Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-04-12
THE MCFARLAND TRlL.
Evidences 10 Prove the Prisoners Insanity
Pending the Murder Of Richardson.

NEW YORK, April 1l.-There was
a large attendance at the Mcfarland
| trial this morning. The jury being
polled, the Recorder announced that
/ The trial would be continued in the
new court house. A number OF wit
uesses were examined relative to the
mental condition of the prisoner at the
time of the shooting and previous
! thereto, the testimony of whom went
to show the temporary Insanity of the
/ accused at the time mentioned.
The first witness for the defense eX-
amined was Mary Oliver. She testi-
fled 4 am the daughter of Francis Nc
Farland, cousin TO the prisoner. My
father died in l847; he was i'll eigh-
teen months, was very simple two
years previous, and atterward became
desperate; tried to kill himself twice;
was sent to the insane asylum. Pris-
Oner resembles him very much. He
was very temperate; never received
blows on the head been acquainted
with prisoner twenty years.
The next witness, JnO. E. Flynn,
saw The prisoner at Westmoreland
Hotel, Nov. 25, pm, registering
his name; sat down with newspa-
per, got up several times, walked to
the door and back very eXcitedly, till
gentleman came in and they went
to the room together. The prisoner
was a stranger to me, never saw him
before.
Sylvester, the third man examined,
testified: On the 18th of November l
was proprietor of the Corn Exchange
NelrS; Mcfarland on that day came
into my office with another man; he
seemed to be insane or half drunk,
with haggard appearance, which
caused nae "a think that he was crazy.
Several other witnesses gave similar
testimony.
Joseph P. Norris, Notary Public, ap-
pointed to take testimony In the
hG6eaS corpus proceedings, testified as
follows: Saw Mr.. Mcfarland at my
Office about fifteen minutes to flve
O'Clock on the evening of the 25th of
November; my clerk was present; he
came into my Office In a perfect
state of frenzy; said, "My Godl
Nv GCd' What shall do;
nv wife divorced and Richardson
viii marry ber.o l recommended
him to proceed according to law, 70
get out a writ to prevent Richard
sons escape, He said he had no
money and knew no one in New ger-
sey. 1 offered him letter to q law
yer in New jersey. He said it was no
god. be had better go home and shoot
himself. ! both formed and expressed
nv belief that he should be taken
care of. 1 took the evidence Of forty
three witnesses in the hG6edS corpus
proceedings; no one was present
while the evidence was being taken
except myself and the witness, but saw
prisoner two or three times a day;
never considered him, after the loss of
his children, as anything but mad
man; he led me 20 the belief that he
loved his wife and was devOtad to his
ehildrenf he charged his loss on the de-
ceased; mis- general appearance was
that of a man at times bsreft OF bis
reason: his conversation was wild,
irrational and incOherent, and dWelt
on one subject until it was unpleasant;
ne threatened to kill himself;
he said it would be death to
him to lose his children; he said
to me that Richardson was at the bot
lt Ats ~ Wds ltS ullAnr W nS III nAlAA "a
pressed q foolish belaef if Richardson
was out of the way h4s wife would re-
tnFn to him. He spoke Of the loss of
sleep. / bad a conversation with
Richardson Immediately after he gave
his testimony, June 9TH, 1867. We
sD0le of Mrs. Mcfarland. He said be
could not help it; she would nev-
er 90 back to Mcfarland; he would
get divorce for her and marry her
as soon as he could; said she was a
lovely and intellectual woman, and L
think either a very luscious or very
wOmPa told Mcfarland
the next day, aIAS the effect was such
that l was sorusedOr what / had done
he was frantiG,e and cried; L
Thought ! would uhave to send him
home in carri6get had q suit in
which he was a witness; his mind
was in such a state that l had to put
il of for some months; finally l
had to try It, and he stated what he
knew; but L did not believe him sane.
The court here took IN recess nf
twenty minutes. -ars o.
Witness was cross-examined, but
his testimony could not be shaken.