The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-04-14
The Mcfarland Trial.

NEW York, April 13-The crowd at the
Mcfarland trial to-day was larger than on any
previous day. Upon the opening of the court
Mr.. Gerry read letter from Mrs. Calhoun
similar in character to the epistle from the
same lady read yesterday. The Recorder init
mated that the counsel would do well to refrain
from reading letters merely relating to Mrs.
Calnoun's personal feeling and not directly
bearing on the case.
After the reading of the letters, Charles W.
Eastwood, a wood-dealer, and Sanford B.
Wakeman, of New Jersey, testified. Eastwood
had seen the prisoner in November and Wake
man in May, and both thought him monoma-
MAC on the subject of his family troubles.
The following are the important points in
Wakeman's testimony: On Sunday, November
14th, 1869, witness met Mcfarland on Sixth
Avenue. The latter told him he did not think
that he could live long; asked witness to look
into his eye; did SO, and told Mcfarland he
did not see anything the matter with him. A
short time after that witness took Mcfarland
home with him; he laid down and apparently
slept; witness did not sleep but remained in
the same room with Mcfarland; the latter
jumped up in bed and cried, "Oh, my child;
my child" Witness questioned Mcfarland
as to what he wanted, and was told that he had
seen boy in his dreams. On Thanksgiving
day Mcfarland asked witness to accompany
him to a wOodsde to see if he could get a
witness there was grocer at Woodside with
whom Richardson dealt, and asked witness if
he would go into the store and ask if Richard
son was at home and whether there were any
children about Richardson's house. Witness
did so and going out to Mcfarland informed
him that Richardson was married. McFar-
land became frenzied and wept bitterly. Wit
ness had much difficulty in reducing him to
something like calmness. From a Mr.. Doug
lass in Woodside witness learned that Rich
vious day, and that Mrs. Mcfarland and the
child were also in Massachusetts. Mcfarland
on hearing this became almost frantic. Wit
ness saw the prisoner on the 22d of November,
when he he appeared in a most excited and
irrational frame of mind.
Two walters at a restaurant where McFar-
land took his meals also testified to his strange
demeanor. One of them said he appeared as
if he had been drinking.
John b. COnghlin, u S. Internal Revenue
Assessor, testified that he had known the pris-
Oner since June, 1869; the first day he saw him
he concluded from his actions he was man
whose mind had lost its balance The prison.
er was connected with the department of lega-
cies; he " as generally given such things to do
as would not require much memory or thought.
He would frequently forget what he had been
told to do and the directions would have to be
written out for him. The prisoner had made
the witness confident of his family troubles
and told him he had lost $4,000 in the habeas
corpus proceedings.
Cross examined. On one occasion he MOTTO
ed signs of drink upon the prisoner. The dia-
grams made by the prisoner in the discharge of
his duty, were often inaccurate, but generally,
however, accurate. Ordinarily, in making his
report, he was coherent and Ineligible. The
compensation he received was S. per day.
William March testified that he had known
the prisoner since 1867 when he seemed a very
intelligent man, but subsequently a great
change came over him. The witness had heard
the intercepted letter read and generally cor
federated the statements of the previous wit
ness as to McFarland's strange and apparently
insane conduct.
Fitzhugh Ludlow testified that he was an
author. Knew prisoner since 1864. Knew his
wife, and boarded in the country with them at
CrOton. Their demeanor towards each other
was often extremely tender and loving, even
foolishly SO. Met Mcfarland frequently after
the first of March, 1867 Remembered his hav-
ing read to him an intercepted letter. His con-
ditiOn was that of absolute frenzy. He COM
mented on the letter as he read it. Saw him
frequently in 1867. His appearance was ex-
tremely wild, and he perpetually talked of his
wife.
Cross examined-He could not remember of
the prisoners telling him how it was that he
had not obtained possession of the youngest
child. He never heard from the prisoner how
he and his wife arranged to separate. Never
saw Mrs. Mcfarland since the separation
When he first knew prisoner, he often dis
cussed literary matters with him. He was a
most delightful companion before he made the
discovery of the intercepted letter in 1868. He
came to his house and asked him for volume
of Herbert Spencer then just out