The Parkman Murder : Trial of Prof. John W. Webster for the Murder of Dr. George Parkman
Dublin Core
Title
The Parkman Murder : Trial of Prof. John W. Webster for the Murder of Dr. George Parkman
Subject
Harvard Medical School
Webster, John White, 1793-1850
Parkman, George, 1790-1849
Floor plans
Description
While few early photographs exist of the Harvard Medical School building on North Grove Street, considerable information about the structure and its interior can be found, ironically, in the published transcripts of the 1850 murder trial of John W. Webster (1793-1850). Dr. George Parkman, a noted Boston physician and Harvard benefactor, disappeared on November 23, 1849, and a subsequent search of the premises of the Medical School revealed parts of a human body—including artificial teeth—in the laboratory of Dr. John W. Webster, Harvard’s Erving Professor of Chemistry. Webster was convicted of the murder of Parkman and executed on August 30, 1850.
This trial transcript with drawings of the facility give some idea of the small size of Harvard Medical School at this time. The plan of Dr. Webster’s laboratory shows the locations of the tea-chest, furnace, and privy where the remains of George Parkman were discovered.
Abstract
Floorplan of the North Grove Street building from The Parkman Murder : Trial of Prof. John W. Webster for the Murder of Dr. George Parkman
Creator
Daily Mail Office
Date Created
1850
Rights
The Harvard Medical Library does not hold copyright on all materials in this collection. For use information, consult Public Services at chm@hms.harvard.edu
Access Rights
Access to the original work depicted requires advance notice. Contact Public Services at chm@hms.harvard.edu for additional information
Is Part Of
Harvard Medical Library Rare Books Collection (GC 92.12)
Format
image
Extent
1 floor plan
Language
English
Type
still image
Provenance
Purchased for the Harvard Medical Library, 1938
Files
Collection
Citation
Daily Mail Office, “The Parkman Murder : Trial of Prof. John W. Webster for the Murder of Dr. George Parkman,” OnView: Digital Collections & Exhibits, accessed June 3, 2023, https://collections.countway.harvard.edu/onview/items/show/6606.
Item Relations
This item has no relations.