The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-10-07
Trial of Rev. MIR. Harden for Wife MUIR
der In New Jersey.

der I'm New Jersey.
Correspondence of the Newark Daily Advertiser.
BELv1DERE, Warren Co., Sept. IA, 3d.
The trial of the Rev. Jacob S. Harden, for
the murder of his wife by poison, will
commence here next week, before the Hon.
Edward Whelpley, the presiding judge of
this circuit. The District Attorney, Joseph
Welt, ESQ.,. will be assisted by the Hon.
William L. Dayton, Attorney General of
the State. In behalf of the prisoner, ex-
Chancellor Williamson, and j. e. Shipman.
Esq, will appear. The publication of the
details of this murder, embracing an &C.
count of the death of Mrs. Harden, at An.
dersontown, in March last, the investigation
OF its cause by the coroner, the evidence
duplicating her husband as her murderer,
and the incidents connected with his flight
and subsequent capture, is of too recent a
date to render repetition now necessary.
An interview with the prisoner has con-
WINGED me that some of my reporting breth-
rem, in their charitable endeavors to assimi-
late their descriptions of him to the popular
idea of what murderer ought to look like,
have departed long way from the truth.
His long confinement has given to his
complexion sickly hue, common to inmates
of prisons; still he informed me that he had
enjoyed excellent health, and that he had
been increasing in flesh. His seeming con-
tentment and happiness astonishes all who
visit him. Although be is quick in CONVEX
sation and very communicative, land it is
for this reason that his lawyers endeavor to
prevent his having any intercourse with
strangers,) yet neither by word or look does
he betray the slightest indication of fear as
to the result of the impending trial, butacts
as if he thought it only an idle form to be
run through with, preparatory to receiving
his liberty. The Attorney General may
give him different impression.
He was born near BlairstOwn, in this
county, May IL, 1887, and is consequently
but few months over twenty-five years Of
age The common schools afforded to him
his only facilities for education, but be
seems to have advanced so far in the winter
of 1855 and 1856 as to have been qualified
for teaching, in which occupation he was
then engaged in Sussex county. At this
time, also, he gained a nOtoriety as promi
nent exhorter at the Methodist meetings.
In the following spring, at the solicitation
of several clerical friends, who thought him
capable of accomplishing much good for
the church, he quilted school teaching, be-
came colporteur, and during the ensuing
summer rambled through Hunterdon county
and the lower part of the State. The next
winter he was licensed to preach, and sta
toned on Mount Lebanon mission in Railway
district.
Here, through. his zeal and energy, a re-
vival was soon begun, which resulted in
thirty being added to the membership of the
church, and awakened an interest in religion
which eventually caused the mission to be
thrown upon its own resources. At the ex-
piration Of his first year he had become so
popular with the people of that vicinity that
they made urgent requests to the annual
conference that he should be reappointed to
that station. They were granted their re-
quest, both that and the following year, so
that, under the supervision of Harden,
the church continued to increase in pros
perity until the time of his arrest. At
one revival seventy connected themselves
with the church. Through his influence,
also, some personal difficulties existing
between the members of his church, and
which were detrimental to its interests,
were satisfactorily arranged, and the con-
tending parties reconciled to each other.
The church edi6ce was also enlarged and
improved. While engaged upon the Mount
Lebanon mission he formed his intimacy
with his murdered wife. Her maiden name
was Hannah L. Dorling. Although imper-
fectly educated, she is said to have been a
girl of good sense and much personal beauty.
She was the daughter of Samuel Dorling
an honest miller, who lives near German
valley. Harden seems to have been sort
of clerical Lothario, much given to making
love to the fair country damsels, which the
nature of bis profession gave him many
chanches to do; for anxious mothers, with
robust daughters to marry, extended to the
young minister warm welcomes to their
homes. 1t is said that he frequently
abused their hospitality by making mar.
rage engagements which he never intended
to fulfil. His marriage with Miss Dorling
was compulsory one, brought about by
threatenings of suit for breach of promise
The prosecution will argue from this, and
the fact that be did not live with her
that he disliked her, and that such dislike
was to him sufficient motive for commit
ting the crime.
1t is impossible at this time to tell how
long the trial will be. One hundred wit
'nesses have already been subpenaed. Much
interest is manifested in the result by the