Rensselaer Union, Volume 2, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 May 1870 — Mrs. McFarland-Richardson. [ARTICLE]

Mrs. McFarland-Richardson.

After the conclusion of the recent trial in New York city of Mr. McFarland for the shooting of* Mr. Richardson, and the Jury had rendered their verdict acquitting the accused, Mrs. Richardson published, in the New York tribune, a long letter, giving in detail a history of her married life, alleging iopg and continued neglect ana abuse on the part of McFarland, charging "him with deception, dissipation and brutal conduct during almost the entire period of their conjugal relationship. During all this time of suffering on her part, she claims to have submitted to her husband’s neglect and abuse without doing or saying aught to justify anything but affection ana the kindest of treatment from him, and to have sought to cover up and keep secret from the world the brutality of her husband. The following isMrs. Richardson’s stutetngnt of the immediate cause of her final separation from Mr. McFarland i “ On the evening of the 19th of February, when Mr. McFarland came in from the Gustom House, where he had been employed since the Ist of February, as clerk in the office, procured for him through the influence es the Sinclairs, I was slanding at Mr. Richardson’s door, in the front hall, and he was handing me some manuscript, which he had offered to lend me if I could use them in some literary work. Mr. Richardson’s room was used as his working room, and at this time, as at all parts of the day, he had with him a stenographer, messenger, boy and artist, who were engaged in his literary works. When McFarland came in he objected to my going to Richardson’s room, to which 1 replied I had not been ih, Was not In, and had not been in the habit of going there, Even if I had been there, it was not a private room, but an office in the day time. With this the matter dropped, and I supposed this was all of It, but in a few momenta McFarland commenced to say something on the subject. I saw he waa in ill humor, and I supposed he wished to make anything the pretext for one of his passions, and I said little. From this he worked himself into a great fury, in which I left him to go to my work at tbe theatre. Ho continued in this rage throughout the night, and I spent a terrible night -with him. All the next day, the 20th, he- remained at home, abusing and tormenting. He used to me expressions which I never could forgive or endure, and still harping on the fact of my being at Richardson’s room. Ho asked me, before Percy, who was all the time present, “Did Richardson ever kiss yout Have you ever been in his room alone with him?” and others, which I considered insulting and unpardonable. He was under the influence of liquor all the day, remaining at home, and going out every little while to drink, and then coming in still more furious. At last he declared he was willing to be separated from me, and that I might go home to my father’s, and leave him. When 1 assented, he wanted me to bring in some of my friends to talk

the matter over before them, but I refused to take council from anyone tili my father could be eent for, and I only prevented him from calling iu some of my Friends by representing to him that he was then so intoxicated that his cause would be prejudiced by that fact. On tlie morqing of the 20th, before going to the theatre, I secreted his razors, his pocket-knife, my sicissors, and all articles I thought dangerous, as I often did on such occasions and left Mm. When I.came back he was still raging. He frequently made threats of committing suicide, often going out of doors for that avowed purpose. On this occasion, about midnight,

he bade me an unusually solemn and eternal farewell, and told me this time he was certainly going out to destroy himself He had done this so often that I said nothing, and made no effort to detain him. At the door he hesitated, and asked

if I had nothing to say in this last parting. I said, “1 can only say that I am hopelessly sorry for you?’ He went out and in a few minutes returned, as I knew he would, cooled and sobered by the night air, and then, it being nearly morning, as mildly and firmly as 1 possibly could, I began to talk with him, I told him I should leave him forever; that I had borne, with patience, for many years, great outrages from him; that he had made my life miserable and had often put me in great dread of my life; that I could not endure it any longer; that by his conduct the past two days, and by his language when he found me at Richardson's door, he had added the last drop to my cup of endurance, and I' should go away from him at once. On this he grovelled at my feet in the most abject penitence. He wept and sobbed, and begged me to forgive him. He confessed he had wronged me; that no woman would have borne with him as I had done, and about daylight went to sleep exhausted. The next morning I did not allude to my purpose, but after seeing him leave the house for Mr. .McElrath's office, I went to Mr. Sinclair's, and .placed myself under the protection of his roof, and never afterwants saw McFarland, except once or twice in the presence of others.”

Ten family of one oHlw victimsof the disaster in Richmond, living in Sidney, Va., is V, rv poor and not knowing where to apply stir aid-to defray the expenses of 'the funeral, they were fain to bury him in the gar.*eu by candfe-tight. There, gathered a round the open grave dug by their own lauds, the little group or sorrow ing friends committed htin. with tears and sobs to hU last resting place.