The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-11-12
NO sPooK SEEN.
Captain McDufie Denies That He Saw the
Ghost of Captain Griffin. and Threatens
Suit Against the Man who Gave the Story
to the Paper. -

Barring one trifling circumstance,
Capt Eden Griffin might figure in the
next edition of Mr.. Stead's book, on we'll
attested cases of the appearance of spirits.
As far as known thespirit of Capt. Crit
fin HASN'T appeared to any mortal. When
the following appeared in local paper
Saturday the reverse seemed to be the
case:
"Captain W. McDunie. of the tugboat
Belknaps is at present confined at his
home by illness. The cause of his iu-
disposition, according to the accounts
given by brother mariners, is an uncoru-
mon, almost incredible one. 1t seems
that his predecessor in command OF the
Belknap, Captain Eb. Griffin, before he
died registered a VOW that be. would re
turn from the other world to haunt tine
whee]house of his old craft.
If we are to believe the story now
told by reliable persons, be has kept his
word, which accounts for Captain Me-
DUTIES illness. Captain Eb. Griffin
made his first appearance as bogie
man when the Beiknap was at anchor
near Cushing's Island recently. The en-
gineer found the captain insensible in
the pilot house, and when he regained
his senses it IS claimed that he attributed
his condition to a visit from his old
friend who had gone aloft."
As stated to the PRESS by Captain
McDuffie himself last night, the facts in
the case are as follows Several days
ago he awoke in the night and
found that he was very feverish, and
when morning came be had grave dou bis
whether he could reach the wharf, and
was twice forced to return to his house.
Later in the morning, feeling a little
better, he went down to the boat and
said to the crew, Il ought not to go
out; I'm a sick man." He finally took
the tug out and brought in one vessel.
He then went outside. but was forced
to be q uiet, and finally found that he
had some difficulty in sitting up. At
last he said, "This will never do;
must 20 back,n and he tried his best
to take the tug in, but his fever rapidly
increased, and with it a bad throat
trouble, and he was unable to keep his
place at the wheel, and at last called the
deck hand to the pilot house and gave
him the wheel. He did not become un-
conscious at any time, and the spirit OF
the late Captain Gritfen did not appear
in the pilot house. So far as Captain
McDuffie knows, Captain Grissn has
taken no special interest in marine mat
tiers since his lamented death at the
wheel of the tug.
Captain McDufie thinks he knows
who started the story. and why it was
started, and vest erday had talk with
well known attorney and gave him
the case. The romancer who sold the
reporter seems to have overlooked one
He said that Captain
Griffin before his death registered VOW
that he would return after death and
haunt the wheel house of his old craft.
This would, seem to imply that Captain
Griffin was sick man, and that expects
ing death he gave notice where Ills spir-s
it could be found atferthat event. AS a
matter of fact, Captain Griffin as not a
sick man, and while he was getting
along in years there seemed to be no
good reason the morning Of his death
why. he might not live for years. AS
will be.remem bered he dropped dead at
the wheel of his tug. He failed to an
swer a signal, and was found at his post,
but lifeless. 1t seems almost pity to
spoil so.good story, but the truth is
mighty. and when it comes to the
PRESS, must prevail, even if Mr.. Stead
is deprived of one of the best cases of
spiritual manifestation ever reported,
and good deal ahead of any he pub
lished in his famous book.
If the case reaches Judge Ronney's
court in the shape of suit against the
man who is alleged to have started the
story, the question to be submitted to
the jury will be very complex, and al
most startlingly novel. The real cues
ton will be whether it is likely to dam
age man to have its said of him that
he has seen a spirit or communicated
with one. The attorney seen by Cap
tain McDuffie was of the opinion that it
would most certainly be damaging to
any man who is entrusted, az is the
case with Captain McDufie with the
taking in and out of vessels and the
mum berless onsibilitiessassumed by
the captain of tugboat. The case
seems to be all on one side. No mem
Der of the crew heard anything about
the spirit of Captain Griffin, and it is
insisted that the entire story started in
the imagination of the romancer who
first told it. Perhaps the New York case
might be cited, when the fact that a
noted lawyer and large property owner
believed that he was in communication
with spirits, was held to be sufficient
cause why his estate should be given in
to the keeping Of oilers.
ii the present case reaches the court it
will be of far more than local interest.
Slight Fire.