The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-07-09
THE EXECUTION OF HARDEN

lhE EAECUIlON OF HARDEN.
Harden, the wife-poisoner, as noticed by tele-
graph, was executed, at Belvidere, N. j., on Fri
day last. He made confession, but it has not yet
been given to the public. The following is an &C.
count OF the last scenes at the scafold:
Harden appeared with arms closely pnoned to
ms sides, and the fatal moose artsticaly coiled
ABOUT his neck, and walked by the side of the
Sheriff up the steps of the gallows. Harden seemed
as calm and composed as during his trial. and
walked along with his head slightly bowed down
Ward and his eyes directed straight before him.
lie was dressed in the clothes he wore during his
continement-an old, shabby blue dress coat, a
pair OF black cloth pants and shoes of pa leather
Inc Rev. Messrs Kirk. Day and Matthews and
tneir friends, accompanied him upon the scaffold.
All knet, the spectators removing their hats; and
harden dropping upon one knee, his face turned
upwards, uttered in low murmur an eiaculatory
PRAYER, beseeching God to forgive him and to be
with him, and calling upon Jesus Christ to save
MIN In heaven, the silence which prevailed was
sudden and painfully intense, and the condemned
mans choked and hurried murmurs could be indis
uncty heard in the remotest corner of the yard
/ This prayer occupied but two or three moments
and then, rising, Harden stood facing the Sheriff
upon the fatal drop, and the moose was uncoiled
from his neck and attached to the iron hook pen.
dant from the rope connecting with the pulley
Standing in the centre of the drop he gave direc
lions to the Sheriff, that upon a preconcerted sig
nal the rope should be cut, and then, turning hall
and calling each one by name said, very distinctly
but in low tones, Good bye" black glazed
cap was then drawn his face, the handker
chief with which the signal to be given was
placed IN his right hand and the knot adjusted un.
der his left ear. Thus pinioned and masked, he
stood perfectly erect, and without the slightest
perceptible tremor said, "Good bye" to the Sher
III, and added, 81 thank you for the many kind
nesses you have shown me, my friend" The Sher
lift then descended the steps OF the scaffod and took
his station by the pulley, and for moment there
was an agonizing pause. Harden stood unfinch
lngiy erect, muttering, Good have mercy upon me
Lord Jesus save me in Heaven!" Then for an in
slant, and what an instant that must have been
he looked firmly and silently into the dark face o.
death, standing alone upon the shore of that wide
ocean OF eternity, beneath whose waves he was sc
soon to sink. The white handkerchief futtered
like wounded bird, to the ground, the drop fel
with dull thud, the spectators recoiled, anc
closed their eyes as from the effect of a heavy
blow, and the unfortunate hung suspended BY
the neck, in the clear sunlight, between earth ant
| heaven.
For moment he hung perfectly still, with limb
| separated and extended then drew himself up will
strong contraction of the muscles, his pinioneC
hahos strove to reach the cord which was chokin!
| out his life, his limbs were slowly bent. and q
slowly relaxed seven eight times his bod,
swayed backwards and forwards, and, without
moan or single murmur, his spirit passed to God
VINO gave 1t. As If his death had been telegraphe,
mysteriously to the crowd outside the dead silenc
was broken by loud cries of "He's gone''-"Good
bye, Harden" and these were the last sound
which broke the dreadful ringing in the sufferer
ears. Amid the most perfect stiffness in the yard
strangely relieved against the murmurs outside
the BODY hung perfectly still, the head droope
upon the shoulder, and almost touching the spec
tators the corpse, stiff and stark, swayed noisless
to and fro. The drop fell at precisely twenty-fiv
minutes past two, and in three minutes all strug
giles ceased. Time could scarcely be accurate
computed at scene like this, when all hearts bea
iast-all hands trembled, and all eyes were glaze
with sudden dimness; but in about five minute
Doctors Sharp, Brackley, Mattison and Clarke
the physicians in acknowledgements life eS
tinct.
The QUEENS LEvEE.-At Queen Victoria's Ieyee
on tbe Z0th OF June, Mr.. Dallas presented Rober
Z: winthrop, of Boston, and aor J. G. Barnard
OF the Corps of Engineers, United States Army
almost all the foreign ministers were present O
the occasion, including the colored envoy fror
Haytl and his secretary. About four hundred an
seventy persons were presented. Our lady reader
Will be gratifed to learn that the Queen wore
train of black watered silk trimmed with bouillor
nee tue and bows of black satin riband The pei
tlcoat black tulle black silk trimmed wit
bows OF black satin riband. Her head dress wa
formed of a diadem of opas and diamonds an
| flowers.
The New Ork Times, in a notice of the firemen'
nights In that city on Tuesday evening, saws that
was marked by even greater ferocity than is usu
| ally exhibited by such class of combatants TIL
weapons used were clubs, stones, wrenches, trun
pets, fire caps, pieces of iron and pistols as man
| as dozen shots having been fired in the course c
| the melee Sheer exhaustion on the part of tn
belllgerents caused a termination of the fight
Alexandra Dumas, the celebrated French writer
has Joined Garibaldi at Palermo.