New York Daily Tribune

The Burch Divorce Case. SEVENTH DAY. Naperville, Ill., Monday, Nov. 26, 1860. A number of witnesses were examined, but the only matters of interest elicited were the following testimony and the accompanying letters: The Rev. Robert W. Patterson, sworn—I am a minister of the gospel: I have had a very intimate acquaintance with Mr. Burch; I have known Mrs. Burch well, but not intimately. The witness here identified the letter received from Mrs. Burch on the 30th of January, which he said he answered on the following day. [The letter has already been published.] The witness then identified the copy of the reply to said letter, which copy had been made and retained by him. He also identified the second letter he received from Mrs. Burch, which was about the first of June, and said that he wrote a reply to it a few days after. He then identified the copy and the said reply. Cross-examined—The first letter has not been in my possession since it was written: Mr. Burch told me he believed that they would be obliged to call for the letter: I asked Judge Skinner about it, and he told me I would be obliged to give it: I afterward saw Mr. Burch, and told him I was unwilling the letter should be used unless necessary to develop the truth: during my absence one day Mr. Burch called and got the letter from my wife: Mrs. Burch wrote to me for a copy of the letter: I did not ask Mr. Burch for it, nor send it to her: I did not request ladies not to call on Mrs. Burch: I did not speak about the case freely: I have attested to the fact of Mrs. Burch being brought up and educated in New-York. The witness here read the first letter from Mrs. Burch, which moved most of those in Court to tears. The reply of the witness and subsequent letter of Mrs. Burch was also read. The letter to Mr. Patterson was such as a person in affliction would write to a pastor, begging his prayer, acknowledging sins, and entreating sympathy and advice. Mrs. Henry Farnam was next sworn. She testified having spoken to Mrs. Burch about Stuart's visits: she said she hoped the witness didn't imagine any wrong: she said, "No, she knew her too well to have any such thoughts, but others might not be so charitable:" Mrs. Burch expressed the hope that Stuart's family having returned home, people would not be so ready to talk about him. She identified the letters as Mrs. Burch's handwriting, addressed to the witness and Burch. Nothing further of importance was elicited. The letters were then read. That to Mrs. Farnam was beautifully written, in language so touching as to draw tears from many in the court. In it she alludes to the inclination she had to terminate her life by poison, in the distraction of a separation from her children. The letter to her husband is as follows: My dear Husband: I must for the last time in my life thus address you. I wish to thank you for all your kindness to me during all our married life, even when I was false and wicked: and for the last week particularly you have been so kind, forbearing, and good to me—oh! so kind—when I only deserved your hate. But you said that you do not hate me. That is indeed consoling to your poor heart-stricken Mary. I wish again to ask your forgiveness for all that I have done—deception, falsehood and everything I know full well darling, what a poor, miserable sinner I am, and I feel that some time my prayers will be answered. You have said you would pray for me, and I know you availed much. Yes I feel that if you will join your prayers to mine I may yet find forgiveness with God. He is very merciful. have mercy upon me. I think that I can leave you to fight in peace I try to feel that all is for the best, and I trust I may say from my heart, 'God doeth all things well' As for you, dearest husband, you can never know how I suffer for you; and I am so thankful that all your friends love you so and care for you. I can only love, cherish, and endeavor to console you in this great affliction. They should do this, for you have done nothing, while I merit everything that is bad; and for the children, I pray you again do not let them forget me. "Do not let them despise me and Oh, at some future day do let me see you all once more. Oh, I am so miserable and yet I dare not murmur. I can only say, God help me, and I cry to him continually that he will heed me and make me pure again. Darling little Minnie, she must never hear one word said against her mother without telling you, and teach her, Oh, teach her to shun all who revile me, howsoever I may deserve it. But the thought is too terrible to bear that my children, my darling children, whom I so fondly love, should ever hear me thus spoken of, should ever learn to hate me. Better, far better that they should not quite