Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-07-09
HARDEN, THE MURDERER.

some progress in good or evil. They hav
just had such case in New Jersey-a case 81
remarkable and exciting that the moral efec
of it must be very great in the community
where it took place We refer to the crime
and punishment of the Rev. Jacob 5
Harden, the murderer, who was executed
at Bevidere, last Friday. 1t is very certain
that he was bad man, and that his wicked
ness was the growth of several years; but,
when he did that most foul and unnatural muir
der for which he was hung, he was before the
community as popular preacher. We do not
often read of a crime so heartless, cold blood
ed, and internal as his. We never heard and
never expect to hear of a more selfish and de-
liberate murder. He poisoned his wife, who
was most devotedly attached to him /; and he
did it with a cool, smiling, persistent devilish.
ness, seldom equalled, even making use of her
loving and unsuspecting confidence to accom-
psh his purpose And yet he was only twen-
ty-three years old 1t was inevitable that
such crime in man occupying such posi-
ton should cause great excitement.
No one can estimate how much good or evil
accounts OF what took place at Belvidere, on
the day of the execution, are correct, the evil
was abundant among those who sought to be
spectators of the mans DEATH One of the
reporters concludes his account of il as fol-
lows
"Want of space will not permit us to record
the many scenes of riot of confusion, of dis
4
selves to our view. Suffice ii to say, that a
bad man has met a deserved death in cool,
collected manner-that the sheriff and his at.
PENDANTS acquitted themselves with great cred
it and dignlty-,hat the men and the women
of that section of the country eternally dis.
graced themselves by their untimely, unwise,
improper and inhuman behavior, and that we
are heartily glad the whole affair is ended,
praying sincerely that we may never look
upon its like again.
Thousands Of people focked to Bevidere,
on that day but the hanging took place in
the Jail yard, where but few persons could
witness it. The same reporter says
"Great efforts were made to induce sheriff
Sweeney to execute Harden in public. The
fine for so doing would have been 5000 which
the citizens of Belvidere offered to make up
on condition of his SO doing. The reasons
given were, that thousands of people from the
surrounding townships and villages would
come to witness the execution, and their COM
ing would benefit Belvidere, pecuniarily speak
ing, very largely, and it was also thought that
as Harden was so very well known there, that
his public execution would have grand NOR
al effect upon the young men, many OF whom
are inclined to be fast and to enjoy the pleas
ures OF this life, even if it be but for a season
AT one time it was reported that the sheriff had
received the 5000, and had consented to make
the ceremony public one, but the report was
unfounded in fact, for the sheriff had not for
moment entertained the idea of such a ange
1t appears that there was in the attendant
crowd an eager desire to see Harden punished
for the crime by which he had SO greatly
shocked the community There were also
some other things. We give few more ex
tracts descriptive of what took place on the
day OF execution.
THE NIGHT PREVIOUS.
AT the Warren House, the proprietor was
compelled to put three and four in a room, be-
sides sending fifty or sixty into his spacious
barn, where they slopt like tops on the freshly
gathered hay, and were woke by the cocks in
the morning. The bar room was filled " it'll
noisy, brawling fellows-some discussing re-
hglon, others politics, some the desired execu.
ton, and others the propriety of all hands
taking drink. One thing led to another and
the liveliest dance-house on Mercer street
could mt boast of a wilder scene of bacchana-
liam revel than was presented there and else
where i'll that quiet little town of Belvidere.
From the bar-room and its turmoil we went
into the ''ladies' parlor." There we hoped to
find quiet and change of topics. Some
twenty women, old and young, were busily
engaged in conversation, and it needed no inn
pertinent ear to discover that the single theme
was the approaching execution. Many of
them had come thirty or forty miles, hoping
to witness the spectacle. Some were relatives
of the late Mrs. Harden, and supposed, from
that fact, that they were entitled to admission.
SEEING THE EXECUTION.
The windows of the court room, overlooking
the yard, afforded fine view of the execution,
and these were occupied, like private boxes In
the theater, by choice parties, among whom
we were no less surprised than panied to see at
least half dozen women. In the yard, close
by the gallows, stood middle aged, respecta
BILE looking man, holding his little boy OF
twelve years by the hand, and in spite OF re-
monstrance and persuasion, he refused TO take
his child away. The company were kept
standing in the Jail yard for about an hour and
u half Harden remaining closeted with his
ministerial advisers, and engaged in devotional
exercises. During all this time the noises out
side the Jail continued, and the shouts and
laughter of the crowd could be distinctly heard
even in the condemned cell The roof of a
neighboring barn broke down under the crowd
heaped upon it, and soon after the limb of a
cherry tree, in an adjoining yard, broke off
with great crash, and brought to the earth
with 1T some dozen persons, who had swarmed
like bees upon this trail support. Upon both
of these occasions the yelling, hootng, and
cutlery of the people defed description and
the company inside the yard, losing all self
control, rushed upon the gallows to peer over
the wall, or shouted their inquiries to the occu-
pants of the windows above. A man, whose
name we were unable to ascertain, was SO in
jured by the fall from the cherry tree that his
life is despaired Of.
THE SCENE IN THE JAIL YARD
was peculiar one, and presented fine argu
ment for the opposer of public executions A
knot OF reporters stood near the Jail door, dis
playing and comparing various trinkets, auto
graphs and keepsakes obtained from Harden,
and discussing his probable bearing. All the
principal New York papers were represented,
and many of the Philadelphia and New Jersey
papers also. Some of those in the yard were
examining the scaffold others cutting little
pieces from the drop plank; some were trying
the pulleys and Others were playing with the
spring. Nearly every one was smoking, many
whlstling, and not a few whiting. One old
lame man, with green spectacles, cancer on
ms iip and AN iron hook fastened to the end of
ms arm stump, was selling Hardens photo.
graph Tor fifteen cents. A disgusting, short.
halreu, pimply chap was exhibiting obscene
pictures 10 ms fiiends or chance acquaintance
III corner, ana many sat upon the steps OF
the scaffold, wishing TO gracious they'd hurry
up"
HARDEN's CONFESSIONS.
After his father had gone, Harden had sant