The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-03
The Extraordinary Deathbed
Marriage.
The Circles of Socialism and the
Chamber of Death.
DOMESTIC TRUTHS AND TROUBLES.
sINCULARLY INTERESTING EVIDENCE.
THE P0sT-MoRTEM EXAMINATION.

After holding on for six days with marvellous VI
tally the precarous tenure OF life left him by fatal
pistol shot, Albert d. Richardson finally succumb ed,
at five O'CLOCK yesterday morning, IN room 115 Aston
House. During the brief but remarkable period In
which he lay lowering between life ana death the
evening papers OF every day announced him as
.'rapidy sinking" while the morning papers.
with singular unanimity pronounced him
''rapidly growing BETTER" This nuctuation
OF the breath and current OF existence
interested not alone the curiosity Of people
everywhere, but gave strong impulse to the dis
cussion OF the subject that brought about the
tragedy OF which Richardson was the victim; SO
shat while his spirit was slowly disentangng itself
from its earthly tenement men and women were
ranging themselves on different sides and warmly
debating the guilt or innocence OF the dying man.
He is now past the force or influence OF COM
ment and disputation; but over his dead
body it would seem as II wild and
passionate controversy Is about to spring up.
AT this particular moment there s hardly domes.
tic circle In this metropolis IN which auson In some
shape or other has not been made to the matter Of
Richardson's assassination. 1t was purely social in
its bearings and HAD interest for Others than the
followers OF Fourier. Mr.. Albert d. Richardson Is
already well known to the country, and the part he
played In the world OF literature though ephemeral
and mtrinscally commonplace, was IN active keep
ing with the stirring events OF the day. His connec
ton with the TRIBUNE was long and conspicuous,
and the philosophy Of which It's chief is
the apostle was shared in by Richardson with no
small degree OF ardor. The causes which led to the
fatal tragedy enacted In The afternoon OF yesterday
q week ago at the Tribune office may be thus cpl
tomized:-
MIR. Richardson, who was frequent visitor to the
house Of the publisher Of the tribune Mr. Sinclair,
happened one evening some three years ago to meet
and become introduced there to the wife OF Mr..
Mcfarland. Mr.. Snclair's house was said to be the
rendezvous Of many literary ladies and gentle
men whose names are quite familiar in jour-
nalistic circles and whose topics OF conversation
embraced among other things the relations OF the
sexes and the principle OF psychological aflnities.
Mrs. Mcfarland was just sufficiently educated and
metaphysically inclined to understand and take an
interest in these novel themes of controversy, and
Mr.. Richardson, who had a similar tendency OF
thought naturally began to take some concern in
his new and attractive acquaintance. 1t is alleged
that Richardson apostle ofiree love doctrines,
but there Is Sufficient evidence for stating that this
assertion puts his position unduy and untruly
strong. Originally he had no reputation as an adgo
cate Of Fourierite vagares, but 1t IS said he reshed
the discussion OF socalistic theories and was finally
led to take an advanced view III it may be called
advanced OF the sexual relations by stronger minds
than his own. There are men and women In this
city holding high position in the esteem Of the COM
munity whose private views on certain subjects
deemed sacred and settled by ordinary people are
OF strangely subversive character. Some
Of them were acquaintance Of Richard
son and were especially fond OF engaging
him In the ventilation Of their pet ideas
NTH Of rhr1.fi ri.
son took sufncient interest in Mrs. Mcfarland to
exert himself In an indirect way to procure her
engagement at the Winter Garden theatre from MI.
william Stuart.
Some time after he went to board in Amty street,
and from time to time met Mrs. Mcfarland from
wnom he took certain manuscripts to try and dis
pose or Mr.. Mcfarland, 1t appears, was in very
fourishing circumstances at this time and his wife
professed to be compelled to earn her own living
and occasionally his. The story goes that Richard
son finally went to board at the house in which
Mcfarland, his wife and children were living, and
that there the intimacy between the former and Mrs.
Mcfarland rpened into uncomfortable passion.
Row far Richardson was justified in seeking lodg-
ings 30 near woman whose looks and language 1t
was impossible he could have previously failed to
interpret as being meant for encouragement to him
Is question which each mans sense OF proprlety
were acquaintance, or what is filppanty called
friends. The latter would, no doubt have sooner
and more promptly resented the intimacy which the
former exhibited TOWARDS his wife had he been
less thoroughly and kindly acquainted with him.
AS 1t was he bore the torturing attentions of
Richardson with restless and channg spirit which
finally eliminated IN the shooting OF Richardson as
he was accompanying Mrs. Mcfarland home from
the theatre the evening Of March 49, 1857. The
wound was not dangerous, and Richardson was
only confined to his room for few days. It is
worth while now to glance at McFarlands state
ment after his recent arrest as 1t apparently en-
braces the marrow Of the whole story
Mr. Richardson about three years ago obtained
rooms In the house which i occupied. From this
time he commenced to frequent my rooms,
talking with, lunching with, and walking out with
with her gently, demonstrated with her, ana we
made 1t all up. The next day. when | returned
Mr.. Richardson had removed my wife to No. Wash
tngton place, ana, at his own expense, sent my
eldest boy to Boston; my younger had been sent
away month or TWO previous. For few days
could not see my wife. At length her father came
down and had an interview With her. l entreated
her not TO take step OF this Kind. Mr.. Richardson
pretended 10 sympathize with me. i asked
Inn for my child; where was hea He told
me would know tomorrow, and tnen on my
promising not to institute search for hun on
that day. ne said that he had been sent to Boston.
l instituted habeas corpus suit In Boston for the
IeCONcIy VI Oihy SuCCecutu III get
ting the eldest; my youngest have not seen for
about two years. About two weeks after this let
ter fell into my hands through the medium OF the
Tribune Office, written by Richardson and addressed
20 my wife. This letter was one OF twelve or four
teen which he had addressed through the same
mel. In this letter he called her "hls wife, his
''dear wife, and SAID that In few months she
to be openly He has ever since had control OF my
IN New Jersey. / was offered large sum OF
money and foreign consulship II would lei the
matter drop. am informed that they my wife and
Rlchardson) have obtained fraudulent divorce ana
are iraudulenty married. Previous to Richardson's
coming to my house he had had communication
win my wife, and sent letters to her for two months
be1ore by little errand boy.
Inc letter alluded as falling into his hands needs
Anew words Of explanation, and as IL has never yet
been published. along with being one Of the
most important documents going to prove
'he reai merits OF this much controverted