The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-10-25
F FIRST EDITIO N
THE VAN ARsDALE MURDER.
Trial OF Jacob Van Arsdale for the
Murder Of Jasper Baird A. sOmervilIe,
NJ IA SpIrhtual Murderer.


N, "a Spiritual Murderer.
SoMERvLLR, N. j., Oct. 23.-The little town
of Somerville, N. j., has at last an excitement
worthy of It's ancient reno wn. A man IS on trial
for murder, supposed to have been caused by
spiritual hallucnation. Tue town contains
about three thousand inhabitants, aud ls located
in Somerset county. Andrew Nj. Baird, we'll
to-do farmer, with his family, consisting OF
wife, three sons two daughters, u little negro
hired girl, and the accused, Jacob Van Arsdale,
resided at a suburb OF Somervile, called Flagg-
town, for long time past. Attached to the
farm. house is o shoemuker's shop, as Is the
custom in this part OF Jersey, where many of
the farmers have blacksmnhs' and carpenters
shOpe, in which worksIs done by persons hired
the year round by the farmers.
Nearly a year ago Jacob Van Arsdale, man
well known in Somervil.e aud vicinity for his
violent aud ungovernable bursts OF passion,
sought employment from Mr.. Bard IN his ayo-
cation as q shoemaker. He was hired on Thanks
giving Day, and up 10 the 29th OF last June did
the work OF the family, Tor which be was credited
with board and bis rent of the shoemaker's shop,
besides doing work Tor himself outside in the
neighborhood Twice during his residence in
Somervile had Van Arsdale been known to give
way to fits Of passion, attacking his father and
brOther-in-law choking the author OF his being
in a savage manner until he was released by his
neighbors. Gloomy and respondent by nature,
he was subject to spiritual delusions, and
gave way at times to irregular spasms OF
moodiness and reticence. On the evening
of the 2sth of June, 1867, Van Arsdale,
who was quite deaf, had taken tea with the
family, of which he was treated as member,
and retired to his bedroom at an early hour.
In the same bedroom but in different bed,
slept Abram Baird, aged Fl years, and Jasper
Baird, his younger brother, the iayorte child OF
the family aged IL years. Nothing unusual
happened during the night, and between and
O'Clock the next morning the family were
awakened and proceeded to breakfast as usual.
Van Arsdale and the boy Jasper were absent
from breakfast, and the little colored girl was
sitting in Van Arsdale's seat at the table, when
Jasper was sent after Van Arsdale to tell him to
come to breakfast. The accused came in as
and going up to Mrs. Baird, he snapped
his fingers at that lady and said TO
her, Now you have got it,. and went
up stairs. In few minutes after the boy
Jasper was discovered lying in the shoe
makers shop, bathed in pool of blood his
head crushed in by lap-stone hammer used by
the accused in his business, and two stabs in his
neck, severing The carotid artery. Van Arsdale
was discovered walking rapidly towards the
public road, in an excited manner, and was
,selzed at Roycefeld, and arrested and brought
back to jail by Sheriff Browkaw, OF SoneIset
county. Mr.. Walter Cammann, Teller of the
Somerset Bank on finding the body of the boy
Jasper, opened his clothing and found life eX-
tinct, but the body was still warm, and the pull
satlons over. The murdered boy was pleasant,
handsome child, and general favorite, particu.
laTly with the accused, for whom he was always
ready to 60 of eTrands and obige in cheerful,
frank way. The testimony of the father of the
boy is as follows:-
Andrew NJ. Baird sworn-I am the father of Jasper
miles from the railroad del OF st Royceheld and
he Sy JuHe HSd BREAKFAST at haSas
hvei the whole family ate except Jasper; family con-
Jasper Berger Baird jane Maria Baird eight or nine
old Sarah a. 969n Three years aad GaGk
10 take the the field and fetch up the horsesi
Iwas shaving; had just finished shavingi he came
right into the dining room; asked him some 9qest9ns
when lis mother said 60 and call Jacob they could
girl was eating and 1 shaving; did not
observe sDyhng GeoI him II nS ef
into ANOTHER room the next heard was tnat JaGo6
The dnng-roonii / came right out IL 'front.' IN through
the dining-room Van Arsdale was abodt my yards
and Jake ought not 10 get away, and he and
a Sarso at % GeF nm mn ba oS ogef9Sk @ h a1Se e
from the roads Abram took hold OF him; they had q
iSTT Mr.. staa9s Who had heard the noise, and was
coming over he was soon a. there Sn6 hssEea prS on
George saums followed Jake Mr.. stats ana went
not shut be bad been moved, as there were two pud
dies 3t eloo6; sAw The wopad in neck supposed e M
head he Jasper( was warn ara S S0veTed Ere b%t %.l9
said that he was dead; his coat was covered with
blood bis eyes were OPP n; mis- head lay In the blood
knife and hammer; knife lay on work bench; ws9
Be- neh es Mas old Van
dale lived with me since last Thanksgiying Day, In
himself talked e Fq%g SSsy SpHg
& be tSf ued %e sane ne he 6e SoSst Mrs BSd did not
want him; told him he could stay as long he
away that day; the breakfast things had not been
taken away when Jake came came down; was
until he came in; the body had been moved, appa-
rently.
H. N. CASTOR and Attorney General Robson
appeared for the State of New Jersey, and Chan.
CelIor Ben. Williamson and John D. Bartlne for
the defendant The legal talent on both sides
is very able, and brilliant forensic display may
be expected from Williamson, who is said 10 be
the O'Con0r of New jersey. BarnDe opened
for the defense this evening, aud did not
attempt to disprove the charge OF the killing of
the boy, but in the defense sought TO prove that
the accused was lab ring under hallucination or
temporary alteration, which rendered him unit
for the time being to judge OF the enorm1ty OF
his crime.
John V. Hall, the brother inlsw of the pri-
soner, and his wife testified that the prisoner
had been injured on the head when q boy, aud
was subject TO sick headache and gloomy spells
Of dependency. 1t is also believed that the
accused was in communion with the radical
splritualisls, having as an intimate friend the
celebrated Mrs. Jackson, the wellknoWn spirit
medium, bold, snowy woman, who Is here,
and will testify for the defense, hoping to prove
that the accused did the murder while acting
unaer inspiration. The prisoners political
athhations were of the strongest radical sype
ah1 DIS sympathizers do not believe In his guilt
fuDnc opinion, however, is agalustVan Arsdale,
ana lne Dehef is that he will be convicted.
INTERVIEW WITH THE PRISONER.
TINS morning, at a late hour, your correspon
dent was admitted to au interview with the
prisoner, VINO Is confined in the old Bonneville
Jail, IN the rear of the Court House which is :
ieeDde lmltauon OF lhe Acropols at Athens. All
IRON gate was opened, and we passed along !
Whitewashed .corridOr-the cells 6eing furnis6ec
with wooden DOORS and small, sauare aDertnre
opening on the outside. Eighty years since ius