Boston Evening Herald
Evening Edition
Tuesday, December 4 [1849]

The Parkman Tragedy
The Suspicions Against Littlefield.

A morning paper states that yesterday morning a direct attempt was made to make out a suspicious circumstance against Littlefield. Three students, who are attending the medical lectures at the college, called upon the City Marshal, and represented that on Monday of last week, Littlefield offered to give one of the students $70 for a gold watch, and tendered the money, a part of which was in gold. Some of Dr. Webster's friends thought that Littlefield ought to have been arrested upon the strength of this information. When questioned about the matter by Mr. Parker, County Attorney, Littlefield promptly explained it by saying that it occurred on Monday preceding the disappearance of Dr. Parkman, and that the money was received from the students for fees to be by him paid over to the proper officer, and that having it in his hand he jocosely proposed to buy the watch with it. The ground upon which Dr. Webster's friends wished to have Littlefield arrested was his being in possession of so much money so soon after the disappearance of Dr. Parkman. Mr. Parker replied that as Littlefield was worth some $2000, there was nothing strange in his having $70 in his possession, and the circumstance was not a significant ground for arresting him for murder. This was before Mr. Parker had heard Littlefield's explanation.

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