The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-12-01
GheGttteLIiq
The Attempted Assassination ofRIeb.
AFdHhn,

I@"Nuy evening III NOW 10fk1 would
not recover, but later accounts Indicate
that the crisis 10 past and that he will
get well. Few men, under any clrcum-
stances, ever received more numerous
or hearty expressions OF esteem and
sympathy than those that have poured
In on this unfortunate gentleman since
his injury. And these have como from
men whose frleudShlp Is compliment
10 any man. They testify at once 10
Mr. RlchardSon's amiablllty, purity
and nobility OF character aud to the
confidence OF his friends In his blame,
lssSness In the matters which led 10 hIs
misfortune. All our exchanges which
refer 10 the matter speak Of Mr.. Rich
"rdSon In the highest terms, and the
editors generally do 30 from personal
knowledge. Mcfarland, the assassin,
hnS hIS story, Of Conrse, and makes
himself out u deeply.wronged indiyld.
ual; but the weight Of dlsInterestsd
testimony Is against him. Nothing can
bo more certain than that long before
her acquaintance with Richardson, he
treated his wife, who Is woman Of
rare virtues and intellectual gifts, with
such brutality as to make her life a
burden, and was wlthal such worth.
less brute that she had 10 provide for
both by heripen and hlstrlonIc talents.
Circumstances growing out OF this ne.
cesaitymade her acquainted with Rich.
ardSon. who shortly after learned by
accident OF the outrageous abuse from
her husband OF which she WAS the vic.
tim. Naturally he sympathIzed with
her and naturally she was grateful for
bis sympathy.
Upon these points we quote from tho
Sun, whose reporter visited the lady:
The Sun reporter desired some par.
particulars OF her married life, which
she was, at first, unwilling TO give. She
wished TO avoid all further publicity.
II was suggested that the conventional
preJndices OF society led the world to
misiudge her case, and that she should
make known oil that could be offered
M n cause for her separation. By re.
peated questlonlnRs, the Sun reporter
learned that Mcfarland had for many
years frequently exhibited ungovernR.
BILE fits OF fury. He would smash fur
nlture, strike her brutally, and. at
night, would often spring from his bed,
tear his night OlothInR frRntically and
throw II away. AT AN early period or
bis married life he w0nld endeavor to
trighten her by stating that he carried
loaded pistol for uSe against her, and
sometimes would display small pack.
ages of paper which he said contain.
cd prussic acid. She feared poi-
son, and during these dangerous
moods, would hide his razors in
anticipation OF possible MURDER
lie commenced drinking soon after
his marriage. and liquor invariably
exaggerated his parOxysms. In less
than three weeks from the wedding day
his temper revealed Itself In unaccount.
able sulks, during which he would not
speak to his wife. His conduct In time,
OF course, allenRted her regard for him.
This was natural, and consciousness
OF the fact added 10 his frenzy. He In
dulRed In constant oaths, and the
coArsest language toward her. Not
WlthstandinR his treatment, she long
continued living with him, as her timld
conservatism shrnnk from the lmagin-
ed stigma OF separation or divorce.
She speaks OF him as \ man OF superior
educational advantages, but of most
uuaccountaOle temperament. She has
Two children, both boys, the eldest Of
whom Ia nine years OF age.
lnAlluSion 10 statement OF McFRr-
land that hs had found her visiting Mr..
Richardson's room at their mutual
boarding house, she said that she had
simply knocked at his door to give him
manuscript whloh he had offered 10
deliver 10 u publisher. She was writing
ut the time for the support OF herself
and two young children, rs her hus.
band contributed nothing toward the
family expenses. Her married life OF
twelve years, she said, had been per.
petual torture. Mr.. Richardson was q
witness TO ~ portion Of her trials, and
She was naturally grateful for the warm
sympalhy he displayed for her suffer.
ings. When, at last, abe became def.
nilely separated from her husband, she
experienced sense OF deep relief aud
entire freedom, and could not realize
that she was not at liberty 10 receive
the visits of Mr.. Richardson or any
other gentleman, or walk abroad with
whom she pleased.
There is scarcely a pretenoe any.
where thatthe intimacy which obtained
between Mr.. Richardson and this lady
was improper, unless II be deemed I'm.
proper for q couple TO entertain a
mutual attachment who are legally
debarred from marriage. The ciroum-
stances OF Mr.. McFarland's attempt to
assasslnate Mr.. Richardson two years
ago are In part detailed In an article
copied elsewhere. Mr.. Richardson
showed himself then, as he always han
In the many trying positions In which
he has been placed, q man OF courage
and mAgnanlmlty. He could easily
have killed Mcfarland but contsnted
himself with SeIElGR and dIsarminE
him. In answer to publications then
made by Mcfarland, Mr., Richardson
published the manly letter In Whicn he
hNo"p0 hAo lhbonklOh " AAhhV HAANs
Mcfarland (who had left her husband)
his wife "a soon On she could legally
become such. We do not see, take
this matter all the way, through,
how either has been in the wrong.
Mcfarland had cancelled every claim
TO his Wlfs's affection or even respect.
She had q legal and moral right TO be
separated from him, aud reosutly sue
oeeded In obtaining q legal separation
as she had long had q moral one. Be-
tween the time Of her leaving him and
that Of obtaining a divorce, Mr.. Rich
ardson wasso scrupulous that he never
permitted himself 70 visit her. After
her divorce Mcfarland bad no moro
claim on her than on any other woman
and no more qualification for trying
TO murder the man she intended to
marry than for attempting the murder
of any other man In New York. He
| had driven her aWAV from him and for