The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-03-20
EVIDENCE

= HE most celebrated case in New Eng
land, in which conviction was Sc
cured entirely by circumstantial evil
dence, was that of Professor John w.
Webster, charged with the murder of DR..
George Parkman. at the Harvard medical
college on North Grove street, Boston,
in 1S49.
The accused was professor in chemistry
at Harvard, and d lecturer at the medi-
cal college. He was known as d person
of the highest character, a profound stu
dent, and peaceful IN disposition His
standing was such that the first presump-
tion of his guilt was a shock to the COM
munity. Throughout his trial, and even
after his conviction. public opinion Was
divided as to his guilt.
The facts of the case were as follows:
DR.. Parkman. who did not practice. was
an owner of real estate. and a lender of
money on chattel mortgages. He held
note of Professor .WebsteT's for a loan
which was secured by IA mortgage on the
professors personal property, including
his cabinet of minerals This note was
overdue and DIT Parkman. who WAS
pUnctiliOus i'm business matters, had re-
pcatedly pressed Professor Webster for
payment. While the note was yet uu-
paid. DR.. Parkman learned that Professor
Webster sold some OF the minerals Gov
cred by his mortgage. This angered him.
and he pressed the professor. who was
formerly his friend, with considerable Sc
verify.
on Nov. %. 1919. Or. Parkman went
by appointment to the medical school to
see Professor Webster regarding the pay
ment of the debt. which had been prom
ised. The hour set was 100. when Pro-
fessor Webster, just having dismissed a
class. was alone in the building.
DR.. Parkman was about fifteen minutes
late. He left package of lettuce that he
was taking home in a small store where
he was known, about 100 yards from the
entrance to the medical school. saying he
would call for it later. He then left the
store and walked toward the medical
school. No one saw him enter.
That night the keeper of the store no
ticed that DIR. Parkta m had not called
for his package, and<woudered why. as
the doctor was known to be very method
zeal in his habits.
As DR.. Parkham did not return to his
home on Walnut street TO dinner. his
family became alarmed and began a
search for him Next day notices were
sent out that DIR. Parkham WAS missing
On the night DR. Parkham disappea red
Professor Webster, who lived in Cam
bridge. went home TO tea as usual That
evening he spent reading aloud to his
famllN and In conversation with them.
As a large reward was offered for trace
of DR.. Parkham. the police on Saturday
began a systematic search in the west
end of Boston. 1t was believed he had
considerable money on his person, and the
police thought he might have been way
laid. robbed and perhaps murdered by
fOOtpads.
But DR.. Parkham had been last seen
going toward the medical school. and
this led to search of the premises Pro
lessor webster met the police at the door
and conducted them to his laboratory. An
inner room was not entered. as the pro-
lessor said he kept explosives and chem
icals there. which might prove dangerous
il disturbed.
Nothing suspicious was found in the la
bOratOry or other parts of the school. and
the police went away. one Of their num-
Der, while in the Ia laboratory. had pick ed
Mo Sc
on top Of some tanbark in tea chest
near the door. but had made no search in
the chest
After this search the mystery Of the
disappearance of DR.. Parkham seemed TO
deepen. Professor Webster acknowledged
that DR. Parkham had been in his rooms
but claimed that the note had been paid
and that the doctor had hurried away to
Cambridge to discharge the mortgage
after canccling the note with a stroke of
the pen and handing it TO Professor Web
ster. The professor showed the note and
his story seemed direct and truthful
In the medical school there was a jan
itor named Littlefield, who lived on the
premises. and noticed that after Nov. %
the habits of Professor Webster had
changed. He was less genial, seemed
secretive, and was very busy. He kept
the door of his laboratory locked. which
he had never done before, and also kept
up hot fire in his ASA yTuE furnace
This aroused the suspicious of the jan
itor, who began TO make an investigation
on his own account In a refuse vault
uilQeT me -IOAeSSOE s laboratory "A fraE-
ment of human body was found
wrapped in a towel marked w" In an
assay furnace in the basement, rarely
used, but in which the professor had
made q hot fire. fragments Of false
teeth were found amOn~ the Stag on
the crate bars: In a vault for the re-
ception of bodies used for dissection in
the school another fragment of a body
was found
The results of these discoveries led to
more careful search by the police In
the tea chest, under the tanbark they
found still other fragments. In one of the
furnaces parts of bones were found.
All the parts were assembled and
were declared TO form the body of a
man about the age and size of Dr. Park
ham. Professor Webster calmly declared
that it could not be DIR. Parkham, as he
had seen DR.. Parkham leave the place
He also pointed out that parts of bodies
were common in a medical school He
advanced the idea that the doctor must
have been followed and robbed on his
way tc Cambridge.
The arrest OF Professor Webster which