The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-07-20
A CONNECTICUT MYSTERY.
PATRICK NU0ENI's SUICIDE AND
THE STORY IT RECALLS.
The supposed Murder Of Charles Sears In
1S57-Nusenrs Trial stopped by the RE
appearance Of his Supposed Victim-A
Queer Case Never Quite Cleared Up.

ff0na the Springfem Rrpuohcon
HARTFORD, Conn, July GA recent item
in our daily papers, recording the finding at MID
aietown Of tho body of a iaborinR man, tppar-
entity about 90 years Of age, which was sfterward
Identified as that OF Patrick Nugent OF Crom-
we'll. who had been missing for a few days pre-
vious, furnishes your correspondent an oppor-
tunity 90 make public the facts OF case that
has long been esteemed, by those familiar with
II, as one OF the most remarkable Instances OF
the worthlessness OF circumstantial evidence
on record. Now that the accused has traRically
met his death at the very spot and in the very
manner that, nineteen years AGO, he was sus-
pected OF ending the life OF another It seems
right that clear and coherent story OF the whole
affair should be given. that his memory may be
sleared Of the aspersions that have been cast
upon him during life, by those-and there are
many--who would mover admit, even In the face
Of direct evidence, that they could 80 have
wroDged man.
In It's issue Of Feb. 4. 1857. the Constitution, a
weekly newspaper pu lished ut Miudlotown,
Conn. contained the following;
Charles Il. Sage son Of Edmund Sage. left his home
Instant es Of se aaH f H. w seen at wS.a Ras
until about noon since when no trace can be found Of
out 10 be Unreliable ana AL traced
search .ss maee Evenac Vas sU Snd ss 10 e
MINDS OF tho.e present Wa s9nclrnt TO- convince
upon man ana his wife named kugent, with whom
psriure. fnry have siTesled, are "a Jsi
mr. sage, the Sihsr es offered . reward OF 500 for
A fortnight later. Feb. Is. the same newspaper
gave further Information ON the subject, as fol-
The persons who were arrested on suspicion have
been set NJ liberty there IL not sufficient evidence to
ssssi1 them me general op4Sn ~ INA, the Sg, has
that ws Il thong1 that when the river breaks up
THE body on THE BEACH.
One Morning n N earlv autumn of 1877 soma
BOYS slrolipg along the Connecticut shore OF
Long Island sound, about mite east OF the
mouth OF the Connecticut river, found a head
less corpse upon the beach, which had EVIL
IDENTITY been recently washed up by the waves.
The head was entirely gone, and but little tosh
remained upon the bones. indicating that the
body had been long IN the water. or clothing
there was only tn eremnant OF one stocking.
physician from the ueignborine village OF Lyme
was summoned, ana pronounced the opinion
that the bones were those OF boy about fifteen
years old. The body YVES temporarily inferred
OH the beach, q little wooden cross marking the
spot, and statement OF the facts sent to New
London paper by a lawyer OF the town.
The statement Ia The New London paper was
seen by Mr.. Sage. father Of the missing lad. who
at opce made journey to Lyme, where. on
hearing all the facts, he hid the body disin.
tered aud removed to Cromwell for BURIAL
ayerring his firm belief that the body vas that
OF his son. Ihe bringing Of the body to Crom-
well at once rcawakened public interest IN the
case, and Il became tho subject OF general con-
yersation In that and neighJoring towns. Tho
friends OF young Sage were very sure that the
body WIS that Of tho missing lad. claiming that
fragments OF dress found on the bod to bear
out their ,hcory hed,e;i men pronounced the
ths body b, violent means.
People again 10 1ked ashance at Nngent. who
was a rather underlined lrlsnman OF lnoTensive
appearance, who, Wi n ITS wife and one child.
little girl, had lived In Cromwell as n labOrer,
Inucn Of tie time ct work for the senior Sage
Especi lily indignant were they al tho Ell goDtery
Of the Nugerts In 81 Lining that young sage
not dead at all, when ever body knew" that
he had not been seen or heard from since his
appearance near NuRents house. The general
belief in NUGGETS guilt became a popular GER
tainty. when 1t Was known that "a sailor named
John Amos benson, " 0 had recently Appeared
In the town looking for work, hau, while teui-
pporstily employed ny Mr. Sage. suddenly de-
that, on the day OF Ssge's dlsappe arance, he was
passing through Cromwell In q violent snow
goinR to the locality saw Nueent infict the fatal
blow upon SlRe with threshing nail that Nu-
sned to take his lifo II he ever betrayed him;
shat he had Kept silence till now through fear,
vision and demanded that he should reveal the
facts. As Benson was n delicately built little
foreigner, webbing only 100 pounds. while Nu-
rent was OF stronger buiu, the statement was
at once accepted "a true, and Nugent was
arrested.
