St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1876-05-05
The Flesh Fall in Kentucky.
10 the Editor Of the CdIedonidn


Having investigated us far as possible
this peculiar phenomenal, | would say
that it is no hoax, pcrpetrated for fun,
or gain, neither Il miracle. as il is fully
believed to he lay the negro population.
and the ignorant whites, in the section
where the phenomena occurred. The
facts are that Mrs. Croach, with her
grandson. living at the place of this
peculiar shower, which is near Olym-
plan Springs, Bath county, KY, were
the only persons who saw the falling
flakes. Mis-. Croach first observing
them rs they >honc like bright flakes III
the sunlight. sent her grandSon out to
rs it appeared to him. As the news
spread about the neighhorhood, hun
dred> gathered there to see the phc-
uomera, and learn the particulars. 1t
was examined 10y all. and yet of many
witncS-c examined that thus congre-
gated, there is much difference in de
family are well known us people of
truth and honor, and thus leave the fall
of the substance Il certainty. The sup
posed flesh was collected 10y numerous
parties and subjected to various tests.
Some fed it To eats and dogs; others to
poultry. Some tasted of it, while others
Il a ~
Louisville. pronounced it the spawn OF
frogs, while one describes it as like
pounded beef steak others as fresh
mutton while some say it was like
buffalo meat or veuiSon, while others
describe it as Strcaked with fat and
lean: with slices on which was IL pc
ruliar skin OF gristle. All agree that it
looked and >mcIt like flesh and blood,
both when fresh and putrid.
The conclusion from all this testimony
is that in clear sunshine, from il beauti-
tul blue sky, at two o'clock ON the after
noon of March 3D., there did fall AN
unknown substance closely milling
flesh, if not flesh in reality. That
quantities of il have been preserved,
that in reality it contains animal fat,
animal substance. Before | give my
theory for It's appearance | will say that
il is not an unheard of phenomena. AS
before said. find ut least twenty
seven instances in history; but as most
of the icshiails were in distant sec
lions, | will contimr myself to the mar
ration of Il meteoric fall In New Eng
land near NewburI port, seventy five
Years ago. The story as obtained from
an intelligent old lady that then resided
in that section. is us follows:
"One evening II meteor as it was
called. was seen to fall near at hand,
and as it admitted faint light at first,
probably phosphorescent, it was readily
found. 1t WAS las she says) as large us
Il washtub. and of IL firm tieshy texture,
and of rouadish form. When pierced
! with ii hnitr. apparent blood ran ont,
and when struck with il stick, il culver
like that of flesh was the result, Some
portions of it were like fat. and some
like griStle. In IL few days it became
putrid. and drcompoSed as any flesh
Hundreds visited it. and it was the
subject of neighborbood tall, for long
time, and sundry superstitious notions
were connected with it in the minds OF
many"
Two other instances of nieteors simj
Ian to this have been subjects OF record
Now admitting the foregoing us all fact
rs seems perfectly evident to an inves-
T tigator. comes the question, What is it
Prof. Smith. Il gentleman of learning