The Kingdom of Matthias: A Story of Sex and Salvation in 19th Century America

When the police interrogated Matthews, he denied all wrongdoing, but the scandalous story became ideal fodder for the emerging penny press. This new kind of newspaper, rather like today’s National Enquirer, focused on crime and human-interest stories rather than financial or political news. With Margaret's help, Matthews hired a competent legal team. Margaret then announced that she intends to divorce Matthews. Lack of evidence and a weak case forced the prosecuting attorney to drop the charges of fraud and embezzlement against Matthews. Instead, Matthews and Isabella Van Wagenen were both charged with Pierson’s murder and accused of deliberately feeding him poisoned blackberries. Matthews was also charged with assaulting his daughter Isabella Laisdell.

Matthews’s trial was rescheduled for April, after Ann gave birth to their child. The child was not the promised Holy Son that Matthews predicted; Ann gave birth to a girl. The penny press continued to publicize the scandalous goings-on at Mount Zion. The trial became a sensation both in New York and beyond. Most readers were hostile to Matthews, believing he was an impostor. To many, Matthews also personified the dangers inherent in religious fanaticism. There was much public debate about the accountability of the congregation.