155:, where the police had been searching the waters earlier. After a few minutes of desultory conversation, Clapp broached the subject of the search efforts for the doctor and the progress the police had made. Webster confessed he had seen Dr. Parkman the week prior at the college, but the doctor had left the campus, still alive. During their conversation, the coach turned on to Brighton Street, and Webster became very agitated. "The driver is going the wrong way." Clapp tried to calm him by telling him the driver was "probably green" and would get it straightened out. When they stopped in front of the jail, Webster knew something was wrong. "What does this all mean?" Clapp escorted him into the jail and charged him with the murder of Dr. George Parkman.
67:
constable as "a successful detecter of crime" whose name would conjure "dread...among those who had reason to fear an arrest." There were reports that he would instill fear in the guilty without even approaching them. In 1850, most of the dread was harbored by school-aged children, as he was also an appointed
82:
was reported missing. Clapp's role in the investigation of the disappearance of Dr. George
Parkman propelled him into international fame. His fame was short-lived, however, and in 1854, Boston established its first uniformed police force, with Constable Clapp as its less prominent member. His sole
147:
to the
Webster residence. Leaving the coach and the other officers parked away from the house, Clapp approached Webster on his porch as he was escorting out a visitor. He requested Webster accompany him to the college to perform another search. Webster went back inside to get his hat and coat, but
66:
on
October 26, 1874, Clapp stated that "136 prisoners arrested by him were sent to the State Prison, and several hundred to the House of Correction, and that many thousand dollars worth of stolen property have been recovered by him and restored to its owners." He gained renown during his tenure as
134:
According to trial testimony by Mr. Kinsley, Clapp stated to
Professor Webster that he was just following orders and no one in the college was a suspect. Clapp's hesitancy during the search is also on record. While searching Webster's laboratory, he started opening a door to a small room. When
119:
concerned citizens. The search continued as the family posted notices offering a reward of $ 3,000 for information related to
Parkman's disappearance. Based on information acquired during the search, on November 26, 1849, Clapp, in addition to Kingsley and other officers, began focusing on the
138:
As the investigation continued, and suspicion fell on the college as the scene of the crime, Clapp became more aggressive. The college's janitor, Ephraim
Littlefield, had been conducting his own investigation, and found what were later to be identified as Dr. Parkman's remains under Webster's
118:
November 23, 1849, was the last day Dr. Parkman was seen. Parkman's family notified
Charles M. Kingsley, Parkman's business manager, that the doctor never returned home for lunch. The next day, November 24, he began a search of the city along with a half dozen police officers and a group of
142:
Clapp was not going to be made the fool twice. Having experience with the "rogues" of Boston, Clapp called upon his "devious Yankee" skills to lure the professor out of his house and into jail. He took a coach and two other officers for back-up and rode to
162:
to search the
Webster house, meticulously and overtly following proper procedures during the course of the search. Evidence acquired during the search provided motive for the court to proceed in the prosecution of Professor John White Webster.
139:
private privy. On
November 30, a week after Parkman's disappearance, Clapp was again called to the college, where he was the first to view Littlefield's gruesome discovery. He was dispatched to Webster's house to make the arrest.
127:
55:
on
February 15, 1818. He established an auction house, over which he presided for several years before he was appointed to the office of constable for the City of Boston in 1828. In 1832 and 1836, he was also captain of a ward
171:
They have extremely venerable policeman in Boston, Mr. Derastus Clapp. Who is ninety years old, has been in the department about forty-four years, and is at present in the special service of the board of street commissioners.
166:
Although Derastus Clapp retired from the police force in 1874, he continued to serve in public office and retained his notoriety. In 1896, fifteen years after his death, a small paragraph in an Ohio paper noted:
629:
148:
when he saw the coach and other officers, he suddenly remembered his keys. Clapp deterred his efforts to return to the house and told him they had keys enough to get in, "it was of no consequence."
35:
in 1828, and was reappointed every succeeding year to 1874. In 1848, he was promoted to be one of the first detectives in the city. Clapp is most noted for his role in the arrest and prosecution of
135:
Webster told him that he kept his valuable and dangerous articles there, Mr. Clapp put his head as far as the door and turned back again, saying, "I will not go in to be blowed up."
