The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-03
Tho Death Of A.. ID. Richardson-A La.
inevitable Tragedy.

uaentable Tragedy.
It is with regret that we have to record the
death of Mr.. Richardson. 1t is the untime!y
loss of young man possessing brilliant capa-
bilities for great achievements in his profess
sion, and of one. too, who had already estab-
lished for himself highly promising literary
reputation. From any cause, and under any
circumstances, such loss is naturally painful
to contemplate; but under the peculiar cir
cumstances of this case it becomes, from every
point Of view, q deplorable misfortune. The
unfortunate young woman who at the bedside
of the dying man was united with him in the
holy bonds of marriage; the wretched man,
her former husband, who now lies in prison in
the character Of murderer, and the children
of the assassin and the orphans OF his victim
must all now share in the distressing conse-
quences of lamentable tragedy. For the
hope, while there was thread to support 1t,
that the wounded man might recover. He was
young and strong, and we had heard at least
of one case of a restoration from wound re-
ported to be exactly similar. Why, then, we
thought, might not this man survive? And what
sorrows would be averted by his recovery!
From all such reflections, however, we are now
drawn to the causes of this painful affair and
to the consequences suggested.
The causes, we apprehend, may be traced to
those peruicious teachings of certain schools
of MORAL and social reform which of late years
have been operating in our midst to the de-
moralization and disorganization of the estab-
lished order of society. Materialism in various
manifestations, Fourierism and its congo
ners, spiritual affinities tree love and
women's rights, embrace the doctrines taught
in these pernicious schools of reform. How
far the peculiar relations established between
Mr.. Richardson and Mrs. Mcfarland may be
rightly charged to any of these demoralizing
teachings we cannot tell; but from the associ-
ations surrounding them, their moral atmos-
phere and the divorce laws of Indiana, we
cannot resist the impression that the delusive
destinations of spiritual affinity and free love
were the false lights which led these parties
astray.
We would not PREJUDICE this case. We have
avoided it so far on this account but when
we find it taken up by woman suffrage asso-
citation, in this city, and in advocacy of the
free and easy divorce laws of Indiana, and
the conduct Of Richardson in al this melan-
choly business proclaimed by an organ Of the
Puritans as worthy of admiration, we feel
at liberty to discuss the vital principles of
social order involved. The Rev. Henry Ward
Beecher, a shining light of modern reform,
and President of the National Woman Suffrage
Association, has in this matter given us an
extraordinary piece of evidence of his endorse
ment of these Indiana divorces 1t was this
Indiana divorce, no doubt, which directly led
Mcfarland to the murder which followed.
Thus Qeaving Mcfarland in the hands of
justice) it appears from the facts disclosed
that this dreadful tragedy, from first to last on
both sides, betrays that contempt and defiance
of personal decorum, vested rights, public
sentiment and law and order which are sapping
the very foundations of our social fabric. The
moral is to be found in that commandment
which says, ''Thou shalt do no MURDER" and
in that other one, which says, sThou shalt
not covet thy neighbours wife,
The details in relation to the death and
post norton examination of the remains of
Mr.. Richardson, and the remarkable facts en-
bodied in the report Of certain legal proceed
ings which we publish elsewhere in these
columns bearing upon the moral aspects Of
this gloomy case we submit without further
remark, to the reader.