Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1873-01-03
Return of Man supposed to be Muir
dered Five Years Ago.
[From the Syracuse Journal, Dec. 2sl

From the Syracuse Journal Dec. 30
The Collamcr sensation is still the leading
topic Of conversation in northeastern Ononda-
gun, and as Time flies other facls come to lighl
which increase its interest. When alnslon
WAS made TO the affair in the Journal rev
days ago the full story was not told but, now
that We are in possession of all the facts ana
circumstances OF the case, we viii lay 1t before
our readers.
1t appears that Mr. John S. Blodgett, the old
farmer who is the hero OF the story, was sup
posed to have been murdered near Collamcr,
five years ago, by the notorious Cary gang,
the leader of which is now undergoing a lite
sentence in Auburn prison for the murder OF
johnson. The recent temperance of Blodgcit
among his old friends and associates very nat
urally created much excitement and was look
ed upon by many people as sort OF reshrrec-
ton. lie bad lived many years prior to his
mysterious disappearance on farm, mile or
two from Collamer, which he owned and
where lie had made considerable money. lie
was prominent citizen OF the township, and
had large and highly respectable family. On
the night he went away be was known TO have
a large sum of money in his possession. lie
was in the village, and left at late hour, GO
ing towards home. That night Il widow nh-
med Breed, living near Colanier, on the road
leading TO Blodgetts, heard noises in front OF
her house in the road, which proceeded from
severe struggle among Il party Of men. The
struggle continued some little time, when tie
cry Of murder ~ WAS heard, and shortly At
ter retrcnting footsteps The next day she
told what she had heard, and Mr.. Blodgetl no.
having returned home it was reasonably
supposed that he had been murdered, and his
body taken to the woods or swamp near by
Search WAS made and continued for weeks
without finding any trace of the body. Sus'
picon at once rested on Cary and his gang,
but no positive evidence being had. 10 arrests
were made and the affair soon blew over
After waiting reasonable time, and no It'd
ings being heard of the missing farmer, his
heirs had administrators appointed on his
tate, and the property he left was in course of
time divided among his family.
Some days ago one of the sons of Blodgett
was greatly surprised to receive letter in the
hand writing of his father, from some place in
the Pennsylvania oil region. This letter bore
the signature Of what all had long supposed to
be the murdered man, and the circumstance
was altogether unreasonable. After a long
consultation by the family, it WIS decided that
one Of them should investigate the matter. lie
started at once for the place mentioned in the
letter, succeeded in finding its writer, who re-
ally proved TO be the long lost father. He was
brought home, seeming to every one rs one
from the dead.
As his return places the affairs of the Blod-
gett family in most singular situation, no
little interest is manifested in what the pros
pective result will he. The old man being
alive, of course lis heirs have no actual title 70
the property they hold. They have improved
ii greatly, however, and enhanced its value.
For these improvements the old man has moth
ing to make compensation yet if he makes
claim to recover his property, it is clear thai
he will be sustained by the courts. Whether
affairs will be am;cably arranged TO the salts
faction of all the parties, or whether the law
Will be invoked, are at present only matters Of
speculation.
1t is now believed that the mysterious strug-
gle near Mrs. Breeds, on the night of Blod-
gettS disappearance, was between party Of
desperadoes and jew pe6ler, who made fire.
quent visits to that section before that timc
but who has never been seen since, being
thereabout on or about the night in question
1t was generally supposed that he cnriied con-
siderable money with him. Portions of hu-
man remains found on the shore of Oneida lake
a year or 30 after Blodgeti's disappearance
and believed at that time to be his, are now
thought TO be those of the Jew pedler, and
therein lies the mystery. There are men who
profess to remember having seen two men,
with wagon suspiciously guarded, proceed
ing northward one morning, about the time
when Blodgett disappeared, who now think
the wagon contained the murdered pedler. But
the story obtains very little eredenee for il
does not stand to reason that murlerers would
take the chances of Transporting their victim
such distance before seeking place TO hide
their crime. 1t will be remembered that about
Il year ago nm account was given in the Jour
nal Of the finding of The pediler' trunk short
distance north Of Messina Springs, among
some bushes. A mystery connected with the
circumstances has never been unra yelled and
the opinion prevails now stronger Than ever
that a murder is in some way connected with
that discovery. Investigation bearing upon
all these strange affairs only deepens The mys-
teres and complcatcs circumstances connected
with them.
THE Parson went in 10 condole with Mrs.
Jones. Poor Jones 1t was very sudden,
and the widow was altogether inconsolable.
So the Parson prepared to depart, saying, as.
he took his hat: g / will leave you, poor
bercayed one, with this injunction, pray
pray that you will youchsafe His comfort,
that he will enable you to perceive the pro-
missed bow in the" Oh Parson," she
burstin, chow can you think of such a thing
Its too-too-too premature, I'm sure ~ The
old gentleman departed, slightly mystified
and it was only after many minutes and much
cogitation that ii occurred to him that The
g bow" he was talking of was not at all the
" beau of which Mrs. Jones was thinking
And he pulled up" old Chareys' reins just
long enough to smile Christian Union.
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Treing 10 define love is like trieing TO kno
how you cum TO brake thru tho ice all you
kno about it il You fell in and got ducked.