The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-05-13

VI 'tne deep pool on Easter Sunday, ht
dld SO at the time when the river wal
at about its normal level. The freshel
OF Monday and Tuesday brought down
stream large quantities Of mud and saw.
aust, some of which must have sunk
TO the bottom of the pool and very like
~ the body of Britton thus found q
burial. When therefore the searchers
went over the place, there was nothing
to indicate thats under the bed of the
stream lay the man whom they sought.
AS the process of decomposition went
on. the body broke from its bonds and
rose to the surface, drifting down the
stream to stop again at point nearly
opposite the little weather beaten house
which had sheltered it inslife.
| Another explanation is that Britton,
| in his dazed condition, missed his way,
reached the river at point above the
| bridge
AND FELL IN THERE.
The search for him being below the
bridge. This, however, is not regarded
as probable. 1t is possible that the
concusaion caused by the heavy logs,
as they rolled down the bank into the
water, may have had part in bringing
| the body to the surface, as the concus-
sion caused by the discharged Of fire
| rms sometimes assists in the same way.
County Attorney True, as soon as the
body had been.removed to the village,
charged DR.. Harper of Windham and
DR.. G. G. Lord of Naples with the duty Of
making the preliminary examination of
the body, pending the arrival of Coro-
ner Perry of Portland, for whom mes
senger was sent. The physicians care
fully removed the clothing and found
| that it gave no signs that the wearer
had been subjected to violence. The
watch was still in the vest pocket and
the chain attached to the vest. In an
other pocket was found wallet, from
which Sheriff sPIummer took S14 in
gether. The pocket hook contained
nothing else. The clothing as well as
the body. gave evidence that it had
been long time In the water. The
sawdust had worked its way even be-
meath the underclothing and there were
also found large numbers of small
snails which infest fresh water streams
and ponds.
AS already stated, the body looked
in the water. The physicians said the
appearances indicated that fully a
month might have elapsed between the
time that the man was drowned and
the time the body was recovered. There
were no bruises and not the slightest
sign of violence. The doctors were par
ticularly careful in their examination of
the head and face. but could find no
indications of bruises or cuts of any sign
of fracture of the skull. The examina.
tion settled beyond a reasonable doubt
the facts that
DEATH WAS DUE TO DROWNING,
and that it had not been preceded by
violence. Still, in view of the suspic-
ions that have been entertained, it was
manifestly case ON which there should
be kan investigation. Consequently
when Coroner Perry arrived. he impan-
nelled jury and the two physicians
who had made the first examination,
and DR.. John F. Thompson of Portland,
held an autopsy. DR.. Thompson ac-
companied Mr.. Perry to Raymond, hav-
ing been summoned by the same mes
senger. 1t is understood that the autop-
sy showed that death was due to drown
ing. There was no fracture of the skull
nor other evidence of violence. On the
scalp was slight abrasion, but not Of
kind to be suspicious Mr.. Perry made
further examination of the clothing,
finding in one of the pockets purse
containing small sum in change
Britton's watch, it is said, was found to
have stopped at 9.2O. The result of the
post mortem will be reported to the
forenoon. The jurors are Gibson P.
Davis, Lindow Skillings, Fred ". Plum
mer. Edwin B. Harmon, Benjamin
night and Benz H. Mason.
The interest felt in the case in this
vicinity was shown by the number of
people who came in carriages and on
foot and gathered about the building
while DIS. Lord and Harper were
making their examination. When 1T be-
came known that the doctors felt Ger
tain that there was no evidence of foul
play, expressions of relief and gratifica
tion were !heard on all sides. The only
member of the Delean family present
was Harry, the elder of the two boys.
The smile which that young man
habitually wears was all inch or two
broader than usual when he heard the
who came up to congratulate him.
Joseph Delean, the young man who is
probably the last person by whom
BRITTON WAS SEEN ALIVE,
came to the village in the afternoon. He
had been fishing in the morning and
had not heard of the recovery of .the
body until noon. His first comment up
on it. in a conversation with PRESS
correspondent, was that he was glad
they found Henry. who was too good a
boy to rot in the river. Joe had nothing
to say about his own feelings at the
turn affairs, had taken, except that
there were one or two persons in town
who he was "going to give good talk
ing too" He said that when they part
ed Britton was "as straight as a string. u
Joseph remained in the village until
after .rhe autopsy was over and was one
of the most interested of the group
which stood by the door of the build
ing, eagerly improving any chance that
presented itself of getting glimpse of
what was going on within.
1t was to the Deleans' house that Brit
ton went on the day of his disappear
ance. 1t was this and the failure to
find the body, with other circumstances
which could not be explained at the
time which led to the suspicious that the
Deleans might have kown more about
his disappearance than they told. 1t
will be recalled that Joe said he ac-
toll Cd