Capitalist; born in
Shenandoah.
N. Y., Aug. 4, 1816; received a public school education; and till 1857 was engaged in mercantile pursuits in
Troy.
He was elected alderman in 1841 and 1848; served as treasurer of
Rensselaer county for seven years; was in Congress as a Whig in 1853-57; later became interested in railroads; removed to New York City in 1863 and engaged in business in Wall Street; and for many years has been closely connected with the affairs of the Union Pacific Railroad.
On Dec. 4, 1891, a man named
Norcross ob---tained access to
Mr. Sage's office; secured an interview with the millionaire; demanded from him $1,200,000 in cash; and, on
Mr. Sage's refusal to pay the money, pulled a small dynamite bomb from a satchel in his hand, and dashed it on the floor.
The explosion that followed killed
Norcross, seriously injured
Mr. Sage, wounded a clerk so severely that he died soon afterwards, and partially wrecked the building.
At the time of the outrage
William R. Laidlaw, Jr., a clerk for a banking firm, was in
Mr. Sage's office.
He claimed that
Mr. Sage seized him and held him as a shield for his own person, with a result that
Laidlaw was also severely injured.
Soon afterwards he began suit against
Mr. Sage for damages.
After many delays a jury awarded him a handsome sum, whereupon
Mr. Sage appealed to the higher court, and the matter is still (1901) in litigation.