The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1870-04-15
THE MCFARLAND TRIAL.


In opening the defense Spencer,
McEarland's attorney made a re-
markable speech from which we
make the following extract, 1t is
not particularly complimentary to
those who assisted at the death bed
marriage;
Soon after Richardson went TO live at SIN
clair's, she followed him, and they occupy
apartments adjoining, and every morning finds
them hugging and kissing one another. Mean
while Mcfarland goes to his Wifcs last board
ing house; he breaks open her trunk, and out
of It tumbles portrait of Richardson and sew
eral letters from him. What then was he to
do? He first takes proceedings to get his chill
dreh, and they defeat him. He sues out writ
of habeas corpus, ana Richardson fights it.
His money fights it, and poor Mcfarland loses
sd 600 in his struggle, and gets into debt.
When his mind gives way he goes about list
lesslv, pouring the story Of his grlet into every
ear. Fever lays its hand upon him, but he re-
covers and renews the fight Meanwhile Rich
ardson had published card in the Tribune
that he intended to marry the prisoners wife.
Not satisfied with the ruin of Mcfarland, he
must needs advertise his victim as a cuckold.
McFarlaad was then mad, bnt for sake Of his
children he simulated sanity, knowing, if his
condition were known, all hope of recovering
his darliugs was gone. Then he instituted an
actor, against Richardson, and subsequently
he received back one OF his children, Percy.
Desire to get back the other child becomes a
paramount idea, and he must achieve his OBJ
ieot without going into court, lest his mental
condition be discovered. All this time Rich
,o4rfr nth uT9aigT
getting that the wages Of sin is death. A gen
tleman met him one day and alluded to the
matter. and Richardson said: " can't help it.
This is a luscious woman, and Iintend to marry
her if can procure divorce" When this was
told TO Mcfarland he wept like a child. The
next step taken was to obtain one of those in
famous Indiana divorces, which were not only
a libel on law, but terrible wrong to
individuals Mcfarland IS told a divorce
has been procured, aud Richardson is
about to marry his wife. This was the last
drop in the cup OF ms unfortunate clients
sorrow. They now come down to the week
prece ling the homicide, and during all that
time the defendant was without reason, brood
ing, despondent asid heart broken. 4 wild
and dreary longing for his home, his children
and his lost happiness oppressed him, and his
excitement was terrible. The load OF his mis-
ery was too great to bear. There was moth
insy TO parallel the deliberate cruelty of
Richardson's conduct. Unhappy Mcfarland
cannot Sleep The image Of his wife il the
libertine embraces of Richardson haunts him
eternallv. Al hope is gone, and misery and
ruiu surround him. On the 25th OF November
half an hour before the homicide, a friend
meets him and says to him: "Why, Mac, what's
the matter with YOU: you ought to go Lomep
But he did not The hand Of late beckoned
him, and he went III the Tribune Office He
saw two eyes glagci.g upon him, and from
that moment he recoliected nothing else He
was arrested and told Richardson was shot, and
he exclaimed: - Ny God, it must have been
me-" There was but one thing now left TO
complete this infamy. A woman, clothed with
the fimsysvail of fraudulent divorce, is mar
ried to dying man, and while angels wept
and devils laughed man named rockingham
then pronounced the benediction and said:
sfWe thank Thee, Lord, for what these two
have been to one another. Did this servant
OF God forget what was written by the finger
of God on the tables Gf stone, amid the thun-
ders of Sinai, "ThoB shalt not COMMIT adul-
teryY" A proof that Mcfarland was insane at
the time he committed the deed was that he
had offen met Richardson before and had not
fakea his life. It was not his counsePs inten-
tio0 To discuss The several forms OF insanity.
he he'd told them plain story Of tacts-facts
of which the Jury were TO judge. The dsfendr
ant sat with his little boy awaiting their YER
dict. He no longer loves his wife, but sacred
memory OF what She was fingers with him still.
He can never expect to be happy again. The
sunny sIails Of pure wife, the chubby lace OF
a beloved child, may smile upon him IN bis