The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-07-13
Harden, the Wife Poisoner---Sket tch
of his Life.
From the New York Times.

1arOens the Vt1fe FO1SOner...SketC ten
of his Life.
From the New York Times.
Harden's life has no further interest than
bis conduct gives it-but its leading features
may be rehearsed with profit. He was born
at Blairstown, New Jersey, in May, 1887.
At very early age he developed peculiari.
ties of temperament and disposition, which,
if properly controlled or directed, would
have aided his ready talent, and possibly
have handed his name down to future gene
rations crowned with honorable fame, but
which misdirected have aided greatly in
destroying his reputation, undermining his
character, and consigning him to felon's
grave. As boy, be was leader amongst
his fellows, whether in the school room or
on the play ground. His early training
seems, however to have developed his natur-
ally inordnate vanity, and while his academ-
ic course heaped honor upon his head as
writer, speaker, and student, it also sent him
forth into sacred calling, with crattiness in
his heart, vanity and pride in his port, and
deceitful holiness upon his tongue. He was
always successful
AS school teacher in the county of Sus-
sex, where in 1855, be labored faithfully to
all outward appearance, he was particularly
able and efficient, and had it not been for
his weakness of nerve, and bis undue and
improper fondness for the society of bis fe-
male pupils, he might have won for himself
the love and admiration of all intelligent
and refined people. At this time, finding
his vocation too circumscribed, he became
a colporteur, and for two years tramped
circuit as such, giving great satisfaction to
his superiors and to those whom he visited.
Indeed, so great was his popularity at this
time, so successfully did be conceal from the
public eye his true character, and so com.
pletely did he hoodwink the authorities of
the church, that while villain at heart, be
was saint in appearance. He was never
regularly licensed, so that the title, Rever
end, does not properly belong to him but
in 1857 be was called to preach to small
congregation at Mount Lebanon. His
friends urged him to accept the post, which
be, with consummate hypocrisy, modestly
declined, distrusting his own fitness for the
charge. praying that some worthier man
might be found. His scruples were finally
overcome, and he consented to attempt the
task. 1t was at this period in his history
that the filthy undercurrent of his life flowed
most rapidly, and, as subsequent events re-
vealed, most unblushingly. AS a revivalist,
he has rarely been excelled his descriptive
power was very fine, his imagination power
full, and the magnetic influence exerted by
him upon his eager listeners is said to have
vfr1I Az IN
church rapidly grew and fourshed. He
became great favorite, not only with bis
own congregation, but with young people
generally, and more particularly with the
women and the girls of his charge. 1t was
during his career here that he met, woed
and won Miss Hannah L. Doring, daugh.
ter of respective miller of that vicinity,
Mr.. John H. Doripg.
What the immediate trouble between
Harden and his wife was has never been
definitely ascertained; but it would seem that
after his marriage, as before, he paid great
attention to other ladies, paying them fire.
quent visits, making and receiving presents.
and preferring their society to that of his
wife. 10 Mrs. Harden this was naturally
unpleasant; she demonstrated, he replied, and
from one thing to another they proceeded,
until their home life became a perfect hell
on earth. A Miss Smith seems to have been
the object of particular attention from Mr..
Harden, and of consequent detestation from
bis wife, and at one time harsh words passed
between the ladies, much to the chagrin of
the prime cause Of the trouble, who heard it
in an adjoining room.
Scarcely had five months passed since her
marriage, when Mrs. Harden sckened, and
after brief illness, died. The coroners in
quest revealed the fact that she had died
from poison, and suspicion at once attached
to her husband, be having acted very sim
gularly during ner illness and after her death.
Search was made for him, but be had fled
to Virginia and could not be found. This
strengthened the suspicion and at the re-
quest of the State Council, the Governor of
New Jersey offered reward of $500 for his
return. He was traced to Fairmount, Vir-
ginia, where under the assumed name of
Austin, he was practicing the daguerrean
art. At first he denied his identity, but SUBJ
sequently yielded, was brought to New
Jersey, and after two unsuccessful attempts,
was brought to trial.
The trial developed train of horrors
which has rarely been surpassed. His whole
life was opened up and series of iniquities,
hypocrises, transgressions and impieties ex-
bibited, which would make very Asmode-
US open wide his eyes, with astonishment.
one can scarcely invent tale more filled
with subtle cunning, more replete with in
fernal device, more devilsh in conception or
skillful in conclusion, than that which the
prosecutor unfurled concerning Harden's
course with his wife, from the moment of
their meeting to the hour Of her death.
That he carefully, coolIy, premeditatedly
and afectually poisoned bis wife with
arsenic, while she, taken aback by an unac-
customed manifestation OF tenderness on his |