The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-01-21
HAD BLIND STAGGERS ON THE BRIDGE.
MIR. Brown Thought That The Horse
Should &c aled.
An Explanation Which Didn't Explain
the Martins Point Mystery.
unfounded Stories That a Body Had
Been Washed Ashore.

AT about o'clock yesterday Mr.. Houston,
draw tender of the Martins Point bridge,
and Mr.. SWEET, a selectman of Falmouth,
came to the city and reported an occurrence
which they thought might have had some
thing to do with the mysterious blood stains
seen on the draw and the pier beneath it..
They said that Friday morning, not Thurs
day night as has been stated, a horse had an
attack of what appeared to be blind stag
gers while crossing the bridge. When a
horse is attacked with blind staggers bleed
Ing Is the usual means adopted to effect
cure. II horse had been bled on the draw
Friday morning it might be possible for some
of the blood to be spattered on the pier as
we'll as on the floor of the draw. While this
explanation did not seem to entirely meet
the case, it was thought possible that it
might contain the solution of the mystery,
and so it was told to Sheriff Webb. The
horse was seen to fall by two men who
were passing in another team. One of these
men was thought to be Albion III. Brown,
the painter. who has shop on Cross street
in this city and lives in Knightville.
A PRESS reporter saw Mr.. Brown at his
house last evening and told him of the story
brought to this city by MIR. Houston. Mr..
Brown said that he did see a horse fall on
the bridge Friday morning. He was going
on claiming expedition with friend, and
reached Martins Point bridge at about 10
O'Clock In the forenoon. As he drove onto
the bridge, at the Deering end, he passed
two young men, one of whom was holding a
horse which had just fallen down. Mr.
Brown asked what the trouble was, and one
of them replied that his horse had fallen, but
that he did not know what the matter was
with the animal, which had never fallen be:
fore while being driven. Mr. Brown told the
young men that, in his opinion, the horse
had blind staggers and should BIZ bled. Mr.
Brown then drove along and the :other team
followed, but before reaching the draw the
young mems horse had again fallen twice
Mr.. Brown is OF the opinion that when the
horse fell the third time he must have been
very near the draw. Mr.. Brown continued on
on bis way and saw no more of the young
and their weakened horse nor did he no.
tice any blood or hair on the bridge when he
returned in the afternoon.
Had the young men bled their horse, as
Mr.. Brown thought they should do, there
might have been blood scattered on the floor
of the draw, and had the animal fallen and
struggled to rise while on the draw ltse f,
there might have been some hair torn from
his body and left adheriug to the fence by
the gateway leading to the lier. But Mr.
Brown could not explain why blood
should have been seen on the pier, and
IL will he rafoamharad thot tho bair ,,,h;ob
has been found is dark brown or black in
color, while the horse which Mr.. Brown saw
fall on Martins Point bridge. he says, was
an old white horse. So while Mr.. Browns
story does not solve the mystery il seems to
eliminate horse with blind staggers from It
as 1t is not probable that there were two
horses attacked with the disease on the
bridge that day. Ofcourse, however, there is
theory to fit the case, although the fit does
not appear to be very good one. Had Mr..
Browns advice been taken and the horse
oled ON the bridge. the person handling the
horse would naturally have gotten more or
less blood on his hands. He then, perhaps,
would have descended to the pier In the hope
OF finding chance to wash. Not being able
to reach the water, it would be very natural
for man to wipe the blood from his hands
by drawing them across the planks on the
pier. The spots of blood could be accounted
for by the mans moving about with blood
dripping from his hands. Were this much
proved, the presence of the hair and the
matter which has not been definitely declared
to be human brain, would be less suspic-
ious.
Mr.. Brown says that the white horse was
attached to pung, the color Of which he did
not notice. Oasof the men was about twen-
ty-fve With light hair and moustache. The
-Stser was some years younger, smooth faced
and light complexioned. They appeared to
have driven out from Portland.
Mr.. Houston first saw the blood at one
o'clock Friday, when it appeared fresh, as
though just dropped there. He said he went
to the draw on Thursday noon. There was
no blood visible then. On Friday noon he
saw the blood He goes once day to the
draw ia winter to see that everything is
right.
During the day yesterday rumors were fly
ing about town that dead body had come
ashore. The first report was that it was
found near the Marine hospital near the
Eastern Forge companys works. These
proved to be false reports, for nothing what
ever was known about such an occurrence
at either place. Then the report took an
other form. A woman's body, with the
head badly bruised. had come ashore at Mac
Mackworth's island, having been found by
clam digger.
The man who has charge Of Mr.. Bakers
summer cottage at Mackworth's Island came
to the city yesterday. He said nobody was
found on that island as reported, but that
parties had been graphing with irons in
hope Of finding body, as yet without sue