New-York tribune., 1877-08-20
CRAZED BY HIS TROUBLES.

TERRIBLE SEQUEL 10 DlNOhCE SOll.
THOMAS H. HARDING's SUICIDE AFTER ATTEMPTING
MURDEg--IN HIS FRENZY ne MISTAKES HIS
HousEKEEPER FOR HIS wIFE-THE STORY OF
HIS wRETCsEDNEss.
Three pistol shots, which broke the stiffness
OF Saturday morning on West Observation-Disclosures
st added tragic sequel TO story OF domestic infde
ity and unhappiness Mr.. Everett, a lampighter who
lives on between the Boule-
ward and Tenth-ave, had gone out before O'CLOCK 10
extinguish the lamps in the neighborhood' ana
his wife was at work In her kitchen when she
heard pistoshot followed by womans scream, in the
cottage next door toward Boulevard The cottage
was occupied by Thomas H. Harding carrlage-maker
his housckeeper Mrs Agnes Woods and two Children
Mrs woods's little boy and child OF Mr. Harding
Alarmed by the report Of the pistol Mrs. Everett opened
her kitchendoor and out into the back yard She
saw Mrs Woods OF the cottage dressed In her
night-clothes only, half dead with fright and ap-
parently much injured. Blood flowing freely
from wound in her left arm her face was
deathly white, and she seemed ready 10 IAN
from weakness. She advanced toward Mrs Everett anu
cried out: "Mrs. Everett, go in and stop him. He VIII
murder the chdren! She had hardly spoken before Two
more shots in quick succession out in the clear
morning air Mrs. Woods covered her face Win her
hands and sank fanting while Mrs Everett ran out 10
ward the Boulevard in the hope Of finding her husband
She found instead officer Tully OF the Manhattan
Vile police to whom she hurriedly told what
had happened. The officer returned Win MIS-
Everett and finding the front door OF MT
Uardins's cottage closed broke 1t down. He ran up
stairs accompanied by Mrs. Everett The two children
were found in their room unhurt moaning SOUND was
heard proceeding from room on the n0Or OF Whcn
Mr. Harding was found writhing in great agony, with
blood running from wound in his head lie rohed
about the floor and grOaned out Help me" seeming 10
recognize Mrs Everett being unable to speak more
revolver with three empty chambers, lay BESIDE hn
Mr. Everett soon in, and was dispatched for Dr.
Utter living at the Boulevard and One-hundreo-anu
sxth-st who came in haste to attend the injured man.
Officer Tully was wipng away from Hardngs mouth ana
his male powdertained face the blood which ran down
from his forehead When Dr. Utter came in Harding
recognized him and exclaimed, " Doctor' save mo
and then became unconscious He rallied again whlle
efforts we're being made to extract the Dau from MS ioIo
head aud with groans besought the doctor to roll MN
over He became so violent at length that Oncer 4uy
was o,liced to hold him down while the lead
was being removed. The bullet was found 10 nave
been attened broken into three pieces WITHOUT nav
ing fractured the skull Dr. Utter then began 10 examine
Mr. Hardngs body. and soon found large Wouu lu ,ne
abdomen bail from the revolver had penetrated the
lower utestines DR. Utter at once that the wouhu
as fatal and that 20 probe il would only hasten death
e therefore gave directions TO have Mr. Harding placed
ON A bed and made comfortable as possible Inc
agon es Of the Injured were not OF long duranon Az
quarter before o'clock lie died from internal memoir
rhagc.
IN bo meantime II had been learned that Mrs. Woodss
,niur, WAS not dangerous The bullet having passed
throng the eshy portion OF herlc arm near the should
or The wound was dressed and she related the manner
in which 1t was received. She had been awakened Dy
hearing her chamber door open, and saw MI hafahS
standing in her room with wild look bis face. He
told her that time time TO get up and she Teped
that sbe would get up II would leave the room He
continued to stare her, and exclaimed, Lid you nave
ruined me-" referring 10 his wife from whom ne nau
separated He then caught Mrs. Woods by the throat
She released herself with struggle ana was runhnS
down stairs to escape when she heard the report oi Inc
pistol and felt the pam IN her arm.
The life OF Harding during the pasr three years ex
plains the cause Of his suicide ard his attempt to Kill
Mrs Woods On September D. 1872 one year after the
death of his first wife, he married Miss Jane Elizabeth
Beekman Of Castleton, Staten Island girl OF SIX
teen Of good family and great personal attractions
They removed TO this city ana hved III
neat twostory frame house in Observation-Disclosures
at between the Boulevard and Eleventh-aye.
The property owned by Harding who had seVerai
valuable pieces real estate IN aud around the CITY,
Hariiues business that OF carriage manufacturer
and his establishment was at No. 222 Mercerst The
couple lived happily togethesfor three years, ana MIS-
V,rdne fidelity and devotion to her husband were un
ouesiioped on July IT, 1879 anonymous letter was
received by Mr.. Harding, stating that several persons
including the writer had Mrs Harding, OIL the eth
and th Of July go into grove near the intersection o.
tbe Hudson River Railroad and One-hundredandeghth
ST. in company with william Zandt, foreman employ ed
Nv the Public Works Department, and remain there foi
some lime The writer offered to name witnesses who
could prove that Mrs Harding remained in the woods
with Z,ndt on July If from a. m. TO 3 D. 10,
Mr. Harding made inquiries and on the next day
Juy Is he directly charged Mrs Harding with adultery
rhis was met by fat denial from his wife, who,
theess was unable to for her acquaintance with
Zandt Harding bought revolver ana lay IN walt loi
Z,udt but did not him for days On the morning
og July 2l he found him at work at Northumberland
tentst and Tenthavc and accusing him OF being the
DESTROYER OF ms household he fired two shots at ndt
One shot took effect in Zandfs left arm. Mr. Harding
was arrested and taken 70 the Thiryrst Precinct sta
finn where he violently denounced Zandt as his wifes
seducer The next day he placed under $4,000 bal
bv Justice Wandell for assault with intent to Kill
and civil action for 100000 damages was
begun against him by Zandt Neither case was prose
euted bv ZAuit When bail furnished, Mr. Harding
went home and again lived with his Wife His desire
seemed TO be to forget all about tho past In some way
the subject was revived the 2i ofsAugust following
and ON August z proceedings for absolute divorce the
round of adultery we're begun by Mr. Harding against
his wife before Judge Van Worst.
The complaint alleged criminal intimacy during the
whole of the year 1873 but specially charged adultery
on July and IL Judge Van Worst referred the case to
Samuel B. Hard who reported, May 49, 1876 In favor
Of granting absolute divorce An appeal was made ron
the report and after further proceedings Judge
urss set aside the referees report and dismissed the
pIantiGrs case on January %, 1877 He DOUBTED the
ideI.tily Of the with Landt and expressed
marked that il was altogether improbable that woman
OF good family would leave her young babe, born the
roadside ia order 10 disgrace herself and her family
Harding counsel appealed FROM Judge Curtiss decis
ion and the litigation still pending AhmOny OF 40
per month was granted TO Mrs. Harding al tie begin
ming OF divorce proceedings but the allowance was
reduced 10 $50 per month account OF the inability OF
Nr Harding to pay more. owing 20 financial emDarrass
Inents lie AWAY pa1 ,ne nm a"Gny y monp9, & ioi d nv