The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-04-11
THE EM,F1RLAND TRIAL.
OPENING OF THE CASE FOR THE PRosEcU
TION.
The Line of Defence Foreshadowed-
Who and what Richardson was-The
Astor House Mnrriage-Thc Evidence
of Love-Lettcr, &c.

Who and what Richardson was-The
Astor House Marriage-The Evidence
of Lovc-Lettcr, &c.
The Mcfarland trial continues to be the great
topic OF Interest in New York. The jury having
been completed on Wednesday, the trial proper
was opened on Thursday. District Attorney Car
wins opening address to the jury was quite BRIEF
and nothing was revealed by 1t beyond the fact
that the prosecution would seek to prove the xii
ling, and the indicton by the prisoner at the bar
OF the fatal shot.
THE TESTIMONY
NJ, the mart Of the prosecution was entirely upon
these points: First Showing, by the clerks OF the
Tribune publication ofce, the relative positions OF
Mcfarland and Richardson at the time OF and
Just before the shooting; the aeposltlon or the
wounded man after the shot was nred; his reno
val to the editorial rooms, and subsequently to
the Astor House; his lingering anu langulshlnS
and death Oh December 2. Tne dlrect eXamlna-
tion went not step further tnan was necessary
to complete the chain OF evidence connecting the
prisoner with the wounding OF Richardson. and
the effects of such woundng including the imme-
Qiate cause OF death.
The cross examination was conducted BY MIR.
John Graham, and in the course OF IL he eliclted
from the witnesses who saw the shooting, evil
dence to show that Richardson nau pistol on
his person at the time OF the wounuing; ne lalleu
however to show that the pistol was used by
Richardson. 1t was also sought to be shown on
cross examination that Mcfarland, at the time
he was waiting behind the counter In the Tribune
oflice, was engaged In writing something upon a
piece OF paper, but upon tnls punt uo eVlaence
was elected.
One theory OF defence Is, II is sald-and the as
sertion seems borne ont by the questions 10 TINS
part or the cross examtnation.tnat at the time
Mcfarland fred his pistol Richardson had his
ready for discharging, and tnat therefore the
woundipg was the result of duel, or that the
act of Mcfarland was, to certain extent, In
self defence.
THE AsroR HOUSE MARRIAGE.
In the erass.eXaminatlon Of DR.. Swan, the sur
geon who was first called to attend Richardson,
aud who continued in attendance until his death,
Mr. Graham endeavored 10 show that the excite
ment caused by the ''basphemous ceremony" at
the Astor House accelerated the aeath OF Rlchard.
son. and that, therefore, the Defendant could not
be convicted Of murder. The prosecution earn
estly e0ntended against the admission Of this
testimony, and Mr.. Graham as earnestly insisted,
but the court ruled the evidence ont
After the examination OF DR.. swan, DR.. Sayre
was called, but not responding, The prosecution
rested.
This was somewhat unlocked for on the part of
the defence. counsel having expected that the
prosecution would consume ut least one day, and
and Mr.. Spencer, therefore, at quarter.past
O'Clock, asked that the court adjourn Tor the day
In order that he might prepare himself for the
oDening for the defence. After some little heSta-
tion the recorder granted the motion.
PROCEEDINGS OF FRIDAY.
This was the lfth day OF the trial, and the court
room was filed again with spectators.
Upon reasseInbng Of the court, Mr.. Spencer
oncned the case for the defence. Looking Into the
antecedents oil the prisoner, Mcfarland he said,
was born In Ireland, but came TO this country
when young. His parents dying early he worSed
ege, and graduated as bachelor OF arts. lie was
ofdelicate constitution and sensitive organization
such as would naturally cause him to make OF the
woman lie lnvedan idol. He went TO Europe ana
completed his education, and was afterwards mp.
