Person Page - 3742

Outrage On A Woman.
     Springfield, Mass., July 11.—Four young men broke into the house of Johanna Sullivan, a middle aged woman at Sandisfield, Berkshire county, last Saturday night, and taking her from her bed into the open air brutally tarred and feathered her. The assault is thought to have been provoked by the woman's habit of getting herself and neighbors into the local courts by petty suits. As it was a moonlight night she recognized three of the young men, and two of them, George White and Harlow Sago were to day bound over in the Great Barrington district court under heavy bonds.

—Hartford Courant, Hartford, Connecticut, 12 Jul 1881, p 3

The Sandisfield Outrage
Likely to Prove Fatal—The Full Story of the Brutal Assault on Mrs. Sullivan.
     The assault on Mrs. Johanna Sullivan at Sandisfield early Sunday morning was one of the most brutal affairs yet recorded from southern Berkshire, a section which has gained an unpleasant prominence in late years for revolting crimes. Not only was the woman covered from head to foot with tar, but her assailants kicked and pounded her so badly that it is feared she may die. She is still in Great Barrington, where she was taken to attend the trial Monday, and the doctors say that she cannot be moved with safety. One of the party who broke into her house is in jail and the officers are trying hard to get the others.
     Apparently Mrs. Sullivan hasn't been an amiable neighbor, but she has had a hard lot in life, with many things to sour her temper, and all Sandisfield sympathize with her in this trouble, and denounce those who have injured her. She is a thrifty, hard-working Irish woman of 40, talkative and aggressive, and supports herself and six children, the oldest a boy of 14, on a farm near the Sandisfield church. She has no husband, though the father of her children acted generously toward her when the way he had wronged her was discovered. Several years ago he deserted his wife and went to Ireland, where he married Johanna, and the two came to this country together, earning the farm Mrs. Sullivan now tills in Sandisfield. One day Sullivan’s first wife appeared on the scene. There was a grand hubbub and explanation, and after deeding the farm to Johanna, Sullivan left the town and has not since been heard from. Mrs. Sullivan pluckily accepted the situation, and has toiled hard to support herself and children. She has been in hot water with her neighbors most of the time, resenting both insults and injuries in the court, and there is no doubt that she has been largely to blame for the frequent quarrels in which she has been conspicuous.
     Her story of the assault is corroborated by her oldest boy, Mathew. About 1.30 Sunday morning she was awakened by the men breaking in the outside door. Jumping out of bed she ran into a clothes-press, the door of which swung inward, and as thus able to keep in safety for a while. Her boy bravely stood in front of the door in defense of his mother, but one of the miscreants choked him and threw him out of doors. Hearing one of the men call for an ax, Mrs Sullivan threw open the door and jumped out of the window, the men in close pursuit. By this time the children were aroused and ran screaming after their mother, the whole family being in their night-clothes. Two of the men overtook Mrs. Sullivan a short distance from the house, and threw her to the ground, and while one held her feet the other pulled her clothes up over her head and smothered her cries. White then came up with a bucket of tar, and while the little boy stoned the brutes to make them desist, poured the black stuff all over her body, afterward pulling her clothes down, and covering her face and head with it. Not satisfied with this, they jumped upon her and kicked her until she was half unconscious, when they left her groaning upon the ground. She remained there some 10 minutes, her children finally assisting her into the house.
     Two men have been arrested on suspicion of the crime, Harlan B. Sage, who lives near Mrs. Sullivan, and George L. White, his father-in-law, who lives with him, and both have been held for the grand jury in January. Mrs. Sullivan also accuses Fred Sackett and a stranger, whom she thinks she saw drive into Sage's yard Saturday night. The stranger is described as a stoutly built man, and the descriptions given of him by the boy and by those who saw him at Great Barrington agree perfectly. The circumstances which have led to the outrage show a degraded condition of things, as well as that Mrs. Sullivan had a genius for getting into trouble. A few days ago she obtained a warrant for the arrest of Sage's wife for throwing stones at her and other abuses, and the trial was to take place at Great Barrington Monday, but on Saturday, Mrs Sullivan says, Mrs Sage called out to her: "You old devil, you won’t be in Great Barrington Monday, for you'll get fixed." Sage and Sackett have been accused by Mrs Sullivan of attempting to outrage her, but a recent trial was discharged. Her barns were burned three years ago, she claims by incendiaries. Sage has obtained bail, but White still remains in jail, unable to find any bondsmen. Neither he nor Sage made any defense in Monday's court at Great Barrington, but claims that the charge is trumped up against them. White says he slept all night in a house but five rods from Mrs Sullivan's, but in the morning, hearing outcries, he and his wife got up and looked out of the window, but offered no assistance. Sackett will be arrested in Bridgeport, where it is supposed the tar was brought from.

