Prompt Cast
The Gruesome Murder at Harvard University: A Look into the Cutting-Edge Science of the Time
TLDR In 1849, a rich landowner goes missing at Harvard Medical School, leading to a city-wide search and suspicions of foul play. The prime suspect, a chemistry professor, is accused of the murder and a high-profile trial ensues, with dental evidence playing a crucial role in the conviction.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
In 1849, a gruesome murder took place at Harvard University, and the podcast investigates the case using cutting-edge science of the time.
05:08
Dr. George Parkman, a rich landowner in Boston, goes missing after being seen at Harvard Medical School, leading to suspicions of foul play and a city-wide search for him.
09:12
John Webster, a professor of chemistry at Harvard, becomes the prime suspect in the murder investigation after dismembered body parts are found in his private lab, although he claims that he has been framed by the janitor, Efrem Littlefield, who had access to the lab and had a history of involvement with procuring dead bodies for anatomy students.
13:27
The prime suspect, Professor John Webster, has a motive for the murder as he owed the victim, Mr. Parkman, thousands of dollars and had a lavish lifestyle that he couldn't afford on his salary, and there is also evidence linking him to the dismembered body in his lab.
17:38
The trial of the chemistry professor accused of killing Mr. Parkman becomes a spectacle, with 60,000 spectators passing through the courthouse, and the professor's legal team argues that the body found in his lab could be anyone since there are bodies all over the medical school for students to dissect.
22:12
The prosecution uses dental evidence, including a cast of Mr. Parkman's jaw and dentures, to prove that the body in the professor's lab is indeed Mr. Parkman.
26:22
The defense and prosecution battle it out in court over the validity of dental evidence, while the prosecution explains that the professor did not have the necessary resources to completely dissolve or burn the body.
30:17
The professor is found guilty and sentenced to death, and later confesses to the murder.