343:
620:
331:
795:
99:
During 1849-50, Derastus Clapp participated in the investigation of the disappearance of Dr. George Parkman and the subsequent arrest and trial of Professor
309:
News reports of the case that appeared in the United Kingdom papers were usually constructed from articles published in the American papers. See
91:
in his right leg disabled him, but he continued his duties until October of that year. He retired on October 1, 1874 after 46 years of service.
800:
594:
785:
158:
Detective Clapp and the other officers continued their efforts while Webster was incarcerated. On December 5, 1849, Clapp executed a
72:
780:
790:
775:
152:
144:
52:
48:
123:
and surrounding areas. During the search of the college, Clapp made his deference to the upper class apparent.
103:
for the murder of Parkman. Clapp's experience before this event was centered on less heinous crimes, such as
71:
officer. He and his assistant literally carried hundreds of children from all parts of the city back to the
57:
120:
311:
84:
770:
765:
337:
100:
36:
32:
325:
62:
710:
Harvard and the Boston Brahmins: A Study in Institutional and Class Development, 1800-1865
159:
79:
759:
701:
585:
739:
The Trial of Prof. John W. Webster Indicted for the Murder of Dr. George Parkman
108:
88:
111:, and he was initially unprepared for the demands required when dealing with
28:
20:
750:
Trial of Professor John W. Webster for the Murder of Doctor George Parkman
87:
and serving orders of notice issued by the City Clerk. In January 1874, a
681:
History of History of the Military Company of the Massachusetts, Vol. III
112:
104:
51:, but soon moved to Boston, after his marriage to Susannah Bowditch of
68:
24:
126:
151:
Webster boarded silently as Clapp instructed the driver to go over
78:
In 1849, Clapp caught his "big break". A prestigious member of the
125:
329:(Manchester, England), Saturday, December 22, 1849; Issue 119;
315:(London, England), Wednesday, December 19, 1849; Issue 25012.;
323:(Ipswich, England), Saturday, December 22, 1849; Issue 5772;
319:(Bristol, England), Saturday, December 22, 1849; Issue 3118;
607:
A Gallery of Sinister Perspectives: Ten Crimes and a Scandal
396:
Bemis, 33, 53-4, 262, 269; Stone, 27; Journal, 7; Globe 6;
335:(Leeds, England), Saturday, December 22, 1849; Issue 635;
341:(London, England), Wednesday, April 3, 1850; Issue 1203;
19:(May 1, 1792 – June 1, 1881) was head of the first city
621:
Clapp Memorial: Record of the Clapp Family in America
369:
papers, omitted this particular piece of his history.
414:
Bemis 36, 153; Stone 88; Journal 6, 26; Globe 7, 37,
189:
Massachusetts Archive Vital Records Vol. 330, p. 136
27:, Massachusetts. He was appointed to the office of
95:
Derastus Clapp and the disappearance of Dr. Parkman
83:concern was ticketing illegally parked traffic on
344:Freeman's Journal and Daily Commercial Advertiser
676:. Cambridge, MA:Harvard University Press, 1967
332:The Northern Star and National Trades' Journal
566:Acts and Resolves Passed by the General Court
503:
501:
473:
471:
469:
467:
465:
228:Roberts 39; Boston Daily Advertiser, 28:58, 3
8:
752:. New York: Stringer & Townsend, 1850.
640:. Brattleboro, VT: Steven Daye Press, 1942.
