The Republican journal., 1870-04-14
THE MCFARLAND TRIAL.

ham, CollaX, and other distinguished men
will be put upon the stand. The following is
Mr.. Spencer's opening for the defence
He began bv saving that he rose to open the case
upon the part of the defendant, an old friend of his
and he was deeply impressed with the Importance
of the duty devolving upon him, but with full as
surance Of a successful result to his efforts. He
was about to tell to them and to the world story
of an humble birth and struggling life. and Of
libertine and child robber sent into eternity by
the ayengng bullet of an outraged father and hus-
band A solemn and awful duty is devolyed upon
the jury, who are arbiters of the prisoners fate.
He warned the jury to beware lest i'll their dying
hour they have to reflect that they sent INTO eternity
before his time man who in moment ofirrepressi-
bic passion killed the desoator OF his home and the
destroyer of his happiness No witness had seen
Netherlands countenance. No one had heard him
say a word; and these facts should be remembered.
The paper upon which he wrote, standing at the
desk would prove that Mcfarland was then is an
insane condition of mind They remembered how
a witness testified that once before Richardson cast
Il triumphant look over his shoulder at his victim.
such glance ii was as an illustrious poet has de-
Scribed as calculated to make man mad. Some
time before the fatal occurrence. Richardson lnsur-
cd his life for the wife of his client and she is now
rotng in the proceeds of the insurance. AT the
time Richardson was piStolled by Mcfarland, he
(McFarland was not responsible for his actions, in
the eyes of God or by the laws of man. 1t was
necessary to look into the antecedents of the prs-
oner, in order to fully understand the and ar
rive at a satisfactory conclusion. In this Inquiry
land, his ancestors and family, and the circumstan-
ces Immediately preceding the homicide. He then
alluded TO the of Cole and Huntingdon, and
eOntended that men, apparently sane. in moment
of surprise and excitement, We're liable to yield to
uncomfortable impulse for which they were not
responsible. He then proceeded to give detailed
history of the life of his client, in which he stated
that the prisoner of delicate constitution and
OF very sensitive organization. His client was
who would make an idol of woman he loved.
and woe TO him who should rob him of his wife and
children.
He then turned to the history of Mrs. Mcfarland
saying at the time OF her marriage TO the prisoner
she was young and beautiful, and she little thought
that the husband she then loved would be arraign-
ed for numbering her libertne seducer Every at
tack upon the character of the defendant the coun-
sci said, they We're prepared TO refute by unm-
pcachable testimony. Mcfarland had been sue
ccssful in his enterprises and furnished his wife
with all she desired; but he subsequently became
unfortunate and poor. AT this time his wife want
ed money to make her an elegant lady, In the
summer of 1866 this woman became acquainted
with Free Lovers and Fourierites, and went 10
their parties and unions, while he remained at
home caring for his children
About this time Mrs. Lucia q. Calhoun appeared
on the scene and commenced the work of render
ing Mrs Mcfarland dissatisfied with her husband
and in the train Of that feeling came ruin and mis-
cry. In 1859 Albert ID. Richardson was born, in
an evil hour for this man. He was a correspond
ent during the war, taken prisoner and Subsequent
ly published several interesting works. He was
man well calculated to charm the woman with
whom he, abOnt this time, became acquainted
Then commenced the plot to ALLEVIATE Mrs. McFar-
land from her husband. Notes We're exchanged
and through the insrumentality of Richardson She
procured an engagement at the Winter Garden
theatre. Richardson it was who used to accompany
her home after the theatre was ont. When Ne
Farand was away Richardson and This woman
would go out together and often locked themselves
together in the same ROOM Richardson becme !,
hoarcr at the same house with Mcfarland. That
was in 1867. On Tuesday. 2lst Of February, 1867
Mcfarland came home and discovered his wife
oUt nf l0rtisp 10
ed with her, and to his remon>ranceS she returned
evaSive answers. She then moved in circles where
She met such men ColfaN, Tilton and others
Her ambition was excited to that degree that she
would not he satisfied with her husbands humble
home. ON the 2lst Of February, 1867, he Went out
Of his home. his wife bidding him an afeconate
farewell, and he returned to find his home desolat-
ed and his altar shattered. His wife had fled tax
ing her children with her. What then was the
state of the prisoners mind: His hopes We're
and ruin encompaSsed him. There was nothing
IN McFarland'S conduct to Justify his wites action
lhe highest function of woman is to console the
man she loves in the hour of his mstortunes. She
deserted her husband when he most needed her
ministraon>. At this time Mr. Mcfarland was
accustomed TO go into the Tribune office to see
man who pretended to be his friend; and one day
while there he was handed letter. 1t was in the
handwriting OF RichardSon addressed to Mrs. Nc
Farand, and Mcfarland. as he was justified III do
ing, opened the Letter. In this letter Richardson
ridicues Puritan ScrupleS, and tells this woman
that he, often in the night, thought of her and long
ed TO clasp his darling in his arms. Was not this
enough TO make any husband with the heart of
man in his bosom mad: The counsel had Il wife
whom he believed rs pure as the angel that minis
tiers 1T the throne, and if he found such a letter
from any man to her. he would meet that man and
shoot him dead.