pointed O professor In the College OF Brandywlnc
Delaware. In 1852 he became acquainted ut Man
chester with the woman VINO ngured so proml-
ncntly In this case. She was then nltes q
years Of age. and Ave years afterwards he ma,
riet her. The first child was called Jessie, and
the next, the bright-eyed boy Percy who now
sits beside his father. Mcfarland had Iii MS en-
tcrprlses succeeded, and furnished his wife with
all She desired; but by and by he became poor
and at the time his wife was saying: "Ali
want Is money TO make me fine lady" In the
summer OF 1866 she became acquainted with the
free.lovers with whom every Jack has his Gill;
and q proclrcss named Mrs. Calhoun commenc-
ctl the work OF rendering herdisSallsicd with her
husband, and In the train Of that came misery
and ruin. Mr.. Spencer then recited the clrcnm-
stances of the intercourse between Mrs. McFar
land uud Richardson, foreshadowlng the inten.
tluu OF proving that there was an adulterou5 con-
nection between them. He referred to Richard;
sous pretended friendship for Mcfarland, and
his treachery. the discovery, the desertlon OF Mrs.
Mcfarland, tile contest for the children, the
gradual breaking down OF the prisoners mind
with grief, and the madness which drove MN 10
the deed He closed with glowing appeal to the
jury to stand by the defendant and uphold the
sauctity OF the domestic hearth.
TESTIMONY FOR THE PRISONER.
After the recess James Mcfarland, brother OF
the defendant, testified as to the latter's age $50
years), trade THAT Of tailUr) travels, and ult-
mate studies, professorship, marriage. children
JessIc, Daniel ana PercyJ and nnLlly the change
that came over him with his troubles.
Lille Grau, niece OF manager Grau, testlhea
that Mcfarland rented room at her mo'h"rS.
where he lived with Percy, cooked us own meals,
night n week before the homicide. ana was Win
him some time. AMI that Mcfarland went out one
morning, about O'Clock, during that Week, ana
returned In about all hour.
Testimony was Introduced to show that one
"Francs Mcfarland, tailor, lrelanh,' hau oeen
confined in the lunatic asylum On BidcKwells Isl.
aud, but Il question us to the resemblance ol mat
person to the prisoner ut the bar was 0O)ecteu 10
Dy tile prosecution.
John O:DrIen, Il clerk at the WcStmorclanu
House, ut which Mcfarland engaged room the
night after the homicide testified as TO the WIZ,
irrational manner Of the prisoner at the time.
An INTERESTING LOVE LETTER.
Evidence was introduced identifying the letter
int crCtpteu by NctaTiunu ltolh hiSHa'uoo '" ~
wife. The following Is the letter: Envelope au-
dressed, Mrs. A. s. Mcfarland care Samuel SIN
clair ESD. Tribune otfica. New YORK; cl:y post
marx, Hartford, Conn.,. lrch str, and on the
back arc Initials, A. D. r. March 9'h, 400 7. NJ.
! received two hours ago, 0arlngr yours OF yes
ttrday at noou. | mailed you Tie Atlantic LOT
March to No. -. This ] send III care 10 Mrs.
S -, hoping that you may get II tomorrow
Don't he disturbed about your lalnly. lttlc g!tl.
Families always expect accomplished lacts. MY
hobby, you Know once outraged mine great
deal more than you ever can yours. ana tney arc
the stralghtest sect OF partlsans. out tlme inaae
1t all correct. So You can't go 10 Mrs. NJ, $ till
Monday. and couldn't have my room: Be pa
tient, little girl, and you saaii nave 10
Fanny, tsemc omission here,l about Lilly and
the Young lady am engaged to. II only con-
firms my theory that You and Mollle are ilrst-
class iutrigues Will order your scrap-book on
Monday. Learn all you can about the material
and contents OF the new book within the next
few weeks, for we may want to announce It in
nv hook Please remember that II ought TO have
plenty Of huinor and that 1t must nave some nor
rors. II you recOll from them you shall do them,
darling. | smiled 1t ny oc!ns plnlnG anu nurl.
WHY am like q man who Has got rld OF AlS
elephant. | weigh lS5 pounds, and am lighter.
hearted than ! have been loT years. Indeed
feel as il a weight had been lilteI iruh me
cvcn before your sweet love came 10 sweeteh
ana hess my life. All the trouble was tlias sue
thought SHE coul not 1T me go. Long ago,
when she AMI first came to@elNcr, salu 10 hcr,
we will make no vows to love each other always;
of that we cannot tell. Twill only exact that you
tell me the perfect TRUTH whether it Keeps Us TO-