The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-05-03
TIE M,FARLAND TRIAL.
GREELEY AND SINCLAIR, OF THE TRIBUNE,
ON THE STAND.

Presence OF Mrs. Mcs arland In Court
The Evidence as to the Prisoners In
temperate Habits--The ssFamiIy Coun-
ell" at SInclafr's House-A Row be-
tween Counsel.
The great event at the Mcfarland trial on
Wednesday was the appearance of Horace
Greeley, who entered the courtroom at 2
o'clock, accompanied by John Russell Young,
who had not appeared previously since the j.
R. Y. and Y o. U. business, Notwithstanding
| he had been an almost constant spectator dur
ing the first days of the trial. Mr.. Greeley's
testimony was not gone into at length,
owing to the lateness Of the hour, but
he was to be first on the stand for the
prosecution in the morning. Another matter
which greatly interested those who have watch
ed the trial was the withdrawal of Mr. Spencer
as associate counsel for the defendant. 1t was
stated that Graham and Gerry have discarded
Spencer on account of his letter to the Inde-
pendent, actually retracting his charges against
Mrs Calhoun. made in his opening speech,
calling her procuress. Mr.. Spencer, on COM
ing into court, took q seat at some. distance
from the other counsel, but held no communi-
cation with them. Mrs. Mcfarland was OBJ
served fitting into the district attorneys office,
where the rebuttins witnesses for the prosecu-
tion had been ordered to assemble. She was
dressed In deep mourning, and is reported as
looking thin, haggard careworn, and poig-
nantly unhappy-slmply the melancholy wreck
of the woman that fascinated Richardson to
his death.
GREELEY ON THE WITNESS STAND.
The court was opened on Thursday, prompt
ly at ii O'Clock, and the venerable philosopher
| of the Tribune took his stand, this time taking
care to deposit his slouch hat upon the floor
| by his side, q la Solon Shingle, while he. held
| his red bandanna in his hand ready to wipe
the perspration from his brow whenever
s.great drops OF sweat" should start therefrom,
under the cross fire of Mr. Graham. This
commenced almost Immediately after Mr..
Greeley took the stand, and he sailed along
quite happily for u time, relieved occasionally
by speech from Mr.. Graham, which enabled
him to collect his thoughts, which were evil
dently' going after wool. When he was
interrogated on the matter Of the interview
which was reported in one Of the morning
papers few days after the death of Richard
son. and particularly that portion where he is
represented as having been blasphemous, Mr..
Greeley saw that his time had come,
and mopped his brow vigorously. Gra-
ham forced Greeley, to say that he believed he
did swear once during that Interview. and OF
this there was broad smile, from the Judge
on the bench to the woman In black" Mr..
Greeley was under this species of torture for
one hour and ten minutes, and at times 1t was
really pitiable to observe the expression Of his
face. He was twisted and turned In every
conceivable way, and ''squirmed' when he
separation which had taken place at Slnclair's
house was in accordance with his ideas of
divorce. He replied that he believed that
Mcfarland had given up his wife on that oc-
casion. 1t was brought out In evidenc1 that
Mr.. Greeley applied to Judge Plerrepont to
net as private counsel for the prosecution, and
the fact was elected that DR.. j. c. Aver, Of
Lowell, made the suggestion, and that Mr..
Greeley was ready and willing to subscribe
one hundred dollars. If asked, toward paying
private counsel. After the examination was
concluded the 'philosopher" left the stand
anu shambled out of the courtroom on the
double-quick.
Samuel Sinclair was next called upon to I'm
dergo torture, and was so confused when he
took the stand that he had to sit down, and 1t
was some seconds before he could rally suffi-
ciently to take the oath ito tell the truth, the
whole truth, and nothing but the truth" He
was present at the "family council' at which
Mrs. Mcfarland declared her Intentions OF
abandonding her husband forever. The prose-
cution was going into this matter when Mr..
Graham objected, and then declared that they
| 1.-THE defence) admitted that Mcfarland was
sane at that time February "a, lSG7.) though
bowed down with grief, and that it was not
till March 10 following, when the intercepted
letter was found, that he became insane. The
l,nF,,
| ever, and all that matter was brought out. Wit
ness also testified to threats on the part Of
Mcfarland to shoot Richardson if the latter
should marry Mrs. McFarland also, that McFar-
| land was intoxicated on onoOccasion. When his
attention was called to the Intercepted letter
he said he thought it ''inprudent and foolish
in Richardson to Write such letter. Upon
this Mr. Graham asked if such terms as sim
prudent and foolish" were proper TO he applied
to such letter as that. To this Mr.. Sinclair
made reply qualifying his expression, but not
making it very strong. Witness said he con-
sidered there was difference between being
crazed and frenzied, upon which Mr.. Graham
remarked: '.We have been trying the last ten
DAYS to find out the difference, and now we
have got it; here is all expert for YOU. Wit
ness said, in regard to the first shooting, that
had Nc Garland killed Richardson then he might
have been Justified in the law. Mr.. Sinclair
was on the stand for one hOar and half, and
seemed very glad when he was released.
The next witness was Oliver johnson. He
told all that took place at the 'family council"
A letter was shown him in which he had called
Mcfarland an assassin, and witness said that
he stood by everyWord in that letter, although
he was subsequently, made to declare that he
had no foundation for using such term to-
ward him. A very affectienate epistle from
Johnson to Mrs. Mcfarland, at the time sue
was in the White Mountains, and termed the
"Hard-shell letter" by counsel, created aripple
of merriment all over the courtroom. Joseph
e. Howell was the next witness examined.
He testified to having seen Mcfarland drunk
on several occasions, and to hearing the pris-
oner frequently threaten to shoot Richardson
on sight. This mans examination was not
concluded when the court rose.
M'FARLASD DRANK.
The most important evidence elected on Fri
| day was the following:
| Haldridge Dewey testified: live at No. 100
Laurens street; acquainted with Mcfarland
| since 1853, when he was commissioner of en-