Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-04-26
Trial of jacob 8. Harden.

Trial ofJaoob 8. Hardon.
The trial of the Rev Jacob Harden for tho mur-
der Of his wife, formerly Miss Dorning, which
must still be in tho recollection of our readers.
commenced ut Dclvidere, Now Jersey. on Monday
last.
The parents OF each lived in the township Of
Dlairstown. The defendant and his wife went to
school together. The wifo's parents removed to
the county of ilunterdon. Tho defendant having
connected himself with tho Methodist Church, ns u
member, became located in the ncighborlood
where his wifc's parents lived. lIo sought outhi.
wife and resumed his intimacy with hor, and soon
utter married heron the first Of March, 1859,
defendant sent for his wife to to his board-
inghousc.
From the mo shr entered that house until tho
OH she was constantly sick, and on last men
TONED day she died. Her parents wns scnt for.
and NJ suspected foul play. coroner's jury
WIS ihcn called. and continued in session for
eral days. On Tuesday morning after his wifc's
death. Tie defendant ahsconded. lilo was traced
to fairmount, in Virginia, where he arrested.
aud returned to th;, place, where he has remained
in prison ever since.
Ga the LIST of juno 1853 defendant mado mar
rngc contract with his wife; that in the fall Of Tho
same year he desired to cancel that contract that
in Ottnler correspondence occurred between
them in relation tn that contract, which resulted
ia II ncelinc between them in March, 1857, when
all matters was settled 10 the satisfaction Of his
wife at least.
At that timc his wife executed n writing under
seal releasing to him all causes Of action, and he,
on his part gave hcr in writing promise ofmnr-
riage He then went to tho Methodist Conference
held in liunterdon county, and upon his return
ret about to raise quarrel with her. with view
Of having the marrlag Contract caneled.
MS CONDUCT AFTER MARRIAGE.
After his marriage he sent her TO her fathers
house, where she remained three or four weeks
without visiting her. From the time Of her
riagc down to tho time when she went to his boar
ding house sho was in good health and spirits.
Sho brought there not by himself. Lut by Ii
man hired for the purpose
When she arrived at his boarding house Mr..
Ramsay, the proprietor, was absent, and his wife
had been recently confined. 80 that the defendant
had full swing with his operations. On Monday
night she arrived, and on Tuesday night she was
taken sick, and vomited freely Her sickness and
vomiting continued until Saturday, when she re-
quested him to take her home. He declined, and
requested her to stay oyer Sunday.
THE POISON AND DEATH.
On Sunday they went to church together. On
Tuesday she was taken to her bed Of sickness,
from which she mover arose HARDEN administered
medicines to her of some kind during her sickness
On Thursday he gave her powder, on which day
she died. The defendant exhibited indecent haste
to have her buried and did not send for any Of his
namerous friends, because the roads were too bad
to allow them to arrive in time.
called in to examine the body, and that he resist
ed post mortem examination being made. Her
death was eentesp plated by him; he inquired how
much poison it required to kill an adult person.
Shortly before her death he gave out that his wifes
health poor that he did not believe that she
would live long.
STATEMENTS AND FLIGHT.
lie said his wife had taken poison herself and
thereby caused her own death that he stood by
her dying bed for five hours while she was wrth-
ing in pain without bringing her any assistance
that when he was arrested he said his wife had
been poisoned, ntimatng that some ono else had
performed that act. When he was found IN Vir-
ginia he was assuming the name of James Austin.
Who there he sentta remittance to tho cdtor OF
n paper in Bevidere, N. j. for the purpose of |
procuring such numbers Of his paper as contained
tho proceedings of the coreoar's inquest.
He nUYs ARsEy<e roR RATS.
sifter Ramsay left houos arsenic wrs purchased
and taken to the house for the purpose Of killing
rats that this arsenic was procured at the solic-
taton of defendant that the same was placed in
q tumber and set on tho kitchen shelf, from
whence it was removed. and put under lock and
key; that before it was locked up, q part had
been removed. and -four substituted that shortly
AFTER he went to Easton, Pa, and purchased more
arsenic.
n, n \