run by steam-power, and capable of producing six thousand impressions an
hour. Mr. Head withdrew from the firm about this time, and Mr. French
was announced as sole proprietor throughout the remainder of the year.
In October the announcement was made that the Herald had a larger
circulation than any other paper published in Boston or elsewhere, and
the publisher made a successful demand for the post-office advertising,
which by law was to be given to the paper having the greatest
circulation.

During this year (1849) the Herald distanced its competitors and
accomplished a feat that was the talk of the town for a long time
afterwards, by reporting in full the trial of Professor Webster
for the murder of Dr. Parkman. Extras giving longhand reports of this
extraordinary case were issued hourly during the day, and the morning
edition contained a shorthand report of the testimony and proceedings
of the day previous. The extras were issued in New York as well as in
Boston, the report having been telegraphed sheet by sheet as fast as
written, and printed there simultaneously with the Herald's. The type
of the verbatim report was kept standing, and within an hour after the
verdict was rendered pamphlets containing a complete record of the
trial were for sale on the street. The year 1850 found the Herald as
prosperous as it had been during the previous twelvemonth. In September,
the editorial, composing, and press rooms were transferred to No. 6
Williams Court, where they remained until abandoned for the new Herald
Building, February 9, 1878, and the business-office was removed to No.
203 (now No. 241) Washington Street. Early in 1851, through some
inexplicable cause, Mr. French suddenly found himself financially
embarrassed. In July he disposed of the paper to John M. Barnard, and
soon after retired to a farm in Maine. Mr. Tyler was retained in charge
of the editorial department; but Mr. Glen resigned and was succeeded as