Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-10-09
4 Want a Divorce
# He Did IT, Says
McFarIand's Wife
Special pispatch to rhe Star.

6peClAl DlSpaIcn TO Inc Star.
NEW BERN, N. c., Oct. 9.-Mrs.
Doris Marie Mcfarland, 18-year -old
wife of Pfc. Earl Mcfarland, was so
confused today about charges that
her marine husband had criminally
assaulted and murdered a Govern
ment clerk of her own age in Wash
ington that she didn't know what
to believe"
The blond, normally poised wife
of Mcfarland, Guadalcanal veteran
charged with the Staying of Dorothy
Berrum last week, Is confined to her
parents home here, still in i'll health
after the birth August % of baby
that died week later.
IF he did it, I want divorce"
she said.
Asked if she believes her husband
guilty, she said From what read
in the papers this morning, don't
see =" breaking off to plead II
don't want to say anything"
Il Don't Believe It."
Pressed for an answer, she finally
said, mo, don't believe it."
Her parents, Mr.. and Mrs. Simmie
Dudley, who thought lot of Earl"
said he just was mot the type of
boy" to commit such crime.
Friends said they were sure Mrs
Mcfarland would have moved to
Washington to be with her husband
when he was transferred there last
March if it had not been that their
first baby was on the way.
Asked if she expected to go to
Washington to aid her husbands
defense, she said she still was under
the care of physician and he would
not permit her to make the journey.
Says He Had Malaria.
Asked if Mcfarland was any diff
ferent when he returned from the
South Pacific, she said well, he had
malaria-he was sick-and at times
seemed little moody, but every
thing else was the same"
Since coming to Washington, the
young marine had visited his wife
every month and had come here
three times during the last month,
she said. When notified of the
baby's birth he arrived the following
morning, and week later he re-
turned for the baby's funeral.
His last visit was week ago Sun
day, when he spent the entire day in
her sick room. The doctor let her
sit up that day for the first time
since her baby's birth because Earl
was here"
In September, 1941, Mcfarland
was sent to station at New River,
81 miles away. His first day in New
Bern he visited a doughnut shop
where Doris Dudley was working.
They both said afterward, accord
ing to their friends, that it was love
at first sight"
They went together STEADY" for
eight months and were married May
6, 1912. Mcfarland left June IL,
returning in September, 1913, with
leg wound and malaria. After
spending two months in a naval hos
pital, he rejoined his wife for So
day leave last November and De-
cember. Together they visited his
sisters-his parents are dead-in
Tennessee last Christmas.
For two months after returning to
duty, Mcfarland was stationed at
nearby New River again
Disturbed by Publicity.
Mrs. Mcfarland, who will be 10
October 81, talked freely with re-
porters last night, her blond hair
piled in a pompadour with curls
dropping around the back of her
neck.
But today she became shy when
she saw her name on front pages
and didn't want to talk any more.
Her mother was especially disturbed
by the publicity.
Under her mothers urging, she
said she did not believe she would
go to Washington for her husbands
trial even if she were recovered by
then because of the notoriety,