The New York herald., 1870-04-12


when the children were not presently A. on, Ger
tany.
@ In what terms did he speak or rhems A. They
were frequently talking about them, and he spoke OF
ihc edtcati0n OF his eldest boy and how much he
liad spent upon his education, and tnat 1t was the
best education he could give him.
q. Did you ever hear him express himself IN refer
ence TO his wlies A. remember ON one OCCASION
about the time they moved from Yonkers to New
York. we had some conversation; ne said that he
could not bear hts wife and children to be out OF the
and not have 70 90 up and down on the cars.
q. Do you remember seeing Mr.. Mcfarland IN
your office alter september, 1852 A. He had been
absent about certain proceedings IN reference 10 his
children; ne came into the ONCE aud sat down IN
coMMEScEn CRYING;
] asked him about his wife ana children; he said
that man by the name OF Richardson had stolen
his wife and children and taken them into Massa
chusetts; he was trying 70 get the children back;
that was about the 27th OF March, 1857.
q. He was then applying TO you for an afiidavit 70
want one; he would look backwards ana forwards
along the room and put his hand to his head and
'.MY GOD! OH, MY aoDl MY CHILDRENl
what have done to have my children taken away
from me? love my children, and love my vile;
tried TO calm him down, and found that could not
90 II; ne dd not seem TO pay any attention to what
rendered HIM incompetent TO pay any attention
TO me. ,9 1s' -U 4tsg
Q. Did he ever say anything to you about not de-.
string to live II he could not have these children
A. On one occasion ne said, 81 would rather he IN
my grave If cannot have my children restored TO
@. Did you ever near MIN reser TO another man
having control over his chdrens A. lie said
when he thought Of any other man besides himself
being
FATHER TO HIS CHILDREN
and those children not having father ana mother,
when he thought oil 1t it made him wild; this was
in 1867; he always said that ne would recover his
children cost what it mght ne SAID that TO 90 this
he had spent all his money and had borrowed about
three or four thousand dollars; lie told me tnat MS
attorney ADVISED him to commence q suit for crsm.
con. Tor damages against Richardson for taxing
away mis- wife; his object was to show TO the
community tnat this Richardson was llbertlne and
a thief; this was about March, 1867; felt his pulse
at tha tlme and found 1t to be about 115 III and
he said That 1t had been SO for about four months;
he SAID lie could not sleep and he aid not want TO
sleep; he came one day with the BOY Percy and said
he was gong to have the other boy by and by.
Did you see HIM IN september, 1852 A. Yes, on
Waverey place; lie then looked very pale and thln
ana related his family grievances again; thought
the exclt ement he was under would Kill him.
CRoss-ExAMINED.
BY Ex-Judge Davls-Q. At what time was the
Grim. con. suit commenced? A. IL was commenced
think in 1861; can't state positively about that
don't remember anything definite as to the date; 1t
was after he stated that he had Instituted proceed.
ings to recover his children In Massachusetts,;
think IL was about the first OF 1868 that he told
that he had commenced the suit; understood him TO
that Judge Sanford was one OF his attorneys in
the habeas corpus case In Boston.
z. What was his business during the interval be-
tween March, 1857 and his meeting with Richard.
sOnl A. He was In the Assessors Office, think
don't remember under whom, though; he was also
employed In the Custom House; think he told me
on one occasion that lie was In the Assessors Oice
cannot tell what his particular business was
not say how he attended to his business, nor do
know what the nature OF his business was; at the
time he came 10 my Office It not to talk ON busl
ness; his whole conversation used 10 he on mis- family
troubles and he would talk so much upon the sub
Ject would be glad TO get HIM away; ne ceased to
have desk III my office about May, 1866; he subse-
there In relation to land.
O. At what time did he get his position In the Gus.
spring or summer Of 1866, soon alter the Lincoln as
sasSinatl0n; when met him on the 18th November
noticed him coming; he had his hands in his pocK-
cts and his head down; stopped him.
