Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-05-11
Mr.. Hackett's Charge to the Jury.
Verdict of the Jury--" GUILTY.
Great Excitement in Court.


In the trial of Mcfarland to-day Recorder
Hackctts charge to the jury concluded as fol-
lows:
The Counsel for the defence has stated in
your hearing that several times in kindred
cases lie has been called upon to vindicate the
marriage tie, or of upholding or defending the
marriage relations. | charge you gentlemen,
that no such ideas as these should find en-
trance in the jury box. You are not to uphold
nor to prosecute the marriage relation by
your verdict. FourieriSn, freelove or senti
mcntalism on the one hand, and moral refec-
ton upon the conduct of the deceased man or
living woman upon the other hand are not le-
ultimately to affect your verdict Some OF
YOU might arrive at the conclusion upon some
/ OF the eXtraneous matter that has been toiSted
! into this case, that Richardson was the demon
whom the Counsel for the defence describes
! him to have been, and others OF you might
rive at the conclusion that between Richard
son and Mrs. Mcfarland criminality exist
ed, down to the homicide. Yet either con-
clusion would be foreign to your duty. The
idea of maintaining the law strictly, is that
jurors shalsnot speculate on provocation."
The Recorder in closing admonished the
! jury to be faithful in their sworn duty; try
the ease strictly by the law, and contine their
deliberations strictly to their legitimate prov
| incc
On the conclusion of Recorder IIackett's
charge, the jury retired at ten minutes OF )
o'clock, having been absent two hours re-
turned with a verdict of Not Guilty" As
the foreman of the jury announced the YER
dict, the whole audience jumped to their feet
and cheered. The court did not interfere
and even the court officers joined the cheer
| ing heartily. The excitement was trcmend-
GUS and amid the cheering, men and women
sprang over the seats and struggled for the
privilege of shaking Mcfarland by the hand.
Tine ladies divided their attention between the
! liberated man and his counsel, whom they
lavished with thanks, and even kisses. Nc
Farland was very much affected himself, and
little Percy in his JOY jumped up on chair,
and waving a handkerchief over his head,
lent his voice to the cheering that rang
through the room.
Aryival of Survivors of the Oneida Dis
aster.
Fifty-two survivors of the Oneida disaster
arrived on the Arizona to-day
Woman's Suffrage Convention.
The speakers at the morning session of the
Woman's National Suffrage Association to-
day, we're Mrs. Stanton, Mrs. Anthony and
Phebe CoZzens. Mrs. Stanton spoke in favor
of general political agitation for securing
woman's ballot, as preferable to the slower
process of a constitutional amendment, and
said that she was determined never to go into
the Kingdom OF Heaven unless she was en-
tranchised She commended the action of
Wyoming in placing women on juries, and de-
clared that the Mcfarland trial showed ne
cessity that women should be lawyers, judges
and juries. The grossly indecent questions
that had been put by the lawyer TO the women
witnesses, and which had been spread out in
the daily papers, was a shame and disgrace,
and she considered it about time to clean out
the courts of law and install educated and re-
fined women in their places.
Mrs. Anthony spoke hopefully of the har-
mony and reconciliation between the rival
associations, and spoke more tavorably than
last evening OF the Boston wing of the party.
WOrkmen on the strike.
One hundred fifty workmen on Wander
bits new Harlem railroad depot, struck this
morning for an advance of rs cents on their
pay, making one dollar per day. The de-
Iaand was refused and the strikers discharged.