Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-09-11
Altstellaneolls.
A True Story.

The lovers of the marvellous have here tale
of mystery from the far off Lake Memphremagog.
1t is beautiful sheet of water, lying partly in
Canada and partly in Vermont, and the narrative
is from the Burlington Free P,s@s, and be-.
lieve strictly true:
"Some three years since, BURDIcK SPRAeUE
took up his residence in Morristown. He SEEM
ed to be very quiet and peaceable man, and
seldom made any words with any one, unless
spoken to. Many, believing that "brevity was
the soul of w.t." thought him a remarkably
shrewd and uncommon man. He had no busi-
ness in particular, though it is said that formerly
In Brookfeld, in Orange county, where his pa
rents resided he had been engaged in the grave.
stone business. Becoming more acquainted, af-
ter his arrival at Morristown, he frequented the
taverns and public places, and was very natural.
ly accused of gambling and drinking. He con-
tinued to live in Morristown, leading the life
mentioned, land it is also said that he loaned
money, bought up notes, &c., without any par
ticular incident, except the breaking of his arm
until about June, 1849, when the Grand Jury
found bill of indictment against him for per-
jury; he having obtained possession of farm
in Morristown for the accommodation Of the par
ties concerned, and afterward, when all trouble
had blown over, or during the tendency of the
investigation of the title, he committed the Of
fence of which he was charged.
An immediate arrest of Sprague was made,
and he was lodged in Jail, but his friends soon
gave the required bail, and he was permitted to
60 at large. He soon after left this section of
the country, and was not again heard of until
some time in November, 1849, in the vicinity of
Lake Memphremagog, where he had been stop
ping for some time. AT this time, November
1849, great excitement prevailed in the vicinity
where he had beenstoppng, as he had suddenly
and unaccountably disappeared, and no know-
edge of him whatever could be obtained. He
had been seen just before this disappearance
with one Bill Clark, and companion of his who
were both of rather notorious reputation, having
been mp for trial for tho murder oe Parker, of
Manchester, N. H., of which they were not
found guilty. Diligent search was made for
Spngue; the country in the neghborhood was
much excited, the greatest interest was felt to
know his whereabouts, and large parties were
on the lookout; but all to no purpose. The con-
clusion was that he had been robbed and mur-
dered, and his body secreted When all hopes
of finding him were abandoned, a married sister,
residing in Craftsbury, opened his trunk, and
there found eight or ten hundred, and some say
fifteen hundred dollars in bank bills, but moth.
ing to lead to the discovery of his fate.
Everything continued in this mysterious state
until Thursday, July 31st, when the body, sc
long missing, was found in Lake Memphrema.
cog.
The history of its discovery is as extra ordna
ry and striking as that of the disappearance
Two gentlemen from Stanstead, who were de
sirous Of fishing, set out with that view SOM
day last week. Wishing small boat, they
employed man we'll acquainted with all part
of the lake, and who usually attends all fishing
, excursions, to row while they should fish. Du
ring their excursion, they requested the man t
, row the boat into a certain small cove. To thi
he objected-saying there were no fish there
and that it was bad place to 60 into, etc.-th
result of which was they went in some othe
direction. Relating this incident after their re
turn, their curiosity was excited to learn or t
know what the boatman's real objections coul
have been to go into the cove alluded to. SuI
Il picions were aroused-curosity was excite'
and it was resolved to get up party and max
a visit to the mysterious cove. A party wa
formed on Thursday last, and in due time the
reached the suspicious cove, where, most strang
to relate, was found the dead body of Burdic
n Sprague The throat was cut, the coat draw
J. over his head, and there fastened with his sus
penders.
Notwithstanding he had been missing for
period of twenty-one months, the body was in
wonderful state Of preservation so much
that it was recognized at once as that of til
Iong-lost Sprague The depth of the watC
where the body now fioated upon the surface ,ha
not been learned. 1t is supposed that it ha
been sunk by some weight-and to confirm thi
= it is said that one arm had decayed and droppC
off, supposed to be owing to the effects of Il
cord to which the weight required to sink ii
:" body was attached. The recovery of the boo
10 under such peculiar circumstances, and after
10 mysterious absence of nearly two years, create
'' great excitement in the vicinity. Suspicic
rested at once upon the boatman, who fled Il
country before the officers of Justice could owe
Or take him.
O. The wonderful preservation of the body; Il
manner of Sprauge's disappearance, and the r
81 covery Of his remains; the conduct of the boa
III man in endeavoring to avoid the cove, and
S' escape as soon as the body was recovered;
" gether with the general mystery of the who
III affair, make this one of the most extraordina
VI events that has happened in Northern Vermo
e- for some years.
'n Sprague was quiet, silent man, of fair a
10 dress, and some intelligence had never hi
any family was between forty and fifty yea
- of age, of large size, and considered TO be
*, man worth money, us he always had quaint
Gu about his person, and was known to make fl
m quent loans.
nd 1t is not intended in anything that has be-
lis written to throw suspicion on Bill Clark
n companion, or the boatman; but the circumsta