—Springfield Republican, Springfield, Massachusetts, 13 Jul 1881, p 5

Massachusetts.
Tarred and Feathered—Brutal Outrage on a Woman.
     Springfield, July 12.—A few evenings since a middle aged woman named Johanna Sullivan, of Sandisfield, who has a reputation for quarreling with her neighbors, was torn from her bed by four young fellows and carried, struggling and screaming, out of doors and plastered from head to foot with tar and feathers. As soon as they had finished their infamous work the young men fled, leaving their almost fainting victim to crawl back into the house as best she could. It was a bright, moonlight night, and the woman recognized three of her assailants, who had tried to disguise themselves. The reason for the assault is not plain, though it is generally considered an expression of disgust at the frequency with which she appeared in the local courts with petty suits. No one, however, attempts to justify the brutal manner in which she was treated. Two of the young men have left town, and the other two, George L. White and Harlow Sage, were arrested yesterday by Sheriff Humphrey and brought before the Great Barrington district court, where they were each held for the grand jury, the bonds being $500 for the assault and $2,000 for breaking into the house. A. Mrs. Sage, who had also assaulted Mrs. Sullivan the other day, was fined $5 and costs, and appealed.

—The Morning Journal-Courier, New Haven, Connecticut, 13 Jul 1881, p 3

     Mrs. Johanna Sullivan of Sandisfield was tarred and feathered last week Monday night by a masked mob of home talent who broke into her house, abused her 16 years old son and committed other outrages. Several parties have been arrested.

—Connecticut Western News, Salisbury, Connecticut, 20 Jul 1881, p 2

     George Belknap and Fred. Sackett of Bridgeport were arrested last week as accomplices in the tarring and feathering of Mrs. Johanna Sullivan at Sandisfield last summer, and in the superior court they plead not guilty, and are held in $1,000 bonds, to be tried in July.

—Connecticut Western News, Salisbury, Connecticut, 1 Feb 1882, p 2

Sandisfield Tar and Feathers.
New Arrests In Connection With the Johanna Sullivan Outrage.
     Interest in the tarring and feathering of Johanna Sullivan at Sandisfield in July, 1881, is revived by the arrest of two Connecticut men for committing the outrage, and their extradition for examination at Pittsfield to-day. These men are Andrew Sackett, formerly of Winsted and now of Waterbury, and W. H. Rugg, employed in the rule-shop at Riverton. Last July Frederick B. Sackett, Harlow B. Sage and Andrew White were tried at Pittsfield for the crime, Mrs. Sullivan and her children identifying them positively, but the jury disagreed. Preliminary to another trial at the coming January term, District Attorney Waterman put the case in the hands of State Detective Kellogg, instructing him to investigate especially Fred Sackett's claim of an alibi. While doing this, the officer learned at Winsted that Andrew Sackett had foretold the outrage, and obtained the affidavits of several persons who heard his prophecy. The story was that Sackett and Rugg, both of whom had lived in Sandisfield and had trouble with Mrs. Sullivan, met at Winsted the night of the outrage, drove 15 miles, left their team at Stickles's place, a mile away from the victim's house, and committed the deed. Other Kellogg obtained requisitions from Gov. Bigelow, arrested the men Saturday and took them to Pittsfield, where they will be examined before Judge Tucker this morning. They will waive examination and give bail. Mrs. Sullivan and her family still insist that the other three defendants were her assailants, and many believe that the present move is to draw suspicion from the guilty ones and throw it on two men against whom there is no proof besides the stories they are alleged to have told themselves.

