Tales of Cape Cod Event to Focus on Famous Murder Trial

COURTESY OF TALES OF CAPE COD
Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Lemuel Shaw, a West Barnstable native, presided over the Parkman-Webster Murder Trial in 1850.

BARNSTABLE – One of the biggest trials of the 19^th century involving a judge from Barnstable will be the focus of a Tales of Cape Cod event on Monday.

Retired District Court Judge Gregory Williams, who resides in Barnstable, will detail the 1850 murder trial of John White Webster, a well-known Harvard Chemistry Professor.

Webster was accused of killing George Parkman, who was a member of a prominent Boston family.

Due to the grisly nature of the murder where the body was found partially cremated, the court room was packed every day.

West Barnstable Native and Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Lemuel Shaw presided over the trail which has been referred to the “Case of the Century.”

Shaw served as the Chief Justice from 1830-1860.

The event will be held at the Olde Colonial Courthouse in Barnstable Village on Monday at 7 p.m.

Tales of Cape Cod was founded in 1949 to record the voices of old-time Cape Codders in first-hand accounts of life on the Cape in bygone days.

The archives consist of hundreds of CDs and DVDs along with other original documents.

Tales of Cape Cod hosts other activities including the summer lecture series. For more information visit talesofcapecod.org.