The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-12-22
BRAIN KILLED TWO CAPTAINS.
Attorney Hoar Asks Permission to Intro
duce a Witness Who Makes Sensation
tional Charges Against the Mate

Boston, December 21.-Spencer, ths
oolored steward of the barkentina Her
bert Fuller, was on tbs stand again this
morning in the Bran trial. He told OF
the finding of the bodies and of Bran e
demesnor at the time.
| In oross-examination he said the sail
ors were afraid of Brown. Witness saw
| him take of his coat, hat and shoes and
walk from one side of the ship to the
other, and other movements of his were
conspicuous. Once the captains wife
called me from the chart room while |
was at the wheel, and 1 leaned forward
as for as l could without leaving the
| wheel and I could not see her. tried
| to do this in New York harbor and Mt
Mystic wharf in Boston, while the vessel
was in tow and was at the wheel. This
| was in the daytime. All | could see
| was the moulding on the window, but
| not inside the room.
brown, the only witness who claims
to have seen the crime committed, swore
positively that he saw the defendant on
| a dark night with no light in that room,
| striking the fatal blows, without releas-
| ing the hold of his two hands on the
wheel, which was between him and the
WINDOW.
Continuing, the witness said: At
| O'Clock. on the night Of the murder 7ths
inside of the, oan nin window, was in its
place all right. but witness observed
when the body Of the captain was found
/ that 1t had been wrenched from one of
| It's fastenings.
| "What did you say?"
'sI said, Who did thisP Brown said
he showed the curtain aside.
"Was there any way in whlch he could
ges within reach of that rod from the
wheel?''
"No, sir, it could only be reached from
| the inside. He could not reach it from
the outside from the cabin"
| "What did you say to Brownf"
| 81 asked who removed that curtain,
and Brown said he pushed it aside"
| Mr.. Hoar asked Spencer in regard to
having Bran S vomit brought ashore and
aualyzed. Braun Immediately slipped in
it and wiped 1t on his pants. Spencer
| sail Bran tald him that he saw Brown
go away from the wheel that night but
he did not inquire why he was absen
from the wheel.
| At the afternoon session Folke Wasson
testified. He was seaman on the eT'
| bert Fuller. The witness did not remeEn
Der whether Bran or Brown suggested
that the bodies should be thrown over.
board and he did not remainder Of bes-
| tifying to this at Halifax. He said Pur-
deck and he did not reply TO the state
ment by Bram that off we don't get
Brown guilty we will get two years
eaoh.'
Nicholas Power, a detsctive of Halifax
was called. MIR. Power had talk witt
Brown and Brain in City hall
Mr.. Power described the conversation
between he and Bran in which Bran
said he thought Brown was guilty.
Heury J. Slice, sailor of the Fuller
testified to heated argument between
the first and second matef.
On the night Of the tragedy he wa
at the wheel until TO- Before the cap
} tain went to bed, there was light, bu
it was put out after he went to bed. II
saw the captain lie down, while he wa
at the wheel. There Was dim ligh
coming from the light before the clock
He left tho wheel at 10 and notice.
nothing unusual.
He saw Brown go aft at 10. 30 and las
saw the second mate about midnight
He testified to being called and ordere
aft by the steward. When the crew Wis
tied the cabin, the witness said, Brau
asked them to stand by him and b
also asked them to shake hands on is
which thay did. Slice said Bran sug
gested throwing the bodies overheard
He objected to this as we'll as the rest 0
the crew.
The witness gave the theory of th
| hIIlluk, uo bdlu DThiu bufohSoA' 1|thH
locked the cabin and took the keys.
On cross-examination Slice admltte
signing two papers. He said Brown di
NOT appear the same after the tragedy
he was excited and flush. Witness salt
he had been informed by two member
of the crew thas he WIS suspected Q
the crime.
John Snow, an undertaken Of Halifax
testified to taking the bodies in ohArg
and describing the wounds
On account of the illness of one OF TN
jury they were excused until tomorrow
Mr. Hoar informed the court that b
wished to produce a witness who Was
first mate on a ship where Bran wa
second mate, on trip to South Americ
when he said the first matB related ho'
Bran proposed to kill thegoaptaln AN
sell the cargo.
This proposed witness claims Bran
told him that he previously had Kllle
two captains and disposed Of the cargo.
Mr.. Hosr thought this OF serious I'm
port to show motive. He cited numer
ons cases where this witness should D
allowed to testify and the evidence al
lowed to 60 in.
Mr.. Cotter replied that this was mos
extraordinary request, and he oouia olt