—The Springfield Daily Republican, Springfield, Massachusetts, 27 Nov 1882, p 5

Berkshire County.
Pittsfield.
Trial of the Sandisfield Woman Tarring Case.
     The trial of Sage, White, Sackett and Belknap was continued yesterday in the superior court and will occupy the most of to-day, but the indictment against them for breaking and entering the house of Mrs Sullivan was quashed as not setting up any offense. George Butler, in his cross-examination, admitted that the reputation of Mrs Sullivan and her children for truth and veracity was bad. Mary Sullivan, 13 years old, was on the stand an hour and a half, and her story was similar to that of her three brothers on Tuesday. She plainly identified Sackett, White and Sage as the parties committing the assault, and saw Sage and Sackett pull up her mother's clothing out of doors, on the green, while White applied most of the tar. The child said she was close to her mother during the affair. She did not identify Belknap as the stranger who was with the other three. Deputy Sheriff Humphrey testifed that on the Sunday he and Officer Langdon arrested Sage and White, they were at work in their hay-field, that on the way to Great Barrington, White admitted that he and Sage saw a difficulty out of doors, but that they thought it was a family row between Mrs Sullivan and her children. Humphrey kept the can of tar, and he said he found in Bridgeport similar cans, with the same private cost mark on them as was on the one found at Mrs Sullivan's. Johanna Sullivan's story of the affair was similar to that of her children. She recognized Sackett as one of the three men driving into Sage's yard the evening of the assault by the light of the lantern which Sage held. Fearing danger she laid down on a bed in the bed-room, and had fallen into a doze when the breaking in of the door aroused her. Sackett and Sage entered first and the stranger brought in the light from the kitchen. She recognized Sackett's voice while she was in the clothes-press, and she otherwise corroborated her children's story of the affair. She denied having admitted that she could not identify her assailants. Lawyer Slocum opened for the defense, which is an alibi for Sackett and Belknap and the claim that White and Sage were at home on the night of the occurrence. There being no evidence identifying George D. Belknap as the stranger with the other three, he was discharged at the suggestion of Judge Bacon. There were 24 witnesses called for the defense. Frederick E. Sackett, one of the defendants, testified that he left Bridgeport June 29 for a week's vacation; reached his father's July 2, and left Sandisfield on the night of July 8, going to Winsted with his brother. The following morning he went to Goshen, Ct., where he remained until Monday morning, and he then returned to Bridgeport. Landlord Sandam of Goshen testified that Sackett spent the night mentioned at his hotel.

—Springfield Republican, Springfield, Massachusetts, 27 Jul 1882, p 6

New England.
Massachusetts.
The Penalty of Tar and Feathers.
Pittsfield, Nov. 26.—Andrew Sackett and N. H. Rugg, of Waterbury, Ct., were arrested and brought to the jail yesterday for participating in tarring and feathering Johanna Sullivan in Sandisfield, July 18th. It is alleged that Sackett confessed to Winsted, Ct., parties, who instigated the arrest. Andrew White, Harley Sage, of Sandisfield, and Theodore Sackett, of Bridgeport, were tried for the offense in July, but as the jury disagreed they will be tried again in January.

—The Morning Journal-Courier, New Haven, Connecticut, 27 Nov 1882, p 3

Litchfield County.
     Andrew Sackett, formerly of Winsted, Wm. H. Rugg of Riverton, and Eugene Clark of New Boston, were arrested Saturday on a requisition from the governor of Massachusetts, and taken to Pittsfield to answer to a charge of aggravated assault on Johanna Sullivan. About a year aud a half ago, Johanna Suliivan was taken from her house at Sandisfield, Mass., by a party of disguised men and clothed in a dress of tar and feathers and maltreated in various ways. The authorities claim that they have sufficient proof to fasten complicity in the affair on the three parties named above, who, it is expected, will divulge who their associates were.

