The Barrow Herald and Furness Advertiser. — 1869-12-18 (Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England)

MARRIAGE WITH DEATH.  They manage many social and religious matters in America, in a manner calculated to startle many amongst us on this side the Atlantic. It was only the other day that we heard of a young lady who, after giving evidence against a bigamist who had wronged her, and doubting, perhaps, whether the Court could or would do her sufficient justice, took the law into her own hands, and, in the presence of both judge and jury walked coolly up to the dock and deliberately discharged a revolver at the prisoner. Happily she missed her aim. This was only the act of • single individual, however, but it is certain that deliberate murder is too often palliated by public opinion and frequently treated venial offence by the law, while looked upon as one of the lightestandmost easily I seem I  marriage is  _ disolved of contracts, and it would now  that ministers of religion are too ready to render their sanction approval to such views. A strange  the Now York Tribune of the ,  in is the oocaaion . On the Ist inst., in one of chambers of the Astor r"  A the magniHouse, in New  Richardson lky  nent men, ministers of religion, and virtuous women filled the rooms and lobbies of the hotel to expreas their sympathy and their 'sorrow. A stranger might have thought some great public benefactor was near his end. What howt.e, was the fact I He bad seduced and abducted the wife of another man, and the enraged hus. band, a Mr. McFarland, had avenged his i 5. juries by laying the seducer at his feet with the bullet of a reviver, and was then lying in p. son awaiting his trial for the crime. This is the substance of the strange story ; but the sequel is infinitely more astounding. When death seemed inevitable, the woman watt in, sight to the bedside of her "protector," 41,4 marriage ceremony was arrange,. sits had obtained a so called divorce in Indiana (where such documents are cheaply obtainable) sometime previously and was now called &Ira Sage. The Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, lrothes of the immaculate woman who has told us what she calls the "True Story of Byron's life, was in attendance to act as high priest in the performance of the deathbed nuptials. ifs was assisted by two other clergymen, and the ceremony began with prayer. The Itsv. 14. Frothiagton called upon his Maker to blesi the dying seducer and his paramour, and to maks the dying bed full of peace, satisfaction, and gratitude. He said, "Father, we thank Thee for what these two have been to each oth,r— for what they may be yet," and concluded by imploring that the wife, and widow about to be, might have strength and courage to bar the name and vindicate time honour of the,,, jO6ll be defunct Richardson. Henry W. Beerier then otepped forward, and said, "1)0 iaks the woman whom you have by your side now, in this hour, standiag near the le 11,1, a lid renew to her pledges of your lovs r The usual responses were given in both ca., end the guilty pair were made man and wire far as Mr. Beecher could mako them, dll.l hie solemn mockery was followed by a s dune appeal for the blessing of Almighty Gd : During the whole course of this disp.tting ceremony there was not a sinyle word said against the sin which this guilty pair had committed against the lawq Heaven and morality—not a word of pity Of sympathy for the injured and frenzied husbard. On the contrary, Mr. Beecher made his app. ance at the funeral, and publicly justified the part which he had taken in this shocking and unexampled ceremonial. Richardson did on the following day and full particulars of the "holy ceremony" were subsequently given to the imprisoned husband. Comment on them facts would be superfluous, but we trust a calm consideration of them may induce some of those enthusiasts who are so eager for Americanizing our slower instit flans to pause in their ttiqua