615:, 08 Feb 1820, 28:58, Boston, Massachusetts
534:Bemis 497; Stone 302; Journal 554; Globe 73
378:Clapp, 82; Acts & Resolves, 66-7, 308-9
287:
285:
257:
255:
60:company. According to an interview in the
652:The Criminal Patterns of Boston Since 1849
347:(Dublin, Ireland), Thursday, April 4, 1850
245:
243:
645:The Trial of Professor John White Webster
525:Bemis 148; Stone 86; Journal 26; Globe 36
516:Bemis 148; Stone 86; Journal 25; Globe 36
507:Bemis 155; Stone 89; Journal 26; Globe 38
495:Bemis 156; Stone 89; Journal 26; Globe 37
477:Bemis 155; Stone 89; Journal 26; Globe 37
432:Bemis 155, Stone 88, Journal 26, Globe 37
405:Bemis 153; Stone 88; Journal 26; Globe 37
206:
204:
690:. Virginia: University of Virginia, 1945
23:bureau in the United States, located in
182:
741:. Boston: Redding & Company, 1850
702:Report of the Trial of John W. Webster
674:Policing in the City: Boston 1822-1885
586:Report of the Case of John W. Webster
7:
796:People from Claremont, New Hampshire
609:. Kent State University Press, 1982
39:for the murder of George Parkman.
14:
656:The American Journal of Sociology
365:Clapp, in his brief biography in
721:The Disappearance of Dr. Parkman
663:The Brahmin Caste of New England
624:. Boston: Clapp & Sons, 1876
723:. Boston: Little, Brown, 1971.
633:. Plymouth, MA: Bittinger, 1906
270:Athens 18 November 1880, page 2
580:18 November 1880, Athens: Ohio
574:. New York: E.P. Dutton, 1947
1:
683:Boston: Mudge & Son, 1898
661:Holmes, Sr., Oliver Wendell "
589:. Boston: Little, Brown, 1850
423:Bemis 36; Stone 27; Journal 6
801:19th-century American trials
630:Memories of an Octogenarian
552:Steubenville Daily Herald 7
817:
786:American police detectives
647:. New York: Scribner, 1928
638:Famous New England Murders
486:Amory 219; Dempewolff 252;
714:Journal of Social History
694:Steubenville Daily Herald
686:Shimer, William Allison.
730:. Boston: Whipple, 1858
705:. Boston: Holden, 1850
650:Ferdinand, Theodore N. "
627:Davis, William Thomas.
130:Steubenville Herald 1896
115:among the Boston elite.
53:Braintree, Massachusetts
49:Claremont, New Hampshire
781:Trials in Massachusetts
613:Boston Daily Advertiser
121:Harvard Medical College
679:Roberts, Oliver Ayer.
174:
131:
744:Webster, John W. and
733:Webster, John W. and
726:Vinton, John Adams.
636:Dempewolff, Richard.
572:The Proper Bostonians
312:The Morning Chronicle
169:
129:
688:The American Scholar
578:The Athens Messenger
728:The Vinton Memorial
719:Sullivan, Robert.
658:73.1 (1967): 84-99.
570:Amory, Cleveland.
321:The Ipswich Journal
317:The Bristol Mercury
33:Mayor Josiah Quincy
791:People from Boston
746:The New York Globe
735:The Boston Journal
696:Ohio: Steubenville
605:Borowitz, Albert.
592:Borowitz, Albert.
367:The Clapp Memorial
356:Lane 61; Davis 447
132:
101:John White Webster
47:Clapp was born in
37:John White Webster
776:History of Boston
643:Dilnot, George.
618:Clapp, Ebenezer.
387:Ferdinand, 84-99.
808:
699:Stone, James W.
667:Atlantic Monthly
553:
550:
544:
541:
535:
532:
526:
523:
517:
514:
508:
505:
496:
493:
487:
484:
478:
475:
460:
457:
451:
448:
442:
439:
433:
430:
424:
421:
415:
412:
406:
403:
397:
394:
388:
385:
379:
376:
370:
363:
357:
354:
348:
326:Manchester Times
307:
301:
298:
292:
289:
280:
277:
271:
268:
262:
259:
250:
247:
238:
235:
229:
226:
220:
217:
211:
208:
199:
196:
190:
187:
153:Craigie's Bridge
63:Boston Traveller
816:
815:
811:
810:
809:
807:
806:
805:
756:
755:
708:Story, Ronald.
595:Janitor's Story
583:Bemis, George.
