New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-06-21
TRIAL FOR BIGAMY.
Inme. Hnrd1 nIias Rev. Nnthan :. AIier.
From he 81 fF.lO Commercial Advertiser.
o.. - = - ,,-4,,idn.l Tor tina crime Of biga

u l.
Our readers will remember the general features oil
bis offense, as they were disclosed through this
and other papers during the last w inter he Plesl
cuiItv ard therefore no evidence was gwen 10
Court cut Of which TO make history OF the case
But from the testimony elected before the 5rand
Jurv and from other authentic sources We are en-
nbtd 70 give 4 brief sketch Of his history ending
! in the denOuemenf-the oieDse for which he mas
| been tried and convicted
His father irrrneriy resided N Niagara, Z w.
srdis row a resident Of Kingston, highly resPects.
be as are his whole family. with the exception Of
! the subect q this sketch, who was wayward
youth and pretty early IN life strayed from the pa
| terpal roof desperate advent0rrr. He early az
! suraed the character Of Christian minlste.-Slih
The desien Il would SEEM OF prscticiny rs villain
ni,s under the eaIb 81 religion. At the age Of p
wears he made bis afpearaic a. Hempsteai, L. l.
~ the chhIa1 ter Of Methodist Episcopal Nn'ster
where he soon married iHtO q respectable family.
Previous to this, he had Ia several instances been
scdgcer and after bis marriage he was no less the
uupriucpied hbertue. lie ilitreated ais vile, neg
lected, and finally abandoned her and his four CHI
dreD
Re lea Log Island, ard imposed himself 1pon
PRESBYTERIAN congregation in the State Of Dse
y are AID after that, was settled over a cDigregs-
tionof " esleys Aethodists at Lowell We have
10 6ccount Of these two clerical ad.ents, bat IL
will be lscertained, We have no doubt that they
were sienaized by villainies such he has prac-
ticed elsewhere. lie is next heard Of a Kingston,
C. W Wnore be assumed ~ b. q Presby .srisn
Minister. he yiiited bis own fathers no1se, as
stranger 50 disguised llat Of MS family, ex
cept d s.sier knew him. SIC took occasi1u, ulob-
served by the rest o. the family, u lei hin know
that she knew him. when he prevailed upon her 10
NEE, m a. nigh: q. their mother grave wnere
lie exiorted from her promise hot % expose him.
Ii JulJ last ne made las appearance az Lewis-0n,
presenting TO the Presby terrain congreg alton IN that
village forged evidence Of bis ministerial charac-
! ter, among which was q letter PurPor!ing % come
from Rev Dr. Barnes Of Ph.laJei phia ,aGd,ng hin
for his talents and piety, ard recommending hin
10 The hind care OF whatever co1grrg alioa he Ell
goced 10 minister 20 and especially, they must
Let low him 10 overtask himself with labor, as MS
zeal wc1d impcl lin T. DO. The bal. took. He
became yery popular as minister; bis stolen SER
mors cave him a reputat0ntoE talents, his manner
IL the pulpit was rather prepossasslns and out Of
H. in socia life be played his cards ot imposition
| still more sdroi.ly. Tie church had been dec.ia-
iug; their house Of worship vas 10 an uaia'shed
condition. BE healed divisions made Z united con-
eregstiCn, and finished the meeting house 6y his
active exertlons. even contributing literally from
his own pocket 70 the purpose. IL was discovered
by a few that some Of his fine sermons were pla-
giarisms-patch-w OF other men 5 labors-tha.
he stunned sdroitly olihsnd, extempOraneOus ef
forts but the hints Of their iuspicons we're lost IN
the foe tide OF village popularity that was 10 wing
Ia bis favor. lie had learned that dress mRkes
coed address" and was therefore neat and tidy in
Is wardrobe. HIS rotten CARCASS ives whitened
sepucher, and the hardened villain had so schO0.ed
himself in hypocrisy that he played his assumed
character IS successfully as those VINO win ap
plsuse BY Seeming to be the things they are nos
while treaGns the boards OF theater. lie was es-
pccialy attentive to the females OF his coagrega
ton and several Of its matrons soon began to Sc
cord lis wishes to obtain wife. Several matches
were set on foot.
The one that progressed nearest contamination
wss broken off by the interfere nee OF a relative,
who ventured 70 think fox himself IN reference 70
the character Of the man. Another was destined
TO be the vctim-one not Of bis congregation with
vhCm be had made an acquaintance. she was
the daughter Of one Of the most respectable citi
zeps Of Lewiston, and both branches OF the family
were Of the early, prominent families Of Western
New York. He succeeded, by the help OF others
whose cfciousness in the matter most now be the
occasion Of far too much OF regret and repentance
with them 10 need any reproof in this connection.
IL there visa an ndiscretOn, too much haste, upon
the part Of the parents, IN consentng 10 the ar
risse Of their daughter 70 one whose history they
knew nothing Of beyond few brief months too
deeply by fer, too severely has the penalty oeea
visited pen them 10 require any further lnhlctOn.
But the example Of all commemorative church
the parents-All v DO so readily endorsed a strAn-
ger and admitted him 20 their fullest respect and
ooufdeIce, should not be lost it should 60 out In
thunder tones throughout this broad land, warn
-
by villains who assume the garb OF saints. There
a positively en- invitation given. encouragement
offered. for rsscsls b become MATTOrms aud by
pccrites in the readiness, the a2ness Of even mo.
itl 10 say nothing Of religious preca1tiop, with
which they ere received cherished and pe.tel.
The whole history Of this msn-his frequent al
vents of vlany, with bis professions. bis cant
ard hyIocrisy, is pregnant with example and
warning.
Tie msrrisge was consummated There is a
phase in its histOry-a demonstration ot his made
pending the marriage day or two, which IS wOr-
thy OF remark. He assumed 20 have received
letter which informed him of some important bls
ness matters at Philadelphia, thst required his n
date attention and wished 70 have the mar.
mage postponed This the parents could not well
consent 10, as the day had been fixed upon, and
friends invited rom distance. This Is either %
he passed 10 his credit evidence that be relent.
3D. or that be feared that measures were In pro
Rress for his detection
4 few weeks after marrisge, while in this city
with his young wife, visiting some Of her c0anec-
tons, such evidence was obtained at Lewiston, as
EFF no doubt that he was an lmposrCr. A letter
was received from Rev Dr.. Barnes that he knev
Of 10 such mar, and Of coure had given no s1ch
one q ,eiter, Inc father came TO Buffalo in com
rany with some friends, and had al interview with
him He Ct first assumed great indicnstion tia.
be should be suspected, said the letter they mad
ceived from Dr. Barnes was forgery but H. Ally,
was compelled TO confess himself an impOster, a..
though he refused 70 give any accoun.oi himself,
or 10 acknowledge that be had s1other wife. After
some proceedings necessary to the procuring OF
divorce, be was allowed 10 escape bat further de-
veopne1ts Of the extent Of his yIllauies induced
pursuit He was arrested at Geneva, brought
bach 10 Lewiston, where he wss examined upon
the charge Of obtaining money under islse preten-
ses-his sslsry as & cergyman-snd committed 70
tie Lockp0Tt jail An examination Of the books
and paper. in his trunks not osly gave further evi
6ence Of bis being al Impostor, but induced the
conclusion tha! bis name was James Hardy, and
not Nathan s Alier. A clue obtained Of MS
former residence, and a correspondence com
meuced. which resulted in fol information Of his
spurious character As 4 clergyman, and of the
i,teuce OF & former wife and ioar children az Brook