A Book of Remarkable CriminalsIrving, H. B. (Henry Brodribb)
History
A Book of Remarkable Criminals
Irving, H. B. (Henry Brodribb)
Criminals -- Biography
Before going to the college he purchased some fish-hooks and gave orders
for the making of a strong tin box with firm handles, a foot and a half
square and a little more than a foot in depth; during the rest of the
day he had been busy in his rooms until he left the college about four
o'clock. Not till then was the watchful janitor able to resume his
labours. Armed with a crowbar, he worked vigorously until he succeeded
in penetrating the wall sufficiently to admit a light into the vault of
the lavatory. The first objects which the light revealed to his eyes,
were the pelvis of a man and two parts of a human leg.
Leaving his wife in charge of the remains, Littlefield went immediately
to the house of Professor Bigelow, and informed him of the result of
his search. They returned to the college some twenty minutes later,
accompanied by the City Marshal. The human remains--a pelvis, a thigh
and a leg--were taken out of the vault, and on a further search some
pieces of bone were removed from one of the furnaces in the lower
laboratory. The City Marshal at once dispatched three of his officers to
Cambridge, to the house of Professor Webster.
To his immediate circle of friends and relations the conduct of
the Professor during this eventful week had betrayed no unwonted
discomposure or disturbance of mind. His evenings had been spent either
at the house of friends, or at his own, playing whist, or reading
Milton's "Allegro" and "Penseroso" to his wife and daughters. On Friday
evening, about eight o'clock, as the Professor was saying good-bye to a
friend on the steps of his house at Cambridge, the three police officers
drove up to the door and asked him to accompany them to the Medical
College. It was proposed, they said, to make a further search there that
evening, and his presence was considered advisable. Webster assented
immediately, put on his boots, his hat and coat, and got into the hired
coach. As they drove towards the city, Webster spoke to the officers
of Parkman's disappearance, and suggested that they should stop at the
house of a lady who, he said, could give them some peculiar information
on that subject. As they entered Boston, he remarked that they were
taking the wrong direction for reaching the college. One of the officers
replied that the driver might be "green," but that he would find his
way to the college in time. At length the coach stopped. One of the
officers alighted, and invited his companions to follow him into the
office of the Leverett Street Jail. They obeyed. The Professor asked
what it all meant; he was informed that he must consider himself
in custody, charged with the murder of Dr. George Parkman. Webster,
somewhat taken aback, desired that word should be sent to his family,
but was dissuaded from his purpose for the time being. He was searched,
and among other articles taken from him was a key some four or five
inches long; it was the missing lavatory key. Whilst one of the officers
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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