Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1876-05-12
From tho st. Johnsbury Caledonian.
The Flesh Fail In Kentucky

TO the Editor Of the Caledoniaa:
Having investigated as far as possible
this peculiar phenomena, / would say it
is no hoax, perpetrated for fun, or gain,
neither miracle, as it is fully believed
to be by 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 show
er, which is near Olympian Springs,
Bath county, KY, were the only persons
who saw the falling flakes. Mrs. Croach
first observing them as they shone like
bright flakes in the sunlight, sent her
grandson out to see what it was, and he
found the flesh, as it appeared to him.
As the news spread about the neighbor-
hood, hundreds gathered there to see the
phenomena and learn the particulars.
1t was examined by all, and yet of many
witnesses examined, that thus congregat-
ed, there is much difference in descrip-
tion, though all say that the Croach
family are well known as people of truth
and honor, and thus leave the fall of the
substance certainty. The supposed
flesh was collected by numerous parties
and subjected to various tests Some
fed it to cats and dogs; Others to poul.
try. Some tasted of it, while others
tried oil out of it and Prot. Smith of
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 buf-
falo meat or venison, while others de-
scribe it as streaked with fat and lean i;
with slices on which was peculiar skin
or gristle. All agree that it looked and
smelt like flesh and blood, both when
fresh and putrid.
The conclusion from all this testimony
is that in clear sunshine, from beauti-
ful blue sky, at two o'clock on the after
noon of March Sd, there did fall an un-
known substance closely resembling
flesh, if not flesh in reality. That guam
titles of it have been preserved, that in
reality it contains animal fat, and is by
close examination very like animal sub
stance. Before | give my theory for its
appearance | will say that it is not an
unheard of phenomena. AS l before
said, / find at least twenty-seven instan-
ces in history but as most of the flesh
falls were in distant sections, ! will con-
fine myself to the narration of a meteor
ic fall in New England near Newbury-
port, seventy-fve years ago The story
as obtained from an intelligent old lady
that then resided in that section, is as
follows:
One evening meteor as it was call
ed, was seen to fall near at hand, and as
it admitted faint light at first, prob
ably phosphorent, it was readily found.
1t was Gas she says as large as wash
tub, and of firm feshy texture, and of
roundish form. When pierced with a
knife, apparent blood ran out. and when
struck with stick, a quiver like that OF
flesh was the result. Some portions of
it were like fat, and some like gristle. In
few days it became putrid, and deeom-
posed as any flesh. Hundreds visited it,
and it was the subject of neighborhood
talk for long time, and sundry super
stitious notions were connected with it in
the minds of many"
Two other instances of meteors similar
to this have been subjects of record.
Now admitting the foregoing as all fact,
as seems perfectly evident to an investi-
gator, comes the question, What is it
Prof Smith, gentleman of learning and
ability says: Batrachian spawn !"
(frogs spawn Capt. Bent, an eminent
lawyer at Mt Serling, KY, emphatically
dissents from him, as do all who saw and
examined the material upon the spot.
If il was as Prof. Smith says, there are
then grave difficulties in the way. While
spawn might contain the animal oil, it
could not contain the fresh bloody ap-
pearance at the same time, and our wit
nesses are too many to contradict. Again
there is a difficulty in the way; as wat
erspouts and whirlwinds are accompani-
ed by dark, dense clouds, whatever was
taken up in the water would fall upon
the dissipation of the storm. and could
hardly fall from a clear sky, while me-
teors formed high up in the atmosphere,
would, as many atmospheric alge do,
fall at such time as their weight became
sufficient to bring them to earth Many
such alge vegetate with rapidity that
is truly wonderful
In town in Russia, but few years
since, such alge fell to the depth of sew
eral inches, and furnished the best of
food for cattle and sheep, and when
dried and ground made very good bread,
and this alge actually was an article of
exnnrt from that section from which