed to the killing, and
was not known to have been in the
company of the dead man until he
himself said that he was. Dr. Park
man disappeared and his disappear
ance was a mysetry until Prof. Web
ster said that he had met Parkman to
keep an engagement and thus direct
ed the attention to himself. The case
still presented many remarkable and
puzzling features-features that were
not completely unraveled until the
murderer had been convicted and then
chose to confess all the details of the
case.
Prof. Webster's crime is now known
slain DR.. Parkman he took every
means to conceal the murder and if
he did not have the intent which
makes capital offense he took those
steps to conceal his act which gave it
the legal quality of murder and for
which he was hanged publicly on the
grounds now used by the students of
Harvard to play foot ball.
DR.. George Parkman, of old and
good family, a founder of the Massa-
chusetts Medical college, about sixty
years ago was rich, respectable and a
usurer. On the day of his murder he
had an appointment with John w.
Webster, professor of chemistry. He
kept it and disappeared. In the
search for him it was found that the
relations of the two men were that of
exacting creditor and helpless debtor
Webster had given a note for moneys
loaned eight years before-at first
$500, but being renewed, with interest,
had swollen with perhaps some addi-
tional favors to $2,432. This debt was
secured by chattel mortgage on
Prof. Webster's property, which was
solely personal, and included certain
scientific cabinets, which, the debtor
having pledged, were subsequently
secretly disposed of by sale.
On the evening of the murder DR..
Parkman called upon Prof Webster
in his laborator. He received some
money, but, noticing the absence of
the mineral cabinet which was cover
ed by the mortgage, reproached the
debtor in terms that had no double
meaning. In his confession, made
after his conviction. Webster said:
You see got you into the chair of
chemistry; you will see 1 will get you
out of it. He thrust his fist and the