The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-08-07
A LIVELY HALF HOUR
At the Police Station Last Evening.

A Queer Case of Swapping Horses-A
stolen Team-A Runaway Boy-A Run
away Husband-A Dying Babe and a
weeping Mother-A Stolen Watch.
Between eight and half past eight o'clock
last evening there was quite rush OF bust
ness at the police station,
First two men came in. They were Port
land men, and one of them named John
Gregor, SAID that last Wednesday he let the
other whose name is Meserve, take his
mare ana drive over to Scarboro, with the
OBJECT OF swapping horses with his brother
over there. But Meserve did not swarp
horses With his brother, but got drunk in
stead. lie claims that he was followed over
by three Portland men in team. They
were Fred Hunnewell. Nat McNuly and
Charlie Prime. They were with him at his
brothers. After that he was too drunk to
know anything, except that he must have
driven home and put--ur the horsesand gone
to bed.
In the morning he was astonished to find
that Mr.. Gregors mare was not in the stall,
but black, honey and very inferior equine
specimen was there in her place. Somebody
had induced him to swap during his drunk
enness. or had exchanged the horses with
out asking his permission. AT any tate he
remembered nothing about it.
He immediately suspected the three men
above mentioned. Since Wednesday he and
Gregor have tried to find these men and
make another exchange of horses. But they
had not been successful. Last night they
learned. having been to many stables in the
city, that the lost mare was at Larrabee's
stable on India street, and there they found
her and learned that she was there as the
property of Nat McNulty.
They then made their complaint at the
police station. The above is MesereYes story.
He admits that he was drunk, and thinks it
Was mean trick to take advantage of his
drunkenness to swap the horses.
McNulty will have chance to tell his side
of the story this morning. OF courese it will
be different. and is entitled to just as much
belief. Whether the swap was made with or
without Meserve's knowledge, the reader
must Judge.
When these two men left, Andrew K.
Brown. of 50 Washington street. came in.
He is middle aged man and was heated
and painted as if with running He said that
las 'oAA ~AiAHAOW W. ASCu ~ Jceilos uu
away about half an hour before and would
not come back that night.
He explained that the boy had disobey ed
him, and that he had punished him. Hence
the running away. 1.-THE boy was not strong,
and if he was exposed to the weather. all
night he might catch his death OF cold.
Then in came two young women. One of
them said that she worked in the Eagle
hotel and had lost her watch and charm,
and was sure that they were stolen from her
room.
Meanwhile a short, stout young man had
come in. JUS, a half hour ago he had left
his horse on Commercial street for few
minutes. and somebody had jumped into the
buggy and driven off. The man gave his
name as Fred Burkhart, OF Cape Elizabeth.
Following him young woman came in.
She was in a pitiable condition. and de-
clared that her husband had left the house
that morning and she feared he had de-
serted her, and gone to his mothers. She
was alone with the baby. which was dying.
Her voice broke into sob at the last, and
she left the station weeping bitterly, having
been promised, however, that her husband
would be looked up.
Then DR.. Way came in and narrated what
the poor woman had just told, and said that
the neighboIs said she was left with the
baby onsa pile of rags in a very filthy and ill
smelling house, that the baby.was dying and
the poor mother ought not to have left it,
and that the husband ought to be found.
Then came a telephone message about a
family row or, Larch street. and the need of
an officer, and, then game the telephone
message about the>b1rglar at E. j Harmon's