Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1851-08-26

DISCOVERY OF THE BODY OF BURDIcK
SPRAGUE, IN LAKE MEMPHRA0IAGoG.-T
has recently been a discovery OF dead body sup
posed TO be that of murdered man. in the waters
of Lake Memphraniagog, which excites great inter
est. The facts relative to this extraordinary and
mysterious matter are nearly as follows:
| Some three years since, Burdick Sprague took up
his residence in Monistown. He seemed to be
very quiet and peaceable man, and seldom made any
words with any one, unless spoken to. Many, be-
lieving that 'brevy was the soul of w.t., thought
HIM remarkably shreWd and uncommon man. He
had business in particular, though it is said that
formerly in Brookfeld, in Orange county, where his
parents resided, he had been engaged in the grave
stone business. Becoming more acquainted, after
his arrival in Morrlstown he frequened the taverns
and other public places, and was, very naturally
accused of gambling and drinking. He continued
to live in Moristown, leading the life mentioned,
(and ii is also said that he loaned money, bought up
notes, &c., without any particular incident, except
the breaking of his arm, until about June, 1S49,
when the grand Jury found bill Of Indictment against
him for perjury; he having obtained the possession
of farm in Morrstown for the accommodation of
the parties concerned, and afterwards, when all
trouble had blown over, or during the tendency Of
the investigation Of the title, he committed the Of
Tense for which he was charged.
An immediate arrest of Sprague made, and
he was lodged in jail, but his friends gave the
required bail, and be permitted to go at large.
He after left this section of the country and
was not again heard of until some time in Novem-
Der, 1919, in the vicinity of Lake Memphremagog,
where had been stopping for some time. AT this
time, November, 1919, great excitement prevailed
in the vicinity where he was soplin as he had sud-
denly and unaccountably disappeared, and no knowl-
edge of him whatever could be obtained. He had
been just before his disappearance with one
Bill Clark, and companion OF his, who were both
of rather notorious reputation, having been up for
trial for the murder CT Parke, of Manchester N. H.,
ofwhch they were not found guilty DiIigent search
was made for Sprague; the country in the neighbor-
hood much excited, and great interest felt
to know bis whereabouts, and large parties were on
the lookout; but all to purpose. The conclusions
was that he had been robbed and murdered and his,
body secreted. When all hopes of finding him were
abandoned, married sister residing in Craitsbsry,
opened his trunk, and there found eight ten, and
some say fifteen hundred dollars in bank bills, but
nothing to lead to the discovery of his fates
Everything continued in this mysterious state until
Thursday, July 81 when the body, so long missing,
was found in Lake Memphremagog
| The history of its discovery is as extraordinary
and striking that of the Disappearance Two gem
tlemen from Stanstead, who desIous Of fishing
set out with that view some day last week. Wishing
| a small boat, they employed a man well acquainted
with all parts of the lake, and who usually attends
all fishing excursions, to row while they should fish.
During their excursion they requested the man to
row the boat into a certain small cove. To Ibis he
objected, saying that there fish there, that il
was bad place to go into, &c.-the result of which
was that they went in some other direction. Rela-
ting this incident after their return, their curiosity
excited TO learn or to know what the boatman's
real objections could have been to going into the cove
alluded to. Suspicious were aroused; curiosity was
excited, and it was resolved to get up party and
make visit to the mysterious cove. A party WINS
formed on Thursday last, and in due time thew
reached the suspicious cove, where most strange 10
relate, was found the dead body Of Burdick Spragae!
The throat was cut, his coat drawn over his head.
and there fastened with his suspenders.
Notwithstanding he had been missing fos period
Of tweniy-one months, the body was in a wonderful
state Of preservation; so much So that it was recoe-
nlzed at once as that Of The long lost SpIague The