Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1857-12-21

ming contains the following account Of one Of
the most remarkable cases that we have ever
heard:
One OF The most remarkable cases on the
criminal records of this or any other country,
has just come to our knowledge. Even now,
with the flood Of light thrown upon the case,
portion of it is involved in the deepest mys-
terry.
Most Of our readers will remember the facts
generally, as before published in the newspa-
pers, concerning the disappearance, last win p.
Ter, OF Charles E. Sage, from his home in
Cromwell, near Middleton, in Connecticut.
Young Sage was eighteen or nineteen years
OF age Burning one OF the coolest mornings
OF last winter, he was sent by his father TO
the barn to feed the cattle. The boy declined
going, because he had been threatened with
violence, by an lrishmaD named Patrick Nu-
gent, who kept his horse at the barn. The
father thought the excuse frivolous one, and
compelled the son to go. who departed in
tears, This was the last seen of him by the
family.
Suspicion of foul play was at one aroused,
and Nugent was arrested But the evidence
was not then deemed sufficient to arrest him.
A hole was found in the ice in the river in the
rear OF the barn, and it was suggested that
the body of the boy had been put through the
opening into the riger. Some time after a
body was found on the river bank near Lyme,
and was believed to be that of young Sage.
The father saw upon it several marks which
correspondent with those upon the body Of his
son. The height was precisely the same, and
piece of the Coat was recognized as resem-
bling the coat worn by his son. In the spring
the lining of an overcoat, corresponding with
that n SoOR va fnnnH on tho hnDES
of the river, near Cromwell. Still there was
no positive evidence against Nugent-but sus-
plcion grew stronger daily--until at length all
doubt was removed by the appearance of
sailor named John Amos Benson, whose testi-
mony was direct and positive. Nugent was
then re-arrested
Benson stated that he was passing through
Cromwell on the day of the disappearance of
young Sage, and when near the barn he heard
an alteration. lie looked in, and saw Nu-
gent and his wife, and boy whom he des-
cribed, and whose description answered per-
tectly TO that of young Sage. Nugent, with
an oath, struck down the boy with club,
and then stabbed him with a knife. AS he
looked out of the door he saw the witness
Benson; asked him what he was doing there;
and finally compelled him to come in and
remove the body. CWhen he said this, M.
gents wife exclaimed, %, what a lie!'l Ben
son added that he did remove the body to the
haymow- which he had never seen before or
since. he was asked what young Sage had
on his feet, and he answered, A pair of cow
hide boots, one of which was worn through
at the side, and the other was worn through
at the ball. The father said that was true,
and that his son was about having his boots
mended. Blood was found on the barn floor,
and pieces of the floor were sawed up and
saved for the trial. The jack knife was also
found. or one supposed to be the knife used
to complete the murder. Benson described
the gangway through which the body was
carried to the haymow in an adjoining barn,
and here tracks in the snow were remembered
to have been seen from one barn to the other.
Benson said he never saw the boy before
the murder, but be remembered his appear
ance. He picked out man in the room who
had such HAIR, and the father said the com
parison was correct. No doubt now remained
on the mind Of any person in the room of the
guilt of Nugent When the prisoner was
brought i'll ne was asked if he knew Benson,
and he said No, he never had seen him be-
FORE Benson replied, Yes, you do know
me, Nagent, and you know you killed that
boy, and that helped you put away the body
under the hay Benson was then told to
look Nugent in the face and tell the whole
story. He did so, Nugent all the while trem.
bling like condemned culprit. On being
told that he was in bad scrape, he said, I
know it; but God is my nlan-he will get me
out of it.
Nugent was then remanded to prison, and
his trial, it Yves supposed, would take place
the present month-but circumstances have
caused delay Benson said that he came to
Cromwsll expressly to make a clean breast of
the whole afair-that since the murder he
had been shipwrecked and was near losing
his life-that he had not enjoyed a moments
peace Of miBd-that he knew that his confess
sion would implicRte himself and that if he
WAS not hung, as an aecomplice, he would 90
to State prison for life-but he did not care
what became of him if he could but ease his
conscience of the burden which the dreadful
secret had cast upon it, and which he could
not otherwise shake off.
Upon this and other evidence before the
Grand Jury, which was composed of as intel
hgent men as Middlesex county can produce,
Nugent was fully committed for trial.
Notwithstanding the direct character of the
testimony, subsequent events show that the
Eye that never sleeps-the Providence that is
ever active in all the affairs of mankind-was
astounding truths that seemed 10 lie so far
beyond all human vision. Mr.. Sage, the
father of the boy, has a brother -in.law in
Ithica, N. y, named Williams, who has son
about the same age as his MISSING cousin,
This lad received, a fortnight SINCE letter
from the interior of Pennsylvania signed
William Russell, which made some supicious
illusions to his cousin, Charles E. Sage.
Young Williams answered. il when anothar
letter came Mr.. Williams, the elder, then
wrote back to Pennsylvania TO the aforesaid
Russell-having previously written to the
Postmaster of the town, asking him to watch
for the person who should call for any letter
addressed to William RUSSELL and describe
him. He did so. On receiving the descrip.
ton, Mr.. Williams Immediately left Ithica for
Pennsylvania, and heard that the young man
he was in pursuit of had been in that place
for some months, and that he had been keen.
ing school. He soon found the Young man /;
but instead of William Russell he proved to
be his own nephew, Charles E. Sage, the lad
who was supposed TO be dead and buried in
hiss fathers lot in Cromwell! Here was a
! mystery of mysteries! Il is not stated what
reason the boy gave for his extraordinary con
dHct. The uncle Immediately took him on
with him to lthica, and then turned his face
towards Cromwell to see his brother, the bow e
| father.
| After remaining in his family nearly dav,
and making all the enquiries that he desired
he revealed to Mr., Sage the fact that his son
alive, and told the whole story-but with the
injunction that not even the mother should
be informed of the facts until after his couise
had been put in possession of them. The
| counsel were told the story on Saturdav A,