Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1870-01-07

The last number of the CongrcgdtionaliSt
contains n long biography of Albert d..
Richardson, by his brother, Mr.. c. a.
Richardson, one of the editors of that paper.
1t presents the view with which the friends
of the deceased take of the whole matter,
and AZ such, controverts some of the ru-
mors which the New York press have Civ
en- origin to. We make the following OK
tracts:
All the newspaper talk about free love
and Fourierism, is simply ridiculous. The
deceased was faithful husband and father,
aud regarded the marriage relation in the
tHino light as tho great mass of those who
ill read this column, and was more con-
scrvative, even, than the majority as to the
conduct ana relation of husbands and
wives as such, though he did not hold that
adultery Is the only cause for which one
may justly seek divorce. But in this he
was in agreement with large class in the
community who are entirely above any
suspicion as TO free love. His acquaint-
ance with Mrs. Mcfarland finally grew
into warm, mutual regard, but we are
able to state unequivOcally, on the testlmo-
ny of both parties, that no feeling OF this
sort existed till after final separation be-
tween husband and wife had taken place III
the presence of witnesses and from that
time there had been but very little inter
course between them, he seeing her only
once sometimes for a period of year, as
they both felt that, until she was legally
divorced, their relations to each other
should be well guarded, and above all sus-
picion OF reproach.
As TO this woman over whose life now
hangs SO black cloud, even if she were
artful or vicious the friends of the deceased
utterly rcpudiato the idea that he could
have been entrapped. He was a man of
strength of purpose and firm principle,
and it is impossible for his friends, for n
moment, to believe that the responsibility
in the matter belong TO her rather than him.
None of the parties most interested accuse
either thc deceased or his wife of any inn
morality i'm the case; though the sensation
nj newspapers seem to be glad to assume
that there was the worst kind of impurty.
Those mo Intimately acquainted with the
affair, including as highminded men and
women as can be found in New York, feel
perfectly clear on this point. Whatever
the vile breath of SANDER may assert, |
firmly believe her to be true, heroic,
high minded, virtuous woman and most
unhesitatingly give her The hcartiost SYM
pathy and the most cordial and helpful as
sjstancc, especially in the great work of
training up the children of the deceased,
upon which she enters with fixed princi-
pie and earnest purpose.
As to her divorce from Mcfarland, the
ca q was conducted by Hon. Albert G..
most positive assurance that if any divorce
granted in Indiana is legal, it is this. Mrs.
Mcfarland was there for fifteen months,
and at the time she went was Il citizen of
Massachusetts and not OF New YORK.
What respect the courts of New York may
show TO the awards of an Indiana court do
not pretend to know. When the balancing
of the probabilities at the AstOr House be-
gun to show against recovery, both parties
were exceedingly anxious to be united in
marriage, that she might bear his name
and have n real claim to the care of The
children. ! saw no objection if legal adj
vice intcrppSed no obstacle if such imped-
iments stood in the way, neither party de-
sired that the thing should be done. Ac-
cOrdingly the legal counsel of both parties
were carefully consulted. They are gentle
men OF long experience and good repute in
their profession, as well as of unblemshed
character, and they advised that the cerc-
mony should take place.
The estate, of which exaggerated reports
have been published consists mainly of
Tribune stock, and after the demands u
gainst ii are met may perhaps amount to
$4,000. The murderer is of Irish birth,
though educated in this country was
eighteen wears older than his wife; has
been accustomed to strong drink threw
the support of the family upon his wife, es-
pccially in recent years and, long before
she formed the acquaintance of the deceas-
ed, her life had become uncomfortable. That
the deceased did proiier assistance to
much abused woman, carrying load too
heavy to be borne, we believe to be the
whole story as to his error in the matter.
There was but a single partition between
his room and that of Mcfarland, and his
direct testimony to the writer was that loud
talk of razors and other expressions, es-
pecially on one occasion which he named,
led dim TO believe that violence might at
any time be expected; and this accords
precisely with the statements of his wife,
who believed her life to be in imminent
danger, though she relates that her hus-
band was accustomed at times to express
the most e2;travagant regard and admira-
tiuu for her, declaring that he could never
harm her i(he knep her, qualification the
significance Of which needs no explanation.