The Petroleum Centre daily record. [volume] (Petroleum Center, Pa.) 1868-1873, 1869-12-04
From the Eep Fork San Of Thursday Dec. =
A Public outrage on Religion and
Es44 Deccncy.


The Astor House, in this city, was the
scene on Tuesday afternoon of ceremony
which seems to us to set at defiance all those
sentiments respecting the relation Of mar
riage which regarded is as anything intrin-
sically superior 10 prostitution. The High
Priest of this occasion was Henry Ward
Beecher assisted by the Rev. Henry NJ.
Field, d. D., and the Rev. 0. b. Frothing-
ham. The parties were Albert D. Richard
son, lying, wounded by pistol shot, upon
bed of illness, and probably of death, and
Mrs. Mcfarland, alias Mrs Sage, whom
Richardson some time ago seduced from al
legiance to her lawful welded husband.
This husband had been guilty of q crime
toward his wife-the crime of poverty. 1t
was even said that, harassed by the loss of
his property aud the conduct of his wife, he
had sometimes taken to his cups, to drown
care, and had occasionally bten exasper-
ted to speak harshly to the partner of
his bosom, although, on the other hand, no
charge of adultery was ever made against
him, and it appears to be unccntradicted
that he was generally SO devoted to her
that his exceeding corjugal afi1cti on attract
ed attention and ELECTED frequent remark
from his acquaintauces.
Mrs Mcfarland was a woman of personal
attractiveness. She and her husband end
children, in the year, 1867, occupied apart
ments adjoining those of Ricbaidson, who
was young widowcr, with children. As we
are informed, Mrs. Mcfarland got into the
habit of going out to lunch frequently, if
not daily, with Richardson. After this had
gone on for some time, her husband reInou-
strated with her against such practice tell
ing her that It would give rise to scandal.
She replied that she had before reflected mp
on that consequence, and promised immedi-
ate amendment. Coming home earlier
than usual the next day, Mr.. Mcfarland
met in the hall his wife, who came rushing
suddenly and rs il surprised from Richard
sons apartment she threw her arms around
him and buried him in a shower of passion
ate kisses. They then went to his room.
where be gently reminded her that she had
broken her promise; again she promised re
form; they spent the night together, aud in
tue morning she continued to cover him with
terms of endearment, finally begging him.
as he left, to return earlier than usual, assign
ing as reason Of her request that
she had not bad enough of his society of
late; that she was lonely, and wished to
see more of him. In comnlinnnn
Impassoned wish, he did return carrier
than usual, and found on his table a note
from his ,oite, stating that she had left him
la fact, Richardson had taken her and his
two children away from his home,
whittier he knew not. Subsequently,, find
ing Richardson escortlng her home from
theatre late at night, he fred revolver al
him, but inflicted only flesh wound
One of his children be afterward found IN
Massachusetts. He succeeded in recoverin,
possession of the child before the Supreme
Court of that State by aid of the sacred wri
of habeas corpus.
On the 18th OF March, 1860, Richardson
published a card,containing the shameless
statement--respectiug woman who wa
the lawful wife of another man--that aite
the separation between Mrs McFARLAN
and ner hus band sit came to be understoo
between her and myself, that whenever
she should be legally free, she should b
come my wife" Yet no intelligent reason
ing, human being can doubt, from the ey
dence in the case, that this separation W;
promoted and bought about-and not m
like originally suggested-by Ricbardso
himself !
! At last, driven to frenzy by the loss Of h
: more than life, and by the contemplate
! OF his wife, the mother his children, repo
ing in the arms Of her seducer. he shot ih
seducer-who was armed ut The time to I,
ceive him-through the body, inflicting II
on him a wound from the effects of whit
the seducer has since been hnttering b,
tween life and death. We use the wo
: seducer in its exact sense we mean The mt
: who led this woman from herself; for
who crawls, like the serpent in Eden, in
q household aud estranges from hushal
/, the Affections of a wife, is equally her =
a ducer. whether be himself has marital +
a lations with her before or after q mock I