The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1874-07-25
A Recent Boston Tragedy.

A Recent Boston Tragedy.
The Boston Post, of June 80, gives the
following sad narrative:
On Sunday last, at about p. M, Mr..
Joseph S. Sprague, highly esteemed and
worthy citizen of West Medford, and for a
long time associated with Messrs. nj. Boil
les & Co., bankers, on State street, Boston,
left his residence on Brook street with his
little daughter Maria, ostensibly for a
short walk. In the evening he had not re-
turned, and his friends began to appre-
bend that all was not right, as they knew
that he had for the past two months been
suffering from deep depression of spir-
its on account of the loss of his wife, for
whom he had the warmest affection, who
died in childbirth in the month of April
last. Mr.. Thomas l.. Sprague, the BROTH
er of Joseph, who has been living with
him since the death of his wife, together
with his mother went to Joseph's room to
see if he was there, or if anything was left
to indicate what his intentions were in 60
ing away. In searching his desk they
found a letter, directed to them, which
left no room for doubt as to his motive
and the fate of himself and little girl. The
letter was written in a plain hand upon a
sheet of common note-paper, and read as
follows:
My DEAR MOTHER, FATHER, BROTHER AND
SISTER You must forgive me for intiicting upon
you such terrible shock as know this will be,
but have been trying to resist it ever since my
dear Julia died, and cen resist no longer. can
not live any longer without Julia, and l am only
taking the dear little girl from world of trouble
and sorrow to one of happiness, where she will
be with her dear mother, who wants us and Is
waiting to meet us. l think [ am doing right
and what will be best for all concerned, as |
will ref ha
shock has passed away. Ii should live great
while longer should be insane, and think it
best to go before that time comes am not
afraid to meet my Creator, as my motive is good
and think am doing right. If am wrong, l
know He will forgive. me. You will find us in
the woods back of the Poor-house. Follow the
road as far as you can until you come to the
woods. JOSEPH.
The police were Immediately notified
and search was instituted, but Sunday
night passed and no trace of the missing
ones could be found. Early yesterday
morning the searching party, augmented
| by large number of citizens, went again
to the woods, and between and O'Clock
| the dead bodies of both Mr.. Sprague and his
| little girl were discovered by Mr.. w. G.
Frederick, who was accompanied by his
two sons. in the town of Winchester, near
| the Medford line, about mile and halt
in the rear of the Medford Almshouse.
Mr.. Sprague was lying on his left side with
a seven-barrel Allen & Wheelock pistol
under him and handkerchief under his
head. Five of the seven barrels of the
revolver were loaded and four of the cart
ridges bore the indentation made by the
hammer, though but two of them were
discharged. There was a small irregular
hole over the left eye of the father, show
| ing where the fatal bullet had entered the
| brain. and the left side of the head was
considerably discolored. At her fathers
feet lay the little girl Maria, dressed in her
Sunday attire, and with handkerchief
bound about her head. She had been shot
in the right temple, and the ball had
passed nearly through to the other side OF
her head. Mr.. Sprague's coat lay few
feet away, and near it were a halfpint
rose-water bottle empty; and four-Ounce
| bottle containing about an ounce of what
was supposed to be whisky and ether, a
twO-ounce vial with small quantity of a
preparation of morphine, a small syringe
for simultaneous injection, paper OF
white sugar, small wine-glass and a
tablespoon. The glass, spoon and syringe
had evidently been used, and the sugar
was very moist, as if it had been accident
ally wet. In the pockets of Mr.. Sprague's
clothing were found lead pencil, a pen
kIiilc, d UOA VI i've luOrpHlu6 pills. anu
sheet of note-paper, on the first page Of
which were written these words: 6 i have
grown crazy so fast to-day that should
be entirely so before tomorrow night if
lived" On the third page, written ap
parently after the efforts to destroy the
child by the use of the morphine anG
ether had proved unavailing, were writer
the words: 1T was hard to shoot her
but the morphine did not take any effect. .
The company gathered about the pitifu
sight, bier was constructed and thu
bodies were borne back to the desolat'
home, and were placed side by side on
bed in an upper chamber.
! Mr.. Sprague was considered by his EN-
ployer, and by those with whom he wa
: associated, as man whose character wa
above reproach, and in whom there wa
nothing to distrust. His residence wa
beautifully situated, his home, till tn
death of his wife, was an unexceptionall,
happy one, and he was in every respect
true gentleman. His suicide and the mur
der of his child constitute tragedy whicl
merits more than ordinary pity and regret