Arizona republican., 1914-05-20
Trial of Daniel Mcfarland

A tragedy almost entirely forgot ten today, but which at the time created un unusual amount of ex- citement throughout the United States, was the killing of Albert D. Richardson, war correspondent long attached to the New York Tribune" in the office of that newspaper by Daniel Mcfarland; a
 lawyer, on the evening of Novem- Der 25, 1869 At one time Mcfarland believed that Richardson bore en- tirely too friendly relationship with Mrs. Mcfarland, and they became estranged. and the resul. was mur- der
 Shortly after six o'clock, Mac Farland, who had the "entree" to the office of The Tribune" was standing back of the counter in the business office talking to a clerk, when Rich ardson entered. The latter had not been ten minutes in the office when | Mcfarland approached him. and without saying word fired the fatal shot. The wounded man. with out saving a word, walked to the
 editorial rooms, and there collapsed and was conveyed to the Astor House. Mcfarland was arrested In a statement made the day after the shooting he said that he had | lived harmonously and happily with his wife for nine years. until she formed the acquaintance of Rich ardson and from that moment his happiness was destroyed. Mrs. Mac Farland left her husband on Feb ruary 21, 1867, and obtained a di- vorce in Illinois. He pleaded with her not to take the step for their children's sake, but she was in- fatuated with Richardson who con- tributed to her support for the two years following She took the two children with her and the husband was put at great expense to recover his son through a habeas corpus pro- ceeding.
 When Richardson's condition be- came critic?i on November 30. he expressed the desire to marry Mrs. Mcfarland and Rev Henry Ward Beecher, the eminent minister, per | formed the ceremony. He died at five a. m. on December ?, and was buried the following day. Among those who attended the funeral were Honorable Whitlaw Reid. Edmund Clarence Stedman, Horace Greeley, editor of "The Tribune" and other distinglIished men,
 Besides his ability as d newspaper writer, Richardson had written and published number of volumes. mostly experiences in camp and field during the Civil War. At the bedside marriage Of Richardson and Mrs. Mac | Farland the dying mans pastor. Rev. o. B. Buckingham assisted, and his offering up of the prayer, containing these lines, was severely criticised: May he take her image with him. and may she bearing his name. and vim dicating his honor carry him about with her through all the pilgrimage | that is yet before her, to strengthen her courage"
 MT Beecher was also severely criti- cised by the newspapers for perform ing the marriage ceremony under the circumstances. An inquest was held immediately after the death of Rich ardson. and Mcfarland was indicted for murder His trial did not occur until the following April 4th, but it required until the 7th before jury was secured. The trial was continued until May TO- Those who gave testi mony were employees of the Tribune" office who had witnessed the shooting, including Daniel Frohman. now the well-knoWn theatrical manager, but then the advertising clerk of the news paper. An that was necessary was to establish the shooting and death of MT Richardson, and the prosecution rested their side of the case to hear
 that of the defense
 The defense was that at the time he
 had committed the murder MacFarland
 was temporarily insane through worry
 over family affairs. Letters were in
 troduced written by Richardson to
 show the intimacy that existed between
 the murdered man and Mrs. MacFar-
 land. bu. sent, however. after she had
 obtained a divorce. as well as num-
 Der from Mrs. Calhoun, woman more
 or less favora bly, inclined to the free
 love" theory. and a most intimate
 friend of Mrs. Mcfarland. Specialists
 gave testimony as to the mental con-
 dition of the murderer.
 Aside from the sensa tional testimony
 presented, the opposing counsel were
 so vicious in their department that it
 was with difficulty that they were
 kept from exchanging blows.
 The Recorder charged the jury on the
 morning of May 10, and after they
 brought in verdict of mot guilty
 To add to the sensation of the case,
 the following day Mrs. Richardson
 published the story Of her life in the
 Tribune" in which she accused Mac
 Farand of deceit in their marriage of
 drunkenness, brutality and neglect, and
 mentioned in detail many incidents in
 proof of her allegations, of how he had
 frequently struck her. and, in his fury,
 would seize and break anything within
 reach. The verdict was generally ap-
 proved although it was many years
 before this murder ceased to be a sub-