Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-01-04
Two Horrible Murders in Conn ecticut.

The most horrible murder that ever took
place on the State of Connecticut, or perhaps
in the civilized world was perpetrated on Mon
day, in the town of W oodbridge, in that State,
about eight miles from the city of New Haven.
1t was far more atrocious murder than the
one so recently committed by Samuel Sly and
the gang of w akemanites. 1tis to be sincere
ly hoped that the citizens of hat State have
now witnessed the last scene in the Wakeman
tragedy.
About 10t o'clock on Monday, Mr.. Enoch
Sperry, of Woodbridge, left his home, and was
proceeding through piece of woods near his
house, with his horse and sleigh, and when
near little brook, in a solitary part of the
woods, was attacked by q man named Charles
Sanford, and knocked down and most brutality
murdered.
Sanford had an axe in his hand, with which
he struck Mr.. Sperry over the right eye, in
hicting fearful cash, and prostr ating him
beside the road. He then struck him ag ain
with the head Of the axe upon the back of his
head, and then deliberately attempted to chop
of his head, nearly severing il from his body.
1t was connected with his body only by little
skin at the back of tho neck
The horse of Mr.. Sperry was allowed to pass
on the road, and after proceeding by the house
Of Mr.. Samuel +. Perkins, halted at shed
near by. Mr.. Perkins, thinking all was not
right, went in search of Mr.. Sperry, and found
his body lying beside the road, with every in
dicstion that he had been waylaid and MUIR
dered. -e-,s -.
Mr.. Perkins alarmed the neighborhood, and
having procured assistance, took the body of
Mr.. Sperry to his family, who live only about
hundred rods from the place where the muir
der was committed
A jury of inquest was assembled in the even
ing, and after due elaboration, rendered a
verdict that the deceased came to his death
at the hands of some person or persons un-
known.
In the evening the murderer was arrested
and taken to Jail, and confessed that he had
not only murdered Mr.. Sperry, but that he
had also murdered Mr.. Ichabod Umberfeld,
VINO lived about mile east of Mr.. Sperry's
house. a
1t seems that after numbering Mr.. Sperry,
be went to the house of Mr.. Umber6eld and
entered it, and while he (Mr. UmberieId) was
sitting by the stove in the kitchen, he struck
him with the same axe with which he MUIR
dered Mr.. Sperry, and after breaking his
skull, nearly severed his head from his body.
The family set up the cry Of Murder"
but he told them to stop their noise or he would
chop their heads off also.
He went out of the house to wipe the blood
OF his axe upon the snow, and while he was
ont the family fastened the door and prevented
his getting In again. He then went into the
woods, but was soon pursued by several neigh
bors, who succeeded in arresting him after a
bloody fight, in which Mr.. Doolittle came near
getting killed.
a jury of inquest was impanelled and re.
turned verdict that Mr.. Umberfeld came to
his death by wounds inflicted in the head and
neck by Chas Sanford, of Bethany.
This Charles Sanford is fanatic who has
formerly attended the meetings of the Wake
NANTES IN Hampden. He is subject to fits of
insanity, and was probably insane when he
committed these dreadful murders. He con-
tossed having murdered both Mr.. Sperry and
Mr. Umberfeld while on the way to Jail. He
said he had a crsmp, and if he had not muir
dered Mr. Sperry and Mr. Umberfeld, the
cramp would have killed him
Mr.. Umberheld was a man seventy one
years Of age, and Mr.. Sperry was sixty nine
years old.
Mr. Sperry was a man beloved and respec-
ted by all who knew him. He was the father
OF Hon N. d. Sperry, Secretary of State.