The next step was to obtain one of those infa
nous Indiana divorces, which We're not only
libel ON the law but terrible wrong to the rdivid
ual. Mcfarland is tol that divorce has been
procured and that Richardson is about to marry
his Wife. This was the last drop in the cup of his
unfortunate clients sorrow. They now come
down TO the week preceding the homicide, and
during all that time the defendant was without
reason, brooding, despondent and heart broken,
with wild and dreary longing for his home his
children, and his loStlhappiness oppressed him. and
his excitement WAS terrible. The load of his mis-
cry was too great to bear, There was nothing to
parallel the deliberate cruelty of Richardson's con
duct The unhappy MaFarland cannot sleep. The
image OF his wife in the hbertine embraces of Rich
ardson haunts hm eternally. All hope is gone
and misery and ruin surround him.
On the 25th of November halt an hour before the
homicide. n friend meets him: ''Why Mae; whats
the matter with You: You ought to 90 home
But he did not the hand of fate beckoned him on
and he went into the Tribune office He saw two
eyes cleaning upon him, and from that moment
recollected nothing else. He was arrested and
told that Richardson was shot. and exclaimed
My God! it must have been me- There was but
one thlng LETT to complete this inf;tmy; woman
clothed with the tiimsy pretense Of fraudulent d
Force Is married to this opium-drugged and DIVING
man, and while angels wept and devils laughed !:
man named rockingham pronounced the bene,iic.
ton and said, wv thank the Lord for What these
TWO have been to one another" Did the servant
OF God forget what was written by the finger of
God on tables OF stone amid the thunders of Sinai
Thou shalt not commit adultery" He had fold
them a plain story Of the facts. of which tho iury
We're to be the judges. The defendant sat with his
tlttc boy awaiting their verdict. He no longer
loves his Wife, but sacred memory of what She
was fingers with him still. He can never eypect
10 be happy again. The sunny face of a pure wife
the chubby face of a be!oyed child may smile unon
him in his dreams. but he will wake to the knowi
edge that in this world for him there will never
more be happiness All good and virtuous men
and women wish for the acquittal of the prisoner
and he asked the jury. as they loved their wives
rs they valued the purity of their daughters and
sisters and aS they honOred the gray hairs of their
sainted mothers to stand hv the defendant and
build up an impregnable wall around the virtue of
every house.
The following is the letter introduced into
the trial, which was written bv Richardson
to Mrs. Mcfarland shortly after Mrs. McF
left her husband:
MARCH ., 1s6T-4-50P NJ
received two hours ago, darling YOURS of vos.
ierday. At noon | mailed you the Atlantic for
March, to No. 81. This sent in care of Mr..
hoping that you may get it tomorrow Don't hc |
disturbed about your family little girl Families
always respect accomplished facts. NV hobby. Won
know. l once outraged mine great deal moro |
than you ever can yours, and they arc of tho
sraghtest sect of Puritans, but time made II aIi