Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1874-07-03
a shocking Tragedy.
AN INSANE FATHER KILLS his CHILD
AND HIMSELF.


of West Medford, Mass, were thrown
into a state of painful apprehension by
the sudden disappearance of Mr.. Joseph
S. Sprague, we'll known and highly es-
teemed gentlemen, who left his home
about four o'clock in the afternoon I'M
der circumstances which led to the belief
that he contemplated the destruction of
not only his own but the life of his little
daughter, an interesting child of about
seven years of age, named Maria A.
Sprague. He did not return at the ex-
pected hour, and in the evening his desk
was searched, when, to the dismay OF
his friends, letter was found written
with pencil, and directed To Father,
Mother, Brother and Sister" The let
ter read as follows:
+" You must forgive me for intiicting
upon you such a terrible shock as |
know this will be, but | have been try
ing to resist it ever since my dear Julia
died, and can resist no longer. cannot
live any longer without Julia, and 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 wait
ing to meet u.s. think | am doing right
and what will be best for all concerned,
as | think you will see upon reflection,
after the first shock has passed away.
If should live great while longer
l 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 | know he will forgive
me.
You will find us in the woods back Of
the poorhouse follow the road as far as
you can until you come to the woods.
(Signed) JOSEPH"
DISCOVERY OF THE MISSING ONES.
The police we're Immediately notified
OF the facts, and aided by several citi
zens search was commenced at tel
o'clock Sunday night, and prosecuted il
the direction indicated in the letter, IN
til the searchers despaired of finding tn
missing ones, no traces of them bein
discovered. Monday morning at a
early hour the search was resumed, a
least forty citizens joining the Officers
and between eight and nine o'clock MI
w. G. Frederick, who was accompanie
by his two sons, came upon the object c
the search in the Winchester wood
about miles and quarter from Symme
Corner.
The sight which met our gaze WI
shocking to contemplate. The bodies
both Mr.. Sprague and his little daugl
ter were stretched upon the ground
the cold embrace of death. The fath'
laid partially on his side, his head res
ing upon handkerchief, small irreg
lar hole in the forehead over the left e,
indicating where the fatal bullet had e
tered the brain. The left side of Il
head and face were considerably disco
ored, showing that death must have c
: Cured on Sunday evening.
AT the feet of the father and in a Iii
with his body, her feet almost touchil
. those of her parent, lay the body of t
little girl, dressed in her Sunday attii
= Il her face bound up with a handkerchi
She was also dead, having been shot, t
ball entering the right temporal DO
: and passing entirely through the bra
= The body of Mr.. Sprague was divest
of his coat, and pocket revolver
small syringe used in simultaneous
" jections, half-pint bottle labeled 70
;" water, four ounce bottle containi
q = about one ounce of whiskey and eth
u a glass tumbler, a silver dessert spo
10 and paper of sugar were all found
. the vicinity of the bodies.
= Upon searching the person of n
l. Sprague a box was found in his VI
0' pocket containing five morphine pills
lead pencil and pocket knife. A sh,
70 of note paper was also found, on Q
IN side of which Mr.. Sprague had writ
a. the following:
"a 81 have grown crazy SO fast tod
,e that | should be entirely crazy before
bo morrow night if lived"
oe On the opposite page of the sheet
i peared, also in pencil, these words:
1T was hard to shoot her, but
10 morphine did not take any effect
u The alarm was at once sounded
- Mr.. Fredericks, and other citizens CT
ing up, a rough bier was constructed,
on which the bodies were borne bach
oil the now desolate home, which in
lily short space of two months has been
RS, reft of whole family, save an inf
an in giving birth to which Mrs. Spra
nd died. Since the loss of his wife
re- Sprague has been somewhat depres