Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-01-12
THE BRAN CASE.
Captain Bryne Thinks Bran Once
Tried to Murder Him.
Mhy Was Not the Pilot