The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-05-06
TIE FREE.1oHE MURDER.
WHY HORACE GREELEY RETAINED C0UNsE
TO PROSECUTE MCFARLAND.
The Tribune Philosophers Endorsement
of Richardson's Coursc-The Validity
rof a Mans Title to his Wife Disputed
by MIR. Greeley--His Interview with
Judge Garvin-He Acted in Behalf OF
Richardson's Friends.

The active sympathy and support given by
Horace Greeley to the prosecution Of the MO
Farland murder trial having occasioned much
unfavorable comment, Mr.. Greeley publishes
in the New York papers of Monday last the
following characteristic vindication OF his
course in the matter:
CARD.
Certain Journals having seen fit to censure
the employment Of what they term private
COUNSEL in the prosecution OF the McFaTland
case, and to connect my name thereNHn,
| feel impelled to state the facts as they are,
which was forbidden to do upon the witness
stand.
| OF Albert D. Richardson. His defence is In
sanity-the only defence possible IN view OF
the conceded facts. OF the merits OF tnat oe-
fence, was not called to pronounce as WIT
I ness. and have nothing to say In any other
capacity. trust the jury empanelled will ren;
der true verdict thereon, In the light OF all
the evidence that may be adduced. have
| not tho faintest wish that they should regard
1t with ievity or unfayorable prejudice. Es,
teeming the hanging of sane men mistake, l
with horror. And whether his loss OF reason
was impelled by truth or falsehood makes 70
difference in the eye Of the law.
| NV interest In .Ei5 case centres not IN the
living but the dead. Albert D. Richardson
was my friend. have travelled and camped
with him when We were almost alone upon
the vast solitudes Of the Plains, and knew MN
any one breathe whisper to his discredit un-
| til this trouble arose. That he could be guilty
| of seducing wife from her husband, Is con-
| trary to all ever knew or believed OF nlm.
| That he could deliberately resolve to install a
woman known to him as lewd and Wanton, as
the mother of his children, is to me utterly
incredible. am sure that the truth which un-
derlies this tragedy has not been told; at all
events, Is not generally understood.
Richardson is dead. He cannot speak Tor
himself His memory must be vlndlcated by
! the efforts of his surviving friends, or not at
all And those efforts must be put forth under
great disadvantages. The other story has pos
session Of the public ear. Powerful Influences
and interests are enlisted In its support. Every
scoundrel who looks upon woman merely as
an instrument of his lust, and never aided one
] in distress except with intent to make her MS
prey, rushes instinctively to the conclusion
| that Richardson was seducer. He wants no
| evidence Of this butsuch as he finds In his own
breast. And every one accustomed to look on
wife merely as species OF properly, where,
of the title cannot be alienated by abuse any
more than If she were horse or dog, natu-
rally inclines to the same verdict.
Anxious only that the whole truth IN the
premises should be developed, and that my
deceased friends memory should be vlndiea-
ted from unjust aspersion, called on the dis.
trict attorney few days before that appointed
tor the commencement OF this trial, to ask MIN
If he desired any aid in performing the duty
assigned him by law. ] had not before seen
Mr.. GarYin since we were fellowsmem moers OF
the Constitutional Convention, and had not
communicated with him in any manner. In
answer to my inquiry he said ne preferred to
have an able counsellor associated with MIN IN
the prosecution, and named Mr.. Edwards
Pierrepont as such counsellor. l called ON
MIR. Pierrepont accordingly; but he was
obliged to try important cases fOr the govern
ment throughout April, and could not assign
that public duty 10 another. l reported thaI
decision to Mr.. Garvin, who soon aiterWard
sent me word that he wished Judge Moan
Davis as his associate. had not suggested
either name to Mr.. Garvin, nor. indeed, any
other. / then called at Judge Daylss ounce,
and, not finding him, stated the district az
torney's wish to his partner (Jpdge Henry =.
Davies,) who assured me that, il possible, Mr.
Garvin's request should be obeyed.
Such is the history of my agency in TINS
matter. acted in behalf of Mr.. Richardson's
| friends, and at the suggestion Of one Of them
residing in hiS native State. l am sure he
would have gladly done as much and more
for me had it been my fate to be first assasSi.
mated, then unjustfy covered with oploquy.
and his to survive me. II my efforts shall
have contributed, as I now feel confident they
will have done, to vindicate bis memory from
some part of the wrong which has been done
it, shall rejoice, whatever may the be fate Of
his destroyer. HORACE GREELEY.
New York, May 2, 1870.