The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1869-12-16


scene on Tuesday afternoon of ceremony
which seems to US to set at defiance all those
sentiments respecting the relation of marri.
age which regard it as anything intrisically
superior 20 prostitution The High Priest
OF TINS occasion was. Henry Ward Beecher
assisted by the Rev. Henry NJ. Field. ID. d.
and the Rev. o. b. Fro bingham. The par
ties were Albert d. Richardson. living,
wounded by pistol shot, upon a bed of i'll
ness, and probably of death. and Mrs. Me-
Fariand' Gt'ds Mrs. Sage. whom Richardson
some time ago seduced from allegiance to
her lawful and welded husband.
This husband had been guilty Of a crime
towards his wife--the crime of poverty. II
was even said thai, harassed by the loss OF
his property and the conduct Of his wife. he
had sometimes taken TO his cups to drown
care and had occasionally been xaSperated
TO speak harshly TO the pan tner OF his bos-
SON. although, on the other hand. no charge
OF adultery was ever made against him. aud
1t appears to be uucontTadicted that be was
generally so devoted that his exceeding
conjugal affection attracted attention and
elected frequent remark from his acquain-
tances.
Mrs. Mcfarland was a woman of personal
attractiveness. She and her husband and
children. in the year 1867. occupied apart
mems adjoining those of Richardson. who
was young widOweT. with children. As
we are informed. Mrs. Mcfarland got into
the habit of going out to lunch frequently.
II not daily, with Richardson. After this
had gone on for some time. her husband re-
monstratTd with her against such prac-
tIce- telling her that il would give rise to
scandal. SHE replied that she had not be-
fore reflected upon that consequence and
promised Immediate amendment. Coming
home earlier than usual the next day. Me-
Farland was met in the hall by his wife. who
came rushing suddenly and as if surprised
from Richardson's apartments aud then by
way of atOnement she threw her arms con-
vulsively around him, and buried him in a
shower of passionate kisses. They then
went to his room. where he gently remin-
ded her that she had broken her promise:
she again promised reform they spent the
night together, and in the morning she con-
,inued to cover him with terms of endear-
ment. finally begging him, as he left. to re-
turn earlier than usual, assigning as the rea-
son of h,r request that she had not had
enough of his Society of late; that she was
lonely. and wished to see more OF him. In
compliance with her Impassioned wish he
did return earlier than usual, and found on
his table a note from his wife. stating thar
she had left him. In tact Richardson had
taken her and his two children away from
him and from his home. and whittier he
knew not. Subsequently. finding Richard
son escorting her home from a theratre late
at night. he fired revolver at him. but in-
flicted only a flesh wound. One of the chill
dren he afterwar1 found in Massachusetts,.
He succeeded in recovering possession Of tue
child before the Supreme Court ofthat State
by aid of the sacred writ of habeAs corpus.
On the 18th of March, 1869 Richardson
published card, containing the shameless
Specting IA woman who was
the lawful wife of another man-that after
the separation between Mrs. Mcfarland and
her husband lit came to be understood be-
tween her and myself that whenever she
should be legally tree. she should become
nv wife" Yet no Intelligent. reasoning
human being can doubt, from the evidence
in the case. that this separation was prompt
ed and brought about-and not unlikely
originally suggested-by Richardson him
self,
At last driven to frenzy by the loss of his
more than life. and by the contemplation of
his wife the mother of his children respond
ing in the arms of her seducer he shot that
seducpr-whO was armed at the time TO re
ceive him-through the body. intlicLing mp
on him wound from the effects of which
the seducer has since been f1uttering be-
tween life and death. We use the word Sc
dured in its exact sense; we mean the man
who led this woman from herself for he who
crawls. like the serpent in Eden into
household. and estrangeS from her husband
the affection of WIFE is equally her sedu
Ger. whether he himselfh has marital relations
With her before or after mock religious GER
emony." AS the great and eloquent John
Whipple said. He who enters the dwell
ing of friend, and. under the shelter and
protection of friendship and hospitality.
corrupts the integrity of his wife or daugh-
ter. by the common consent of mankind
ought to be consigned to an immediate gal
low"
An easily misguided woman. led on BY
Richardson, and cheered and encouraged
by his Free-love allies. this wife and mother
resorted to Indiana, where forgetting her
early pighted faith, by the loose and easy
process there in vogue, she procured a le-
gal divorce.
with bold. irreverent brow.
Ana loose. free STEP her perilous way she
trod.
Downward and on till she denied her God
And broke the marriage VOW
For had she not vowed to take McFar-
land for her husband, for better. for worse.
until death--nOthing else--should part
them?
But it is said that her husband was poor
and sometimes harsh And so the Rev Hen
nv Ward Beecher comes and marries her to
another man-to wit: this man Richardson.
And now. consider. married men Of New
Y ork. husbands and fathers by what frail
aud brittle tenure your homes are YOURS
If yon fail in your business-and it is said
that ninety-five ont of one hundred bust
ness men at some time fail-then the Young
er and handsOmer face of vour widowed
may charm away your wife: the
Avs Of Indiana will grant a divorce to the
fair truant. and Henry Ward Breecher-
" it'll the Rev. Dr. Field. of the New York
EvaI list standing at his right hand, and
the Rev. .. Il. FrOthinghem to implOre a
blessing on the sin-Stands ready to marry
her TO the first libertine who will paV-nOt
in affection. but in gold or greenbacks-
the price of her frail charmsi II it be said
that poverty was not the only crime of Nc
Farland, then rest easy, husbands and faith
ers. at least all of you Who never. in any
moment oftrial and vexation. have uttered
one imDatient or petulant words
Yes. it is the pious the popular. the adj
mired. the revered Henry Ward Brpechpr
who comes boldly and even proudly for
Lust to her triumph over Religionl Who
can read the narrative and not wish that
Plymouth Church were sunk into the
ground until the peak of its gable should be
beneath the surface of the earth,
And Mr.. Beecher was assisted by the Rev.
Mr. Frothingham. who blasphemed in pray
er To- God. which contained these words:
Father. we thank Thee for what those
two have been to each other, and for what
thew may be yet
Mr.. Rockingham may plead in his defense
that he does not believe in the Scriptures !;
but Mr.. Breecher, who has been engaged for
several years past upon a Life of Christ.
should have reminded him that our Savior
said: Il say unto you. that whatsoever shall
put away his wife. saving for the cause OF
iornication. causeth her to commit adultery ;
and whatsoever shall marry her that is di-
vorced commiteth adultery"
Mr.. THEODORE TILTON'S STATEMENT.
From the New York Independent, Novem-
Der g.
Mcfarland seeks to Justify the murderous
deed by the allegation that Mr.. Richardson
was improperly intimate with his wife, and
that enticed her to leave him. Our own ac-
quaintauce with the circumstances enables
Us to give the most emphatic denial 70 this
allegation, as we'll as to every rumor affec-
ting unfavorably the reputation of either
Mrs Mcfarland or Mr.. Richardson. The
simple truth is that Mrs. Mcfarland left her
husband in the spring of 1867. entirely with
out MIR. Richardson's instigation. because
she could not longer endure his brutality