The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-02-02
ANOTHER LONG ISLAND TRAGEDY.
A Farmer Murderously Assaulted and Left
for Dead by a Negro, who then Attack
ed the Farmers Wife and Robbed the,
House-The william Captured.
HICKsvILLE, L. l.. Jan. 25.

HICKsvILLE, L. l., Jan. 25.
At about half past six O'Clock this morn
ing Selah Sprague, a well-to-do farmer of
East Meadow, went as usual to the barn to
milk his cows and feed his horses. He had
just reached the barn when a muatto at
tackled him with a fish-plate used as a coup
ling for railroad tracks and, striking him
several murderous blows on the head, left
him for dead and made his way to the
house. Here he saw Mrs. Sprague in the
kitchen, struck her one blow secured what
money he could and left. Some neghbors
hearing Mrs. Sprague's cries, hurried to
the spot and found Sprague lying in pool
of blood near the barn. general alarm
was sounded and the farmers of Hieksville
Hampstead, Westbury and Farmingdale
hitclIed up their horses and started in ALI
directions, securing the country for the as
sassin. The man, is supposed to be the
same who attempted the burglary at South
Oyster Bay Wednesday night.
The barn presented the appearance of a
slaughter-house. The body of Sprague
lay against a bag filed with grain. The
bag was bloody on one side. Sprague is
not dead. He seemed to recognize the voic-
es of the men, though he could not speak.
There was blood everywhere. Near the
double door there was great pool of
blood frozen into ice. Sprague lost so
HluCH DlOOu Ill bulS SpOL IL ran over bHc uOOI
jamb and discolored the ground outside.
There was blood on the tub under the
wagon and on the right hand wheel OF tho
wagon. Sprague was covered with blood
There is great excitement all through
Queens County, in consequence of the third
aud similar outrage following so quickly
upon the Maybee and Townsend affairs.
Mr. Sprague and wife were about fifty
years of age. Physicians give no hopes OF
the recovery of Sprague. While terrible
ba ~ ort1a hainp~
dressed, he suddenly rose up and vomited
full pint and a half of blood. The doctors,
said they were glad of it, but still have lit
tie or no hopes of his recovery.
Mrs Sprague in her statement says: AS
I stepped into the kitchen dog barked (it'
is very small dog), and but for that
strange thing | might not have noticed the
man so promptly. He said: Il want mon
ey.' | supposed my husband was in the
barn, and my first impulse was to scream.
/ did so. l tried to rush by the colored
man into the yard, and got as far as the
stoop when he laid hold of me- He clutchedl
me by the hair and pulled a handful out
by the roots. / struggled, but it was no
use. He dealt me blow in the mouth with
his fist, which loosened my teeth and saw
fire, This brought US back into the kitch-
en-. He was powerful colored man, not
tall but very stout. He said again, Give
me the money or l'll murder you.' l re-
piled, You can have all the money in the
house, but tell me, have you hurt my hus-
band?' No. he replied, Il have not seen
him. thought it strange my husband had
not been attracted by the incessant bark
ing of the dog. L went into the sitting
room and took my purse from the bureau
drawer and handed it to the man. The
purse contained S3S When the man was
gone away ran out to summon help and
fell on the ice. l hurt my side badly"
The negro, whose name is Chas. A. Smith
or Chas. II. Rugg, was subsequently cap
tured and fully identified by Mrs. Sprague-
He reaided at Poverty Hollow, Oyster Bay.
He was captured at a store where he had
purchased complete new suit of clothes
and had called for some crackers and
cheese. The excited farmers would have
hung him immediately but for the deter
mined stand taken by the officers of the
law. 1t is almost certain he was the as
sailant of Mr.. and Mrs. Townsend of Oys-t
ter Bay. The officers had much trouble In
getting their prisoner aboard the train to.
take him to Jail. There were between 800
and 400 men with torches and ropes howl
ing and shouting, LET us get at him !'
"Let us hang the murderer" Hewas final
ly locked in a freight car. At Westbury
the train was boarded by 200 men with
ropes and lanterns, who demanded to know
where the man was. They did not give up
the search until the train started, some
even remaining on board and swearing
that they would hang him. The same scene
was enacted at Mineola. The prisoner was
finally landed safely in the county jail.