Huntsville gazette., 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. T., Jan.


House-The william Captured.
HICKsvILLE, L. l.. Jan. %.
At about half past six O'Clock this morn.
ing Selah Sprague, 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 mulatto at
tackled him with 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 neighbors
hearing Mrs. Sprague's cries, hurried to
the spot and found Sprague lying in pool
Of blood near the barn. A genei al alarm
was sounded, and the farmers of Hick sville
Hampstead, Westbury and Farmingdale
hitched up their horses and started in all
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
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 a great pool of
blood frozen into ice. Sprague lost SO
much blood in this spot it ran over the door
Jamb and discolored the ground outside.
There was blood on the tub under the
wagon and ON the right hand wheel of the
wagon. Sprague was covered with blood.
There is great excitement all through
Queens County, in consequence of the third
and similar outrage following so quickly
upon the Maybee and Townsend affairs.
SrAr. lfn hon
years of age. Physicians give no hopes of
the recovery of Sprague. While terrible
wounds on tie head of Sprague were being
dressed, he suddenly rose up and vomited
full pint ard 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
l stepped into the kitchen dog barked Gt
is a very small dog), and but for that
strange thing l might not have noticed the
man so promptly. He said: Il want mon
ey.' | supposed my husband was i'll 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 clutched
me by the hair and pulled handful out
by the roots. l struggled, but it was no
use. He dealt me a blow in the mouth with
his fist, which loosened nv teeth and | saw
fire. This brought US back into the kitch-
en-. He was a powerful colored man, not
tall, but very stout. He said again, Give
me the money or I'll murder you.' l re-
piled, You can have all the money in the
house, but tell me, have you hurt my hus-
bandH No. he replied, i have not seen
him. | thought it strange my husband had
not been attracted by the incessant bark
ing of. the dog. I 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. H. Rugg, was subsequently cap
tured and fully identified by Mrs. Sprague.
He resided at Poverty Hollow, Oyster Bay.
He was captured at a store where he had
purchased a 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-
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!" Hew final
ly locked in freight car. At w estbury
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. Th6yjrisoner was
finally landed safely in the county Jail.