The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1859-03-31
suspected Murder in warran County, NJ,

Suspected Murder in Warran County, NJ.
We stated ip our last. that the wife OF
young NJ. E. clergyman had died sud-
denly, under suspicious circumstances
and that painful reports implicatifg tho
husband, were in circulation. We regret
to say, that there appears to have been
su ficieut foundation for those reports -
The unfortunate lady was the wife OF tie
Rev. Jaaob S. Harden. and her death
occurred on the morning of the 9th inst.
The Hackettstown Gazette says:
The parents of the deceased Suspected
that their daughter had come to her death,
BY foul means, and accordingly post
nlortem examination of the body was had
by Drs. Blackwell. Cole and Glen, who
soon became satisfied tbst the deceased
bad died from the effects of poison. A
Coroners Jury was im Immediately SUMMON
ed, and the States Attorney, Joseph Flies,
Eco, proceeded to the examination OF
witnesses.
The Rev. Jacob S. Harden, husband
of the deceased, being subpenaed, testi.
fed. under oath, that bis wife had told
him on the night previous to her death
that she bad swallowed arsenic three or
four times, and that she was mpelled to
do so because Of difficulties existing be-
tween her mother and himself. Witness
also stated that before he received this
Inform alton from bis wife, she bound him
By solemn obligation not to disulge this
statement to any living being, except il
vas to rave his own life
Several other witnesses were examined =
the burthen of whose testimony went
strongly to criminate the husband OF the
decea ased. From the facts sworn to By
the mother of deceased, derived from in
formation iUparted to her by her daugh-
ter some time previous to her death, the
conviction was forced upon the minds of
all who heard her testimony, that the Rev.
gentleman 10 question was q most cousu-
mate villain, and it was moro than suspec-
ted that he bad been at least accessory to
a horrid murder.
The examination of witnesses continued
from Wednesday of last week until Mon
evening last, during which tine, by ID ost
unaccountable end criminal oversight,
the Rev. gentleman remained at large
/, On Tuesday orning he was Kissing, and
the utmost excitement pret allied in the
neigbborhood " ben the fact becan known
It-was soon ascertaiued that a disguise
had been purchased for him at Washing
, ton the previous evening. and oD the fol-
lowing morning be had fed to Ashbury,
which place be reached in time to get on
the early morning train of the Central
Railroad for New York. The fact of his
. escape was telegraphed to various stations
along the road, and Melainotype like
ness of him sent on to the Chief of Police
at New York.
+ The verdict Of the CoroDer's Jury has
not been made public, but We understand
that the Jury are unanimously of opinion,
from the evidence adduced, that the de-
ceased was foully murdered.
Governor Newell has offered a reward
OF $500 for the apprehension of Jacob S.
Harden aud bis delivery to the jailor Of
, the county Of WarraD, and his conviction
of the crime aforesaid.
DESCRIPTION OF HARDEN.-Jacob S.
Harden has been a clergyman of the NJ.
Episcopal denomination, about FIVE feet
five inches in hight, about 22 years of age,
blue eyes, face slightly pimpled, eommu-
NEGATIVE and quick in motion.
UP to the hour of putting our paper to
press, nothing has been heard Of Harden.
1t looks now as if be bad made good bis
escape, and it is possible that be may not
be heard of for years. The Trenton True
american adds a few particulars in rels-
ton to this painful case, which add to its
interest 1t says Of Harden, that
He entered the NJ. Z. miuisty two years
ago, on trial, and had no, been received
into full connection. His age is only
twenty two years, and be married very
, eStimable girl about six months ago.
His parents reside near BlairstowD, War
rem Co., near the Paulins' Kill, bis faith
, er being a respectable farmer in that
neie hborhood. -
1t is said that a young woman, with
whom be enjoyed some intimacy before
his marriage with his wife, was at his
house on visit, and that the crime was
concocted between them. The woman, it
is said, purchased the poison, and, at the
proposition of Harden, it was taken in 9
dose Of salts, be at the same time also ta-
king dose, but not compounded with the
! poison. Who made the mixture is not
/ stated, but it is said, and, probably, with
, truth, that it was the comtiued act of
both. HardeD's story is, that bis wife, in
consequence of difficulty between her
, mother and himself, destroyed herself.