—Hartford Courant, Hartford, Connecticut, 28 Nov 1882, p 4
—The New Hartford Tribune, New Hartford, Connecticut, 1 Dec 1882, p 2

     The Springfield Republican of Nov. 27th, revives the interest in the tarring and feathering of Johanna Sullivan in Sansfield [sic] in July, 1881, for which two Connecticut men—Andrew Sackett, formerly of Winsted, now of Waterbury, and W. H. Rugg of Riverton, were arrested Saturday, Nov. 25. The Republican says: "Preliminary to another trial at the coming January term District Attorney Waterman put the case in the hands of State Detective Kellogg, instructing him to investigate especially Fred Sackett's (tried last July for the offense) claim of an alibi. While doing this the officer learned at Winsted that Andrew Sackett had foretold the outrage, and obtained the affidavits of several persons who heard his prophecy." Officer Kellogg obtained requisitions from Governor Bigelow, and they were arrested as above stated. On their way to Pittsfield, the officer and the two prisoners stopped at Canaan and took supper at the Warner House. On the following Monday they were examined before Judge Tucker, waived examination and gave bail.

—Connecticut Western News, Salisbury, Connecticut, 6 Dec 1882, p 3

Crimes and Casualties.
A Scoundrel's Confession.
     Boston, July 26.—A dispatch from Pittsfield says:— Eugene A. Clark of Naugatuck, Conn., one of a party charged with tarring and feathering and otherwise persecuting Mrs. Johanna Sullivan and driving her from the town of Sandisfield, has confessed and implicated others named White and Sackett. These men were tried at the time that the crime was committed, but the jury disagreed. The grand jury has now indicted them as principals and several others as accessories and all were placed under bonds for examination.