close your heart against me. Do not let any one advise you to shun me entirely. Oh God, let me feel that you will try and fully forgive me, and tell me, Oh tell me, before I go, that you will not hate me forever. Oh, dearest, you are so good to me that I am, oh! so grateful to you. Your kindness to this poor sinner has been too much, but I bless you for it. I will ever love and bless you as I do now. God only knows how fondly I love you. Yes, dearest, do not doubt it. I do truly love you and would. God knows. I would, lay down my poor life for you, if by so doing I could relieve you poor wounded heart. Do not scold me for writing you this." I feel that these are as it were my last words to you. We may never meet again, but, darling, remember in that hour, and if you or the children should be ill, I pray you let me know it.' Perhaps at such a time you might freely forgive me and perhaps love me again. I could die in peace. I think, could I hear you say you love your poor heart-stricken wife. Good by: God bless you: Kiss the children sometimes for their poor heart-broken mother." Good by, good by, my much loved, much injured husband. During the reading of the letter a profound silence prevailed in Court, and the scene was most affecting. After reading the letter to Judge Skinner, Judge Spaulding and Fanny Burch were recalled. The only cross-examination that she had told Mrs. Skinner that she never believed Mrs. Burch guilty till she heard from her uncle that she had confessed. The counsel of the complainant then closed the case, and offered to hand in the confessions. The counsel for the defense objected, offering to produce evidence that the signatures had been improperly obtained by duress, coercion, or fraud. A long debate ensued till the close of the Court. No decision will be made till morning. The following letter was read to-day: MRS. BURCH'S LETTER TO HER AUNT, MRS. THOMAS BIRCH. Mrs. Birch: You will I trust, pardon me for writing you at this time: but wretched and fallen as I am, I cannot let you think that I have ever carried out or wished the ruin of your daughter Fanny. God in Heaven knows that I am truly innocent of this terrible accusation. I learned from Uncle that such was the opinion formed by Mr. Burch I was heart broken before but this, if possible, added to my cup of bitterness. I trust Mrs. Birch that if you have entertained such a thought, you will banish it, and beg Mr. Burch not to think of it any longer. I have given him good and just cause to think there is nothing too vile for me to do or countenance: but in this case he has judged me wrongly. Mrs. Burch, tell your daughters from me that if they have any love of admiration, to check it now. If I had fewer friends and liked admiration less I should not have been an outcast or wanderer—I might almost say a beggar. My ruin was commenced by exciting my jealousy regarding my husband and then— I see it now—flattery did its work Tell the girls to shun it as they would the death room. I have been too thoughtless I have not deliberately rushed into ruin. Oh, no: Indeed I have not. When I think of the great, the dreadful wrong I have done my husband, it seems as though I could not live and so far. Then, too, my sin against God is so great! Do you, Mrs. Burch, think he will ever forgive me? My mind has been so distressed, I have been almost distracted I have written Mr. Patterson hoping he can give me some consolation. Oh, Mrs Burch, if you only knew how I suffered! I have been all alone since Thursday, and I have had time for thought. I have prayed for forgiveness of God, and have prayed that Mr. Burch would in time forgive me. Oh! when I was told of his intense hatred to me, although I write it, yet I was distressed beyond endurance. The thought that he hates me is dreadful. I can only pray that you Mrs. Burch, thank him for his unmerited kindness when I feel less hatred I can never forget his putting his arm around me and saying good bye although now I know he did not mean it. I wish, Mrs. B. you would write me immediately that you do not think I fairy. I am very much afraid that you should have thought so. I am afraid you looked at such thing regarding now Mrs Burch will you be kind these dear children They are so precious. Will you pray for me? Oh! if I ever needed prayers, I need them now. I deserve all this sad trial may the means bringing nearer my God. Mine is no mock sorrow or repentance Mrs. Burch, I hope you will write me. Tell me that do hopes and pray for forgiveness, and wi- all who ever loved you pity me as will pray for and ask Mr. Burch if he can pray for me. Of course you need have no fears that I will write you again, but I wish you would answer this, and direct your letter to mother. (Signed MARY.