The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-12
THE WORK OF REMoRsE.
How Dissolufe Woman Hounded Min
lister to Despair and Death.


lister to Despair and Death.
New York Herald
Racked by remorse Rev. Jonathan III. Daily
ended his sufferings by committing suicide.
Mr.. Duane Searle an intimate friend of the I'M
fortunate clergyman, who resides IN Jersey City,
and is one of the officers of the Trinity Methodist
Episcopal Church. This was the last church the
deceased minister was pastor OF. 1t was to Mr..
Searle and his colleagues that on May 22 last
the pastor made confession that he was no
longer worthy to preach Gods word, and sur
rendered his parchment. He had been in charge
of the church only few days, when he volun-
tarily severed hisconnection with it. His action
during his brief charge had aroused comment.
He was known as brilliant pulpit orator and
an earnest and tireless worker in the cause of
religion. His sermons disappointed the congre-
cation. They We're commonplace and lacked
rhetorical fire. He was nervous and rarely left
his home. The last Sunday he occupied the
pulpit, he appeared to have mastered his nervous
trouble. 1t was evident then that he had de-
cided to relieve himself of the great burden he
had so long born and acquaint the church Of
fcials with his SIM
The cause of the pastors downfall was dis
solute woman. While in charge of the Market
street Church, in Paterson, she appeared at his
home one stormy night in the winter OF 1883
and appealed for shelter, as she was homeless
and friendless she declared. He was charta.
BILE man, but was loath to receive her. His
wife interceded for the stranger, and the
preacher reluctantly admitted her. The stranger
was Ann Stewart She feigned illness and was
nursed by the pastors wife, who, although in
feeble health, expended her little strength in
caring for the viper who poisoned her husband
and destroyed her home One night the Stewart
woman moaned as If in great pain. Mrs Daily,
who was too i'll to leave her bed aroused her
husband. The plan of the woman succeeded
Mr. Daily returned to his wifes room suffering
intense agony. He made a confession to her
and cravec her forgiveness She forgave him.
They decided to turn the destroyer of their hap
pineSS out of doors the following day. They did
not execute this decision. The Stewart woman
had fully recovered the next morning and greeted
them with defiance. She boosted Of having
them in her power, and on pain of exposure in
sisted upon their retaining her as a member of
their family. They feared her and dared not
turn her into the street. She was a woman of
vicious habits and created several scenes while
intoxicated at the pastors home. When he was
transferred to Jersey City she grew worse and
was arrested twice for drunkenness.
To every one she narrated her terrible charges
against the clergyman, and painted him far
blacker than he was. Almost nightly would she
accost strangers passing the house by standing
on the steps, repeating her accusations. The
pastor did not dispute her, but he and his wife
invariably appeared to try and pacify her. I'm
able to endure the strain any longer, the victim
of the abandoned creatures wiles determined to
rid himself of the obnoxious woman by divulging
his secret. After his confession it was learned
home had DESTROYED other happy homes She
had been put away by her husband because of
her faithessness, and had avenged herself by
leading married men from the path OF virtue
and then exposing them to their wives. She did
not long survive her triumph Relatives had
her placed in an asylum for demented women,
where she died.
After his retirement Mr.. Daily went to live
with his aged father, a prominent resident of
Woodbridge, N. }. He was stricken with i'll
ness, and physician was furnished him by Mr..
Searle and the stewards Of the Jersey City
church, who deeply sympathzed with the unfor
tunate man. He was i'll for six months when
his physician recommended that he travel in the
hope of reganing his health Pastor Daily en-
tertained the hope that his long and excellent
service in the church would be considered when
the conference was appraised of his fall, and they
would nete out some mild punishment and not
dismiss him from the ministry.
The conference resisted the influence brought
to bear in his behalf. His parchment was ac-
copied and his services were forgotten. The
conference adjourned few days ago, and Mr.
Daily was &C luainted with with their judgment.
He was at that time studying medicine in New
Orleans. His retentive memory and previous
knowledge enabled him to complete his course
in few months. On April 81 he wrote to his
wife at Woodbridge that lie would that day
start for St Louis, where he intended locating,
and expected her to soon reioin him there. He
stated he would write as soon as he arrived at
st. Louis. Mrs Daily and her father waited
impatiently for intelligence from her husband,
but none came, until Wednesday a letter was re-
ceived from the captain of Mississippi river
boat between New Orleans and St Louis.
Mr.. Daily had been passenger on his boat.
He noticed that his passenger was an intelligent
man and evidently in great mental distress. He
feared he contemplated suicide, and the captain
made him share his spacious stateroom. He al
ways locked Mr.. Daily in at night, so strong was
his suspicion that he intended drowning himself.
On last Friday night, while the captain was alb
sent, Mr.. Daily forced open the door. and before
he could be intertercepted ran to the deck and
jumped overheard. The steamboat was stopped
and all the small boats promptly lowered
and manned. He was seen to rise to the surface
once, then sank and did not again appear. From
the letters found in Mr.. Dallys writing-d desk the
Captain learned the address Of his relatives.
The sad news was a shock so severe to Mrs.
Daily that her condition is critical. She has no
children. The officers Of the Jersey City church
have arranged to have the body when recovered,
forwarded to that city They have offered re-.
ward for IFS recovery.
The unfortunate man was born in Woodbridge
on Oct. Z 1888. He was graduate of the Wes-
leyan University, and was admitted as a preacher
by the North Carolina Conference of the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church in 1868
United Order of Foresters Insolvent.