STRONG CIncUNsrASrIAL EVIDENCE.
On the ltth day Of October, Nusent was
brought before Justice ~. X. Warner, assisted
by James Edwards, " oses Culver, States Attor-
ney, Appealing for the State. and Walter S. Car
INST witness called was Miss Eliz BETH ". Sage,
who testified that her brother lett home At A.
ii. on the day when he was last seen that she
saw Nugent that night, and inquired as to his
whereabouts. wnen, after some hesitation, he
answered: "You will not see Charles e. night"
Edward Sage, the father, testified tDat Eugent
had been In his employ SIX years was uis-
charged the fr5t OF the month. The day Of the
Mr.. Sages barn, WHITTIER Charles went. As
he did not return at LIE proper time, the father
went to the barn several times, searching
Tor hun, and Nugent very Reluctantly assisted
" the SEA en-, but would not so up Oh To tho
haymow. Ms Nugent told witness that Nugent
and Charles had a c.inch." Witness then,tes.
tined rs to his trip to Lyme, and exhuming the
remains found there, and his belief taat trey
weTo those OF his son. Isaac ;. DIld win testihsd
TO clots OF blood found among the haY TO blood
spots on the barn floor three feet square, some
pf which he scraped up win a knife, anu 10
tracks In the snow leading from the barn to the
Connecticut river. SIX other Witnesses. Includ-
ing the village doctor, testified similarly in rel.
eIeDco 10 the hay being much tunbied, aud to
blood on tue bin floor and the tracks leading
90 the river we're described as those tnat would
De made by persons craving some subst ince in
. bug that hole was also found in the ice, into
which 1t was supposed that tho body had been
woodpile was found near by, ana in addition a
piece OF a PLAID coat lining tnat Miss sage iden-
kihed as from a shawl OF hers which had served
later to line her brothers coat.
WITNESS VINO SAW TUE MURDER
There were few, II any, persons in the room
Sho would not have voted for conviction ON
Tue spot, without waiting for the States con-
elusive ana hnhl evIGence, the testimony OF
Benson. Yet all eyes were turned intenty upon
me Witness Us |JOnu Amos henson = was called.
Giving his testimony In a cool and collected
manner, he said:
l heard samc one thrcshnx In the barn; went I'D to
I. and heard grlng Looked IN through the crack,
md heard Susont say You have Often moved the
aid horse from The place where put him. you shall
oeNer DO II again Nugent then struck Charles with
ais mai acrOvs the back shoulders anu then on tue
head, fellnR hin 4 the Moor his IN breaking
The rat lAn. lie tucked the OrOktn stan Into tue
straw cam. back, turned sage over gave HIM a
aD ana then caue to the LOof, looking very red IN
you been here2' made reply. When Nugent
came out OF the barn, | saw mat he had a iargs
lackknfe IN MIA hand that was bloody. This
knife he gave me before 1 left In the morning
sald IL Is very cold" Nugent hAd, Yes, come into
1he house" Retseen the house anu barn Nugent SAID
have q Job ! want you TO help me do" | said,
We'll" We then went m and Nug1nt. a,king his wife
kugcnt lhen went out for nfteen or twenty minutes
ana on his return We "drnked" again. Nugent then
asked me II wac READY sAid yes" We tuen went
TO the south barn and drew The corpse to the door
when Nukent Nent round the north side Ct tue barn
took board and sho' ed 1t INTO the door THIS
ground, cellar beng under the Darn put :he body
ON the board, and We slid II on TO the grounO then
carried II 10 the north barn aud laid the n0Or
NuEen, got TO the NOV, ana lIfted the bocy iii
kugeLt got hold OF II and drew IL ~. then gOt up
and We carried II TO the next NOV. Mug Mt got I'M
tsaed tae body TAI lie got mold OF II and pnlled up
Here we lett II, and wen to the house. kuyent SAID
TINE, He then SAID he would go after some liquor.
ahd ms VIE sid The would 20 with him She wanted
!oko ana ten NE Oh man. stayed with Nugent all
tn'S night ana eit next morning Ter WetheTsned.
The defence Offering no testimony, the case
Was submitted without argument. Altar "A ia