Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-05-13
MR.. COLFAA'S DEPOSITION.

Mr.. COLFAA'S DEPOSITION.
The New York Times of yesterday had
the following deposition of Schuyler Col
fax, offered and excluded in the McFar-
land trial.
Mr. Colfax says ::
Il had no agency or connection, directly or
indirectly. in her application for or procuring
divorce from Mr.. Mcfarland in the State of
Indiana. She applied to me by letter about
year, think, after their separation, for let
tiers of introduction to persons in lndianapo-
lis. As it has been my daily practice for
wears to give letters of introduction to all per-
sonal friends, and believing her then, as | do
now, to be worthy OF such letters of intro
duction, sent her two, one addressed to a
former colleague in Congress, Hon. A. G.
Porter, and the other to an old friend, I. Z.
Hughey. l cannot recall the contents of
these letters, except that think that | spokS
of her in them as a lady in deep distress and
worthy of their esteem. But although sup
posed, from having heard that her separation
from Der husband was final that she went to
Indiana to obtain a divorce, | gave no testi-
mony in these letters on that subject, as had
no knowledge of my own about it, and knew
! that it must be decided by the evidence sub
i
if such suit was commenced. MIR. Richard
son never asked me for any letter of intro
duction to any one in Indiana that | re-
member.
day or two after the first shooting of
Richardson by Mcfarland l was passing
| through New York city, and | called at Mr..
Sinclairs residence, where Richardson was to
see me. found Richardson in bed and ap-
parently in pain. told him how it saddened
me to find him involved in such matter and
suffering in consequence. He replied by as
sorting that there had been nothing criminal
| in his relations with Mrs. Mcfarland.
During part of this conversation, which
lasted probably half an hour, Mrs. McFar-
land was present She took no part in the
conversation, and was weeping part OF the
time. In the same conversation Mr.. Rich
| ardson stated to me that if she obtained di-
yorce from her husband, he intended to marry
her. if she would accept him, as he believed
she could make his life happy one. He did
not ask me to aid in procuring the divorce,
and l supposed, from reference he made to
Connecticut and its laws, that the divorce
would be applied for in that State by her. She
never at any time stated to me that she contem-
plated marrying Mr.. Richardson after obtain
ing divorce, but, think, was present and 81
lent when he made the remark that If she
obtained divorce he intended to marry
her, if she would accept him, &c. was new
er instrumental in procuring employment for
her with or without emolument, nor was l
ever asked by her or by any person in her be-
half to do so. l did not know that she con-
templated going to Indiana until received
her letter, asking for letters of introduction at
our State Capital. Neither Albert ID. Rich
ardson nor Abby ever went to Indiana in my
company at any time nor for any purpose. |
baI IN no
was not asked by any one to interfere in it.
did not know the court in which it was to be
commenced, having supposed it would be
at indianapolis. was not present, was not
witness, and did not know what testimony
was 10 be given, nor do l know the name OF
the Judge who tried the case"
Mr. Colfax details at length the facts of his
acquaintance with Mrs. Calhoun his efforts to
procure an official position for Mcfarland,
and other connections with the case, and in
answer to concluding heterogeneous says:
''When Hon. c. N. patten informed me that
he had been appointed to take my deposition
in the case, told him that hoped that in the
questions submitted should be asked in re-
gard to the point that saw had been testified
to in the habeas corpus case, that the nephew
of Mrs Mcfarland had testified that she told
him, after she had met me at a dinner party
| in New York, that she was detained because
| she wisht a private interview with me, and
that she had to have such private interview
to avoid exciting jealousy of that point, that
! wished to be examined on that point that
might answer under oath that | never met
her privately in my life, and never saw her,
except in the presence of others, and that not
exceeding eight times in all, the seven or
| eight years since first met her, and that she
never asked, or desired, or intimated a wish
to have private interview with me anywhere
or on any subject"