Witness here repeated substantially hts previous
account OF this Interview. Mcfarland ended by
pulling away his hands and saying, 81 must 70
down; the stars will be out soon;'' do not know
that can say that his conversation was in Itself
irrational, but his general manner his whole ap-
pearance his look his expression, were what neither
nor any man can describes perhaps the words dis
connected with the way the manner and the look
were irrational; his look was oppressed, cast down,
and with vacant, CLASSY stare; he recognized me
with sort OF don't care lOOk he talked with alb.
stract manner; hardly thought the last words CO.
for the stars OUT; the gas was not lighted, IN
his talks to me about his children don't think he
talked always coherently; when he would walk the
room tearing his hair and saying, my God, my
God, my chidren,"I didn't think 1t was ordinary
Redirect that last interview noticed his nose
twitchln2 and his eyes always rolling; he spoke in
Ills previous conversations about his thoughts con-
tinualy drawing to it, he could not let il rest; he
told me he had been offered
TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS AND A CoNsULsHIp
TO settle the suit but he said, do you suppose I'd
take it? that's not what WANT;
THE INTERCEPTED LETTER
ne partly read to me and then gave 1t to me to read
his color IN those conversations would change from
crimson to pale, and his eyes from natural TO wild
and abnormal; never knew him to be under the In.
This closed the examination OF the witness.
Testimony Of Joseph 4. Nones.
Joseph Z. Nones was next called and examined
and testified as folows:-Am notary public and
III the navy with Ogden Hoffman and sailed with
Admiral Decatur In tue expedition against Algers
Tunis and Trpoli; made the acquaintance OF Daniel
Mcfarland about the middle OF May, 1857 since that
time till within few months have been very init.
mate with Mcfarland; IN May, 1867, was introduced
by the Supreme Court Of Massachusetts to take
evidence IN the Mcfarland habeas corpus case;
saw Mcfarland on the 26tn November 1869, at my
Office, 262 Broadway, at about fifteen minutes before
five O'Clock; fix the exact time from the fact that
Immediately after he quilted the Office went with
my clerk to purchase some goods, ana when got TO
Ann street they mad TO light the gas in the store to
enable me to examine tie goods.
=, Q. What took place IN your Office after Mr..
writing when he came In; he was then in an
extreme state OF excitement-in q perfect state
OF frenzy; looked at him and asked HIM what was
the matter; he placed his hand Oh his head and ex.
claimed, my God my God what do you think ~
again asked what was the matter: he said, my
vile has divorced herself from me, and Richardson
has married her, and they are now living together
IN New Jersey and are gong TO California; I'll go
home and Kill myse1r l tried to calm him
and reasoned and expostulated with him, but 1t
was no use; / could not get him to listen
to me or to understand me; advised him as he
walked up and down tue room this distracted
manner to appeal to the law, and to 90 TO New Jer
sey and take out an before he started for San
Francisco; he said he knew no one there who had
money and that he had no means TO do anything
with; told MIN that would give him letter to an
able ana eminent lawyer there, eX-Chancellor vii.
Hanson, and that with reference to money that
would De made all easy for him. he said he could
not do anythlng OF the kind-that he would go home
and Kill himself lie then went away like madman.
q. From what transpired In your presence on that
occasion what judgment did you form as to ms
nationality or irrationaltyf A. | formed judg-
ment and expressed ~ to my clerk, that he should De
taken care OF and sent to the unatic asyum that ne
wasn't tit to be about; my Judgment ut the time was
that he was perfectly mad.
THE INTERCEPTED LETTER.
q. Do you remember having seen the Intercepted
letter. Letter shown to wlness.) A. Yes
Q. When did you first see iti A. IL was first
shown to me by Mr.. Mcfarland between May and
June, when was first appointed to take testimony
in the other case. l Was appointed to take test
mOny under the proceedings OF the Supreme Court
Of Massachusetts Tor the recovery OF the children
In those proceedings l examined some forty three