The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-12-12
MISSOURI BUTCHERY
DAVID sPRAGG COMMITS A TERRI
BILE CRIME WHILE DERANGED.
Murders His Wife and Two Children,
MortaIIy Wounds Two More Little
Ones and Kills Himself.

RIDGEWAY, Mo-, Dec. 1.-THE most
horrible human butchery ever recorded in
this section was committed five miles south
west of this city this afternoon. David G.
Spragg in a fit of insanity, murdered his
wife and two children, mortally wounded
his two step-children with a butcher knife
and then took his own life with rifle. The
nearest neighbor of the Spraggs lived al
most mile distant, and it was some time
before the news of the crime spread. In a
few hours numbers of people arrived from
town and an investigation of the scene was
made. The most sickensng sight met their
gaze Lying in the yard near the gate
were the remains of Mrs. Spragg, mutt
lated almost beyond recognition and her
disheveled hair drowned in the pool OF blood
surrounding her. In the little dwelling. in
one corner of the sitting room. lay the life
less body of little Galley, four years old,
and in the other Albert, a six-year-old boy.
Alberts head, resting on the slate with
which he had been playing. was a mass Of
coagulated blood and brains, while blood
still oozed from the gaping wounds in the
throats Of each. On the kitchen floor, with
blood smeared all over his hands and face,
and still clenching the terrible instrument
of death in his bony hands, and with his
head almost severed from his body, lay the
author of the crimes. Great pools of blood
had coagulated on the floors, making more
sickening the terrible scene. Two step
children of Spragg's, both under six years
old, were taken to the home of neighbors.
where they are dying from dozens OF cuts
that cover their little bodies
Evidences of a terrible struggle were
plainly visible in the Spragg home. The
walls. books stove and furniture were
spattered with blood; chairs were upset.
the oil can overturned and things generally
turned upside down. The particulars of the
butchery are learned from Dora Onststt
stepdaughter Of Spragg She is child Of
eleven years, and after eluding her step
fathers murderous grasp, escaped TO a
neighbors and gave the Alarm. Her state
ment, somewhat broken because of the in
tense excitement under which she labored
is substantially follows: Sprasg had
been complaining all morning of an aching
head, and his nearest neighbor, Mr.. Mey-
ers, was sent to Ridgeway for physician
Soon after Meyers's departure Spragg tied
the hands Of one child behind him and de-
liberately cut his throat. Mrs. Spragg ran
into the room and attempted to interfere,
when Spragg made lunge at her. She ran
out into the yard, around the house and
then into ii again, closely followed by
Spragg. In the house he caught her and a
desperate struggle ensued. He literally
hacked her head and face into slices and
then, cutting her head almost from the
body, dragged her by the hair into the
yard. Covered with gore and every minute
becoming more frenzied. the maniac now
returned TO the house again to continue his
work. Dora, who was sick in bed, had
climbed out of window in the meantime
and escaped. When the people first began
to arrive. they were deferred from enter
ing by Spragg, who stood in the doorway
with a loaded shotgun. Finally Spragg
locked the doors, and it was then that he
butchered his stepchildren. Just as the
crowd was preparing to break into the
house two shots were heard and when the
door was finally forced open Spragg was
dead and the scene, as described, was pre-
sented to view. The two stepchildren who
were still alive were cared for, but cannot
recover.