The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-11-21

wife had become in sane and he had been
having hard time with her. He hadn't
been able to leave her and they were
without food. He asked Coffin TO go up
town and get some food for him. Coffin
did so. Yesterday morning, Coffin went
aboard the schooner to see how they
were getting along. He found them in
the cabin. The woman's hands were
tied and her husband was holding her.
He said that she had been so violent all
night that he had to hold her. He had
passed a terrible night. He hadn't slept,
of course, neither had he slept the night
before, and he was nearly worn out. Dr.
Baker had beensthere the day before and
declared his wife hopelessly insane, and
so he concluded to send for the police and
have her taken care Of Before the OIL
GERS came she was particularly violent,
tearing her clothing nearly off from her
and making loud outcry.
(. Officers Skillings and Sylvester came
with Turnkey Measure. She fought
desperately against being taken away in
the wagon. She was taken to the Greeley
Hospital. Last evening she was reported
as but little better. Her husband is much
affected by this terrible calamity.
This couple have been leading rather
an unusual life. For the last five or six
years they have lived and worked togeth-
or in their little schooner. They have
earned a living in various ways, such
Oh hrryri rarr a ms
the bay and bringing them to sell to the
packers and carrying small quantities
of freight up and down the bay.
The woman, despite her age, was
good hand at pulling lobster traps or
hosting an anchor or sail and standing
her trick at the wheel, or in helping her
husband as any sailor would. Many a
time they have co me into the dock in
stormy weather with the old woman on
the deck, dressed in oil clothes and rub
Der boots, like a man.
1t was rather difficult yesterday to find
out much about their antecedents. 1t was
learned that for the last two or three
winters they have lived in the schooner
in one of the docks 1t was declared by
several of those along the wharves that
the mans mama is not Greenleaf, but
that it is David Coffin, ami that lie
changed it to G1eenleat; also that this
woman is his second wife, that he mar
ried her out west in Montana. and that
there is Indian blood in her veins; that
he has son by his first wife, who went
west with him, that he owns a snug farm
and buildings in Freeport, and that he
brought this second wife home with him
to the farm about five or six years ago.
His business was on the water in the
schooner, and she found it SO lonesome
on the fnrln that she would not stay
there, and insisted on going with him in
the boat. They both preferred this kind
of life to living on the farm.
AS far as any one knew that could be
seen yesterday. they have lived very
comfortably together in the boat, and
seemed to be very fond Of each other.
The woman's insanity was thought to be
the result either of natural tendency or
of so much rough work and exposure,
due to her peculiar manner of life.
1t was also stated that the man had an
aged mother in Freeport who is very i'll
at the present time. AS if this wasn't
man, who apparently knew, told the
PRESS reporter recently that this Cap
tain Greenleaf or Coffin, as they all call
him on the wharves, has brother Will
liam, who was caulker in Knightville,
but who changed his name to Morse and
went away to New Hampshire with his
wife. and that neither his brother or
his aged mother in Freeport, who is 81
years old, have heard a word from him
for ten months, though they have writ
ten to him. 1t is stated this brother Will
liam has been thus alienated from his
family by spiritualist. ~
The couple who live in the boat and
to whom so much misfortune has recent
ly come, are very religious people, and
always when in port attend very regular
ly at the meetings of the Sail Loft, and
Salvation Army and other places.
SOME STEALING.
Jimmy MoCraw, an old man, who used
to be oaulker in this city, came down
here from Gloucester on the sloop Mary
A, Captain Ha ggett, last Saturday
night. Tuesday night he broke into the
cabin of the sloop and stole Captain
Haggett's watch. He pawned it for sixty
cents, and spent it for drink. He was
arrested and the watch recovered. He
was before the court yesterday morning
and sentenced to sixty days in Jail.
William Dugan says that there is alto
gether too much stealing going on along
Commercial wharf now days A short
time ago somebody tried to break into
Alpheus Sterling's fish house, but failed,
and Tuesday night somebody stole some
of his tDugan's) sardines and herring
that he had stored in the fish house that