163 Sheet – American State Trials 1918 Volume X Leo Frank Document

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Reading Time: 3 minutes [405 words]

Here is the translated text as follows:

EDWARD D. WORRELL. 181

Evidence had been found that the deceased's dental work, made by a dentist in Boston, was in the furnace; both of which helped to identify the body and connect the prisoner with the murder. Dr. Webster was a man of learning, a professor in a medical college, and his knowledge of chemistry gave him the power to destroy every vestige of the body in a few hours, so that the corpus delicti could never have been established. Yet he neglected to do it. He also volunteered statements to the brother of the deceased and others, and addressed anonymous communications in a disguised hand to the marshal. In one of these, he stated that Parkman was murdered on Brooklyn Heights; in another, that he was taken forcibly on board a ship; and in a third, that the body had probably been cut up, placed in a bag, and thrown over one of the bridges near Boston. In fact, nearly every step he took to draw suspicion from himself in the end furnished the prosecution with strong evidence of his guilt. There seems to be a fatality connected with murder, in which the hand of Providence is visible, and Solomon never uttered a greater truism than when he said: "The way of the transgressor is hard."

There is one fact alluded to by Major Wright which deserves a passing notice. Corporal Messick states that his company and Worrell's were stationed at the fort in the same building. One night, while witness was acting as guard, the prisoner came towards his post. The witness hailed him by saying, "Who comes there?" The prisoner replied, "A friend." The witness commanded him to halt by saying, "Halt, friend." The prisoner advanced, gave the countersign, and said, "Good evening, sentinel." The witness let him pass.

Major Wright thought this to be a very hazardous undertaking for a sane man, but it is fully explained by both Messick and Clark. They state that although the instruction to a sentinel is to fire upon any person who attempts without authority to pass, yet in time of peace, it is scarcely ever done. Messick states that he has known others to approach a sentinel in the same way, and if the person is known to the sentinel, he is most always permitted to pass, though it be in violation of instructions. Messick knew that it was Worrell.