562:
557:
556:
551:
547:
542:
538:
533:
529:
524:
520:
515:
511:
506:
499:
494:
490:
485:
481:
476:
463:
458:
454:
449:
445:
440:
436:
431:
427:
422:
418:
413:
409:
404:
400:
395:
391:
386:
382:
377:
373:
364:
360:
355:
351:
308:
304:
299:
295:
290:
283:
278:
274:
269:
265:
260:
253:
248:
241:
236:
232:
227:
223:
218:
214:
209:
202:
197:
193:
188:
184:
179:
97:
80:Boston Brahmins
45:
31:by the elderly
12:
11:
5:
814:
812:
804:
803:
798:
793:
788:
783:
778:
773:
768:
758:
757:
754:
753:
742:
731:
724:
717:
706:
697:
691:
684:
677:
672:Lane, Roger.
670:
659:
648:
641:
634:
625:
616:
610:
603:
602:1540-45 (1980)
590:
581:
575:
568:
561:
558:
555:
554:
545:
536:
527:
518:
509:
497:
488:
479:
461:
452:
443:
434:
425:
416:
407:
398:
389:
380:
371:
358:
349:
302:
293:
281:
272:
263:
251:
239:
230:
221:
212:
200:
191:
181:
180:
178:
175:
109:counterfeiting
96:
93:
44:
41:
17:Derastus Clapp
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
813:
802:
799:
797:
794:
792:
789:
787:
784:
782:
779:
777:
774:
772:
769:
767:
764:
763:
761:
751:
747:
743:
740:
736:
732:
729:
725:
722:
718:
715:
711:
707:
704:
703:
698:
695:
692:
689:
685:
682:
678:
675:
671:
668:
664:
660:
657:
653:
649:
646:
642:
639:
635:
632:
631:
626:
623:
622:
617:
614:
611:
608:
604:
601:
597:
596:
591:
588:
587:
582:
579:
576:
573:
569:
567:
564:
563:
559:
549:
546:
540:
537:
531:
528:
522:
519:
513:
510:
504:
502:
498:
492:
489:
483:
480:
474:
472:
470:
468:
466:
462:
456:
453:
447:
444:
438:
435:
429:
426:
420:
417:
411:
408:
402:
399:
393:
390:
384:
381:
375:
372:
368:
362:
359:
353:
350:
346:
345:
340:
339:
334:
333:
328:
327:
322:
318:
314:
313:
306:
303:
300:Story, 94-121
297:
294:
288:
286:
282:
276:
273:
267:
264:
258:
256:
252:
246:
244:
240:
234:
231:
225:
222:
216:
213:
207:
205:
201:
195:
192:
186:
183:
176:
173:
168:
164:
161:
156:
154:
149:
146:
140:
136:
128:
124:
122:
116:
114:
110:
106:
102:
94:
92:
90:
86:
81:
76:
74:
73:public school
70:
65:
64:
59:
54:
50:
42:
40:
38:
34:
30:
26:
22:
18:
749:
745:
738:
734:
727:
720:
713:
709:
700:
693:
687:
680:
673:
666:
662:
655:
651:
644:
637:
628:
619:
612:
606:
599:
593:
584:
577:
571:
565:
548:
539:
530:
521:
512:
491:
482:
455:
446:
437:
428:
419:
410:
401:
392:
383:
374:
366:
361:
352:
342:
336:
330:
324:
320:
316:
310:
305:
296:
275:
266:
233:
224:
215:
194:
185:
170:
165:
157:
150:
141:
137:
133:
117:
98:
85:State Street
77:
61:
46:
16:
15:
771:1881 deaths
766:1792 births
450:Lane 57, 65
89:muscle tear
760:Categories
716:8.3 (1975)
560:References
459:Shimer 430
338:Daily News
237:Roberts 39
219:Vinton 191
441:Amory 219
261:Clapp, 82
145:Cambridge
43:Biography
29:constable
21:detective
669:in 1860.
291:Clapp 82
249:Clapp 81
113:homicide
105:burglary
75:system.
543:Lane 48
279:Lane 62
210:Lane 61
198:Lane 60
160:warrant
58:militia
69:truant
25:Boston
177:Notes
600:ABAJ
107:and
665:,"
654:."
598:66
762::
748:.
737:.
712:.
500:^
464:^
284:^
254:^
242:^
203:^
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
