Ms. Taylor, a veteran of the Sun, joined The Wall Street Journal's New York section only six weeks ago. Up until yesterday, two sources said that Ms. Taylor was in the office making phone calls and sourcing up in anticipation of the New York section's launch next month.

The Times, which has been under a hiring freeze for years, is clearly sending The Journal a signal by poaching one of its earliest hires. The Journal will have a New York newsroom of roughly three dozen editorial staffers.

"The truth is [former culture editor] Sam [Sifton] had his eye on her for some time," said Jon Landman, the paper's culture editor.

"You can't have too many good reporters," he continued.

And the Journal-ists did not appreciate it.

"They're really upset," said one Journal source. "She's going to the competition on the exact same beat."

"People here are fucking furious," the source continued. "She knows all the plans."

Update: Though Bill Keller announced a hiring freeze in 2007, the paper has hired reporters very selectively since.