The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1912-01-05
M 'FARLAD
. IS ON TRIAL
FOR POISONING
(By Associated Press. }

than ordinary interest the public Is
awaiting the opening OF the trial next
Monday OF Allison MacFarland,
charged With having caused the death
OF his wife by poisoning her with
cyanide of potassium, The prepara-
tions of prosecution and defense are
practically completed and no undue
delay of the trial is anticipated.
Prosecutor Wilbur A, Mott will rep
resent the state, while James K NC
Dermit and his brother. Frank NJ No
Dermit, will defend the accused.
The case presents many unusual
and interesting features which. in d
measure, recall some OF the features
OF the Richeson case in Cambridge.
Mass. In both cases the victim died
of poisoning by cyanide Of potassium
and in both cases the poison was TAX
en- while the person accused of having
committed the murder was absent
When Mrs. MacFarland, for whose
murder Allison MacFarland is 10 be
tried next Monday, was poisoned. the
accused husband was not at home
in this city but in, New York. ac-
eompanied by his 6-year old son.
Allison MacF'arland was born in
Thomaston, Me. about thirty-threa
years ago He was the only sen Of
Mr. and Mrs. John MacFarlan1 ol
that city and received his early ela-
cation in the Thomaston grammar
and high schools After two years IL
the high school Allison MacFarlanl
went to Dockland. Me. where he At
tended a commercial school.
1t was there that he met Evelyn.
the only daughter OF Mr.. and Mrs
George A. Crockett of Rockianl. al
lison frequently called at the girls
home and after courtship OF two
years they became engaged They
were married at Rockland on October
Is 1900, and for a few years seemed
to live happily together. MacFarlana
was not steady worker. After one
year in Rockland they went tc
Quincy. Mass. then to New York
then tc Chicago. then to Michigan and
finally to Philadelphia.
MacF arIand An inventor
Allison MacFarland is a mau O
considerable ability and While II
Philadelphia, invented an automobile
tire. Several capitalists became III
terested in the invention and fnrn
ishcd a capital Of 5000 to put the
tire in the market Offices werf
opened and Miss Florence Bromley
was engaged as stenographer. Sht
was a handsome and attractive blonde
with a somewhat romantic past an.
Allison MacFarland soon became IN
fatuated with her 1'hi was lbou
three years ago
Mrs. MacFarland soon learned Q
the re.ati0ns between her husbans
and the pretty stenographer and !
short time before the b.rth OF her sec
ond child, she returned to her par
ents in Rockland, where she remain
ed nearly two years In the mean
time the company for manufacturers
the rubber tires had failed and Mac
Farland went to Newark, where he op
tanned a position with the Gt)cker
/ Wheeler company, manufacturers Q
electrical appliances
Not until last July did MacFarlant
make any effort to induce his Wit
to return to him. AT his request sh'
came to Newark with her iaught1
land her frstborn sen ami her PAL
ents believed that a perfect recon
ciliation had taken place between he
and her husband 1t seems. however
that MacFariand continued his rela
tions with the pretty stenogfIphe
and made frequent trips 70 that 2it
to visit Miss Bromley secretly. Ho'
well they kept under cover may y
inferred from the fact that for sever
tal wears the parents Of Miss Bromle
J ~
that she carried on a love affair Wit
Ia married man right before incl
! eyes and entertained intimate reli
tions with MacFarland, whom she me
whenever ne came to Philadelphia.
Found His Wife Dead
On Tuesday, October II. last, Nat
Farland went to New York with nj
little son to take the boy to the
ater. They remained in New Yor
lover night and did not return u New
ark unti1 Wednesday morning. Nhe
MacFarland arrived at his home b
found his wife, dressed in her righ
gown. dead on the bed. Instead g
summoning i)r. Crowley. his next doo
lneighbor. MacFarland. who did ne
seem in the least excited, walked se'
eral blocks and called DR. William
Gale The latter hurried to MacFai
Hands house and after brief exam
lination came to the conclusion ina
Mrs. MacFarland had died troi
lcyanide of potassium poisoning MAJ
Fariani admitted that he had 20
tile with cyanide in the house and pr'
tduced the bottle. The latter. whic
had been used for bromide which Mt
MacFarland had been in the habit
taking for her headaches, stu ma
the bromide label and under II
small label with inscription "cyanid
of potassium.
| MacFarland was arrested an
charged with the murder of his VII
The theory of the prosecution Is tni
! he brought about the death 81 h
wife to marry Miss Bromley and II
stated that letters. found in his po
session tend to bear out TINS lleofF
Edmund Stevenson, of Okiahoh
CITY. is in the city.