Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-07-08
From the Buffalo ENprcss.l
OUR PRECIOUS LCN1TIC.
NrW York. Nav 10

The Richardson Mcfarland jury had
been out one hour and fifty minutes. a
brcathlcss silence brooded over court and
auditory-a silence and a stiffness so alb
solute. Notwithstanding the vast multi
tude of human beings packed together
there, that when somc one far away
among the throng under the northeast
balcony cleared his throat with smother
ed little cough it startled everybody un-
comfortably. so distinctly did it CRATE up
on the pulsclcss air. At that imposing
moment the bang of door was heard.
then the shuttle of approaching feet, aud
then Il sort of surging and swaying dis
order among the heads near the entrance
from the jury room told that the Twelve
were coming. Presently all was still
again, and the foreman OF the jury rose
and said:
"YoUR HONOR AND GENTLEMEN We,
the jury charged with the duty of de-
termining whether the prisoner at the
bar, Daniel Mcfarland, has been guilty
OF murder, in taking by surprise an un-
armed man and shooting him TO death,
or whether the said prisoner is simply
afflicted with sad but irresponsible in
sanity which ut times can be cheercd only
by violent entertainment with firearms,
do find rs follows, namely:
That the prisoner Daniel Mcfarland is
insane, as above described. Because:
/. His great-grandlather's stcpfather
was tainted with insanity, and frequently
killed people who were dstasteful to
him. Hence, insanity is hereditary in
the family.
=. For nine years the prisoner ut the
bar did not adequately support his fami-
ly. Srong crcumstantial evidence OF in
sanity.
3. For nine years he made of his
home, as general thing, poor house; ;
sometimes (but very rarely,) cheery,
happy habtation; frequently the den OF
becry, drivelng, stupefied animal; but
never, as far as ascertained, the abiding
place of q gentleman. These be evil
dences of insanity.
4. He once took his young unmarried
sis,er-in-law to the museum; while there
his hereditary insanity came upon him,
and TO such degree that he hiccuped and
staggered; and afterward, on the way
home, even made love to the young girl
he was projecting. These are the acts of
person not right in his mind.
5. For 4 good while his sufferings
were so great that he had to submit to
the inconvenience of having his wife give
public readings for the support; and at
times, when he handed these shameful
earnings to tho barkeeper, his naughty
soul was so torn with anguish that he
could hardly stand without leaning up
against something AT such times he has
been known to shed tears into his susie
nance until il was diluted to utter inefli-
cheney. Inattention OF this nature is not
the act of Democrat unaffected in mind.
6. He never spared expense in max
ing his wife comfortable during her oc-
casional confnements. Her father is able
to testify to this. There was always an
element of unsoundncss about the prison.
er's gcnerosties that is very suggestive at
this time and before this court.
Z. Two years ago the prisoner came
fearlessly up behind Richardson in the
dark, and shot him in the leg. The pris-
oner's brave and protractcd defiance OF
an adversely that for years had left him
little to depend upon for his support, but
q wife who sometimes earned scarcely
any thing for weeks at time,is evidence
that he would have appeared in front OF