Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-04-14
THE MCFARLAND TRIAL.
Prevailing Opinion that the Prisoner will be
Acquitted.
Tire AffsetiOnate and Sympathetic Dodge
Played Again.
More Letters 49, Testimony in Prisoners
Favor


tance TO the proceedings are very gen
orally of opinion that the prisoner
will be acquitted. Mcfarland was
brought into court at 1880 am. his
demeanor was wonderfully changed /;
looked fresh, bearing no traces of the
hardships of prison life; wore smile
of satisfaction, and seemed te be inn
pressed with the general opinion of
his acQuittal. Soon after his cousin,
Mrs. Oliver, entered; he saluted her
aiSSCtiOnately and soon engaged in an
animated conversation. Little Percy
came in ard greeted his father and the
lady.
AtII O'Clock the Court opened. Mr.
Davis, for the prosecution, read let
Ter from Mrs. Calhoun, already pub
lished. Mr.. Gerry, for the defense,
also read a letter from Mrs. Calhoun
10 Mrs. Mcfarland, dated August 26,
1866, which contained very little i'm
poStant matters -1eyOnd the phrase
:. You have beautiful patience to be
made 3 victim, and ] think shall
make you one" Judge Davis then
rad another letter from Mrs. Calhoun,
already published, ia which the writer
refers 10 housekeeping, and at the con-
cIusion questioned the necessity Of
such evidence. Mr.. Graham replied
that they would show how this wO-
IHau put Mrs. Mcfarland on the
stage.
mr. Gerry, after this passage be-
tween the counsel, read letter from
Mrs. Calhoun to Mrs. Mcfarland,
dated September !, 1868, commencing,
'sNIy DeaUest Child" and going on to
ask: "DO you know what is my
panacea for all woes? Mr.. Richard
son" Another dated, September q,
1856, beginning, "HUrrahi Ny Dar-
ling.v stating that Stewart had Just
read one OF Mrs. McFariand's letters
and could offer her an engagement if
she would play such parts as the
Queen in Hamlet"
Judge Davis read some letters be-
twesn the same parties, Offering no
features of interest beyond a cOmical
reference 70 FrOthlngham's church.
c. W. CGEtEOOd testified that he had
an interview with the prisoner few
DAYS before the shooting. When they
conyerSad on domestic affairs his eyes
looked very wild. The witness be-
lieved he was not in his right mind
ALWAYS. When domestic troubles
came up he seemed to lose ali control
ne loved his wife: that his heart was
bound up in her; he regretted that he
could not support her better. lie
complained of insanie. He said that
he used to walk the streets at night,
AMI wished himself dead. His brain
felt as e it was on fire.
The crr discrimination addueed
nothing further,
s. d Wakeman testified to con-
yersation with the accused on the do
mestic trouble, and spoke about
meeting his wife in Amity street Rnd
taking his boy off; his manner was
very excited, eyes wild, and cried a
number of times during the cOnver-
sation he was perfectly sober ; L
thought there was something wrong
about Mcfarland; ne said, ''Oh, my |
God, what shall ] do" and said he /
could not live. / saw him frequent |
lv after this and thought the symp- |
toms increased; heard him say that he /
had not tasted a drink from August |
to November: saw him frequently as |
before; he continued to grow worse; !
always thought him crazy; from |
the first 10 the last time 1 saw him; |
he asked me to look at his eyes and /
see If ] cOuld notice any signs of ap- |
preaching death; on the 18th he asked |
meto GO to Woodsideandg get his child; /
we went together; by his request We /
went to a grOeer's at WOOdside 1
vs-here Richardson boarded; AlcFar- |
Isn0 remained outside; after coming /
an / toi,! him Richardson was mar /
ried: this hals a very serious effect on !
him: he nearly tainted and cried /
frantically; he was 10 frenzy; we |
called on Douglas 10 make further m !
ouires; ascertained the marriage was /
Untrue; Richardson being absent in I
Massachusetts with AIrs. Mcfarland /
and the child, ] went home with him; |
saw him on the 22d for the last time. |
The witness was cross-eXamineda and /
no new developments were ELECTED.
Further evidence was adduced as TO |
previous peculiarities, which the court |
observed was rather VoluminOus.
Mr.. Graham said he proposed 10 /
urUye the prisoner deranged frOIa |
Nav. 1861, tC November, 1863.
George WelilHgs, q waiter at Carr'S |
restaurant, testified that the prisoner I
used TO breakfast in the restaurant |
some tiRle previous 20 November, |
ISGq. he always seemed excited; lit |
tie Percy used 20 accompany him.
ss-examined--First knew him /
in September, 1859: used to come |
about seven O'Clock; the prisoner |
used to present an appearance as |
if he had been drinkingi often heard 1
him mutter To himself.
The Recorder asked Graham 20 In
dictate how long he intended to take
accumuIating evidence as to MrFar-
lands pacHliarities.
AIr. Graham said he intended to
prove with overwhelming evidence
that the defendant was deranged on
The subject Of domestic troubles.
Recess was here taken.
loon the re-assembling of Coart,
VIM. Moore, waiter, testified that he
had been with the prisoner AT Carr's
restaurant shortly before the h0ml-
cide- His manner was peculiar; his
hair was generally disheveled, and he
Looked as though he had no sleep.
The boy Percy usually accompanied |
him.
Cross-exs mined-His manner to-
ward the bov indicated great affection.
LANES b. CoL,ghlin testified that he
was United States Internal Reve-
nue Assessor; knew the prisoner
since June. 1863; the first day ] saw
him / concluded, from his actions,
that he was a man whose mind had
lost its balance; the prisoner was con-
pected with my Office was inaccu-
rate generally; was not accurate, Or
dinarily, in making his report.
Redirect examination: On the day
they went up town he asked prisoner
drink. the latter declined to drink
u u, |tuous liquor and took soda
1
"SITLi Ht;nbo 'el Failing testified TO the pris.
- % box,i. 0g called at his house ara
',LiS.aI oliei ii,. 9oILe. so strangely before.
i'SHTI NJ, M NJ T, weed testified: Was I.
&, Gnanoinar. ~, 1 K new the prisoner since
p. ,s.E. E-ANIi. AMnFarland was then employed
in the Appraisers yNllee y'.t "i1Gn ZEN. he he
btcame acquainted Win hllni ,Ih ne
see,ned a very intelligent man SuD-
seouentIv great chang$ IoOk PLaeo
in him: often heard hifo udlk "
hiD,salf. after March he was Perpetu-
aIiv talIin0 of domestic troubleij Ohe
-, Wines observed q horrible eA-
Tr; > ion in his eyes, as u he were OUT
ofhis mind; witness askea Ilin ~ MIA Ma
%yas the matter with him ana PhIledd
him into a chair; Mckarlsnd teisn
the intercepted letter, sentence ~
sentenca. commenting on eaehi an tite
summer he went to the country, De-
ing utterly broken down; symptoms
BECAME more pronounced IN NoVeh-
beTs -. .ozs
l. -, tracft ". I