The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-10-23
LETTERS IN M'FARLAND CASE
NAN HELD FOR WIFE MIRDER
CORRESPONDED WIN GIRL.
Detectives Hear That Ills Friendship win
other woman Caused Mrs. MacEar-
land TO Leave Him. but The, Made tp
Letters May Reveal Poison Motive.

Evidence possibly leading to the estaD-
lishment of "A motive is coming to light
in the case of William MacFarland, the
advertising manager who is in Jail in
Newark charged with the murder Of his
wife, Evelyn.
Prosecutor Wilbur A. Mott of Essex
county. who directed the making of the
charge against mcfarland. was reticent
yesterday. but from sources that are
regarded as authentic facts were devel-
oped that may throw much light on phases
of the affair
Letters were found in MacFarland's
home by detectives after his arrest on
his return from Philadelphia. Passa ges
in these letters might be construed as an
explanation of MacFarland's trip to
Philadelphia the day following that on
which the wife died after drinking cyanide
of potassium. Ii is known that MacFar-
land maintained correspondence with
Miss Florence Bromley Of 1927 Viola
street. Philadelphia. Letters from Miss
Bromley came to MacFarland even after
the death Of Mrs MacFarland The latest
one was received only last Friday the
envelope bearing the postal time stamp
of October 20. This letter fell into the
hands Of the police. as MacFarland was
at the Fifth precinct police station at that
time. Ii was handed 10 him. He read
il in silence and. it is understood. made
no comment The detectives took posses
sion of that letter and il il now in the
custody Cf Prosecutor Mott
Endeariug terms are "a id to have been
used in letters received by MacFarland
from Philadelphia Thsae are said TO
have been allusions 10 a time soon COM
ing when the writer was TO be made happy
10y h"coming really his wife" These
wcre in 'he letter received last Friday
and written after Mrs. MacFarland's
dra'h.
When asked last SATURDAY. bv n re-
porter whether or not there was another
woman" in the case MacFarland said
.mphaticallv:
IF they have mo mixed up with other
women my wife never knew anything
about il. and therefore she never had
any ground 10 quarrel on that account
The facts that are coming out concern
ing MacFarllnd's career III PHILADELPHIA
are not III accord with the statements
he made when first Interviewed bv the
county authorities after the discovery
Of the death of his wife led to an inves-
tigation Al that time he led the authori-
ties 10 believ" that he came 10 Newark
~ the beginning OF last July with his
wife and Two children from a Milwaukee
suburb lie pictured his home life as
pi.asanf and declared he had never given
hi. wife ca'i,e tor jealousy OF 10 quarrel
with him on account ot his conduct with
other women. He reCorr,d 10 his career
in Philadelphia, where he met with re-
verses in III. automobile business and
resided al Ia35 Viola street, next door
10 the Bconlsv family
Macfarlaud was confronted with the
letters from Mss BrornleY and also with
Philadelphia. The latter had learned that
the MacFarand and Bromley families
We're friendly up TO about two wears ago.
Florence Bromley was "A stenograpncr
for MacFnrlnnd in his automobile bust
ness The detectives were told that
neighborhood gossip was directed at
MacFarland and Miss Bromley and that
stories cam" to the ears of Mrs MacFar-
land. That there were strenuous scenes
in the MacFarland home following these
disclosures was also told the detectives.
il il understood, and the climax came when
Mrs. MacFarland left her husband. and
taking her only child the baby Ruth was
not then born went To the home of her
father, George Crockett. in Rockland Me.
The detectives learned also of recon
ciliation after the birth of Ruth and the
removal Of the family to Newark when
for the CroCksrW Wheeler Company at
Ampere.
IL II not known what reply. If any.
MaCFurland made in the face of the letters
and the result of the Investigations OF the
detectives.
MacFarland was kept incommunicado
yesterday. Prosecutor Mott telephoned
Warden McGuinness at the jail to deny
access Ia the prisoner 10 any one not
accompanied hy prosecutors detective
and able To show a personal pass from
Mr. Mott. MacFarland spent the day
quietly and with seeming unconcern.
He read til" papers about his case, but
made no comment.
Yesterday morning telegram came
To him from George Crocket his father
in-law. from Rocland, Me. 1t ran:
Telegram received. Love and regards
Will follow with letter,
He knows what my home relations
were" was the only comment of the ac-
cused man.
PHILADELPHIA, Oct 22.-John NJ Brom
lev. Jr.. father Of Miss Florence Bromley
spent to-day guarding his house Ia pre-
vent his daughter being questioned CON
cernng the MacFarland poisoning case
1T is absolutely impossible that any
letters from my daughter were found
in MacFarland's possession" he said.
Until the news came that Mrs MacFar-
land had died of poisoning my daughter
had not heard Of the MacFarlands for
more than year and half.
Il asked her whether by any chance
she had ever written n letter 10 MacFar-
land and she assured me that she had not
There is no basis for any story connecting
my daughter with MacFarland. When
he was in business in Philadelphia she wa
employed in hisyotiice for three months
This was some time before the MacFar-
lands left the city Apart from the fact
that my daughter worked for MacFar-
land for short time the two were almost
strangers, as her friends were among the
young people in this section Of the city.
My daughter ia in highly nervous
sta to because her name has been dragged
into this case"
Captain of Detectives Souder said to-day
that he had not been asked by the Newark
police to make any sort of investiga ton
hnrn Gi tlpr cnnCprnlnI the rlImnred "nihnr