Connecticut western news., 1874-07-17
THE DEATH OF A WIFE.
A Widower Shooting his Little DauSh- ter and then Himself---Their Bodies Found.


 A Widower Shooting his Little Daugh-
 ter and then Himself---Their Bodies
 Found.
 Joseph s. Sprague, highly-esteemed and worthy citizen of West Medford, Mass, left his residence on Brook street with his little daughter Maria, ostensi- bly, for short walk. In the evening he had not returned, and his friends began to apprehend that all was not right, as they knew that he had for the past two months been suffering from deep depression of spirits 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. MT. Thcmas l.. Sprague, the brother 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 going away. In searching his desk they found 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 plain hand upon sheet of com mon note paper, and read as follows:
 My DEAR MOTHER, FATHER, BROTHER AND SISTER You must forgive me for 1nt1lctlng upon you such terrible shock as know this will be, but have been trying to resist it ever since my dear Julia died, and can resist no longer. I cannot live any longer with out Julia, and I 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. I think am doing right and what will be best for all concerned, as l think you will see upon reflection after the first shock has passed away. If I should live great while longer I should be insane, and think it best to go before that time comes. | am not afraid to meet ny Creator, as my motive is good and I think am doing right. If I am wrong, 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 the next night passed and no trace of the miss- ing ones could be found. Early in the morning the searching party, augment ed by large number of citizens, went again to the woods, and between 8 and 9 o'clock the dead bodies of both MT. Sprague and his little girl were discov- cred in the town of Winchester, near the Medford line, about mile and 8 half in the rear of the Medford Aims house. MT. Sprague was lying on his left side with a seven-barrel pistol un- der him and 8 handkerchief under his head. Five of the seven barrels of the revolver were loaded and four of the cartridges 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, showing 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 passed nearly through to the other side of her head. MT. Sprague's coat lay few feet away, and near it were half pint rose-water bottle, empty, and four ounce bottle containing about an ounce of what was supposed to be whisky and ether, 8 two-ounce vial with small quantity of preparation of morphine, small syringe for subcutaneous in- jection, paper of white sugar, small wine glass, and tablespoon. The glass, spoon, and syringe had evidently been used, and the sugar was very moist, as if it had been accidentally wet. In the pockets of MT. Sprague's clothing were found lead pencil, a penknife, box of five morphine pills, and sheet of note-paper, on the first page of which were written these words:
 "I have grown crazy so fast to-day that I should be entirely so before to- morrow night if I lived"
 On the third page, written apparent ly after the efforts to destroy the child by the use of the morphine and ether had proved unavailing, were written the words:
 "It was hard to shoot her, but the morphine did not take any effect"
 The company gathered about the pitiful sight. bier was constructed ana LQ9 DOO1eS were borne DaCK to the desolate home, and were placed side by side on bed in an upper chamber.
 MT. Sprague was considered by those with whom he was associated as man whose character was above reproach, and in whom there was nothing to dis trust. His residence was beautifully situated, his home, till the death of his wife, was an exceptionally happy one, and he was in every respect a true gen tleman. His suicide and the murder of his child constitutes tragedy which merits more than ordinary pity and re- gret.
 FR1GHTENED.-ANe New York city paper says that while few well-authenticated cases of hydrophobia have been noticed there is morbid fear that every dog is mad, and that every one is in danger of the dreaded malady. The most inno- cent dogs are objects of suspicion and many dogs are shot who have shown no signs of hydrophobia.
 For intercepting 8 telegram, and reading it, schoolmaster in Manches- ter, England, has been sentenced to three months imprisonment.
 A Few Words to Feeble and Delicate
 Women.