—Hartford Courant, Hartford, Connecticut, 27 Jul 1883, p 3

Plots Against A Woman
In Civilized Massachusetts.
Driven From Her Home and Covered With Tar at Night by Her Neighbors—Confession of a Diabolical Scheme by One of the Schemers—Connecticut Parties Implicated.
     Pittsfield, July 27—Another of the crimes for which Berkshire has become quite famous for a few years past was put on trial yesterday in the superior court for the second time, it having been heard at the July term last year. The jury disagreed. The affair happened at Sandisfield, one of the hill towns in the southern tier in this county. There lived Johanna Sullivan, an Irishwoman about 40 years of age, with her five children, the oldest a boy 14 years of age. Her husband, a few years before, had left her a small farm, in settlement with her if she would not prosecute him for bigamy, he having married her in Ireland while there on a visit, and bringing her to Sandisfield, within twenty miles of which town he already had another wife. For ten years they lived together, and then the first wife appearing, he left Johanna the farm in Sandisfield, with the children, and went with the first wife. Johanna was a quarrelsome woman, especially when she began to be persecuted by her neighbors, who, according to her story, heaped all sorts of indignities upon her. They burned two of her barns and one house, they sheared the horses which she had, the young men of the town insulted her, and she was continually in the courts as a defendant or a complainant for some years. She lived near the old Congregational church, for half a mile in each direction from which stretched the village green. Her nearest neighbor was one Smith Sackett, a farmer with which she had trouble, and whose sons she had caused to be arrested for a gross insult. Her other neighbor was Harley R. Sage, with whom lived his father-in-law, George White.
     On the night of July 10, or rather on the early morning of July 11, 1881,she was aroused by some one attempting to force an entrance into her kitchen. She had previously noticed suspicious actions about the house of her neighbor, Sage, and fearing an attack, had gathered her family about her, so that they were all in a small bedroom in the other portion of the house. Three of the men she recognized as Sage, White, and Fred Sackett, a son of her neighbor, but who had been working in Connecticut. The fourth one she did not recognize as he was a stranger. They deliberately lighted a lamp, and proceeded to the room occupied by the family, adjoining the kitchen. Mrs. Sullivan sought refuge in a closet adjoining, while her eldest boy defended her as best he could with a piece of board. Finally, one of the assailants called for an axe with which to break down the closet door. Mrs. Sullivan made her escape through the window to the village green by the church, and was followed by the men as soon as they knew of her flight. One of the men she recognized as White, from a deformed hand, which held a can of tar. She was knocked down, her clothes raised, and the tar was poured over her body and into her hair. She was left nearly dead with fright, and, not daring to return home, she applied for shelter to another neighbor, who dared not allow her to come to his house, but permitted the family to sit the rest of the night in his yard. At daylight the eldest boy walked fourteen miles to Great Barrington for a warrant and a sheriff, who arrested Sage and White, the other two having gone to Connecticut.
     At the trial, last July, of Sage, White, and Sackett, the jury disagreed, after a hearing lasting a week. Since then District Attorney Waterman has been working up the case and has unearthed the matter, which was a most diabolical scheme. Last December Detective Kellogg arrested, on a requisition, Andrew Sackett and W. H. Rugg of Thomaston, Conn., who, it was found, had boasted of the night’s work to some of their neighbors a few days afterward. Eugene A. Clark of Naugatuck, Conn., another of the gang, ran away at the time, but finally came back into the state and was brought here a few weeks since. He has made a confession to the district attorney, in which he exposes the plot and tells how and who planned the work. From his story, the parties were invited to Sandisfield to attend a dance, as they understood it. The men drove to a meeting place on the road between Winsted and Sandisfield, known as "Stickles' shed," where masks were procured, and the real object of the visit was made known. Mrs. Sullivan was voted to be an annoyance to the neighborhood, and as such she was to be driven out of the town. Liquor was furnished, and, besides, there was cider brandy in considerable quantity, as well as cider. They drove to the house of Smith Sackett, the elder, and Sage and White joined the party. The masks were put on and the party cast lots as to who should do the job. The masks, however, were of little service, for the party were so drunk that the masks were lost off, and they expressed themselves as willing to do the work in daylight. These and many other facts, it is claimed, will be proved at the trial by the confession of Clark. At the meeting of the grand jury, two weeks ago, new indictments were found against George L. White, Frederick B. Sackett—who at the time of the outrage lived in Bridgeport, but was in Sandisfield on a visit—and Smith Sackett, the elder, and they are charged with the commission of the crime. Eugene A. Clark, Andrew Sackett, W. H. Rugg, Algernon S. Hamilton, Harley B. Sage and George Hall are indicted as accessory. They are under $700 bail for trial, and the examination will show that the plan was a most diabolical one, and had they met with any great resistance the result would have been even more serious than it was. Mrs. Sullivan was obliged to leave the town soon after, and is now living in Connecticut.

—The New Haven Evening Register, 27 Jul 1883, p 1

Pleaded Guilty and Paid Up.
Four Defendants in the Sandisfield Case Have Their Cases Placed on File.
[Special Despatch to The Boston Globe.]
     Pittsfield, July 27.—In the Superior Court this morning, when the Sandisfield case was called, the defendants submitted a proposition to District Attorney Waterman, which was accepted this afternoon. Four defendants, Rugg, Clark, Andrew Sackett and George Hall, pleaded guilty and their cases were put on file. The cases against the others were not called. Nine of the party combine to pay Mrs. Sullivan $600, and $500 to the Commonwealth for costs. Altogether it has cost the party over $2000 for the night's work. The defence got frightened, as every member of the party was willing to turn State's evidence and save himself and throw the blame on Rugg, who was simply invited to attend the dance. Smith Sackett, father of two of the defendants, will be bankrupted by the affair.

—The Boston Globe, Boston, Massachusetts, 28 Jul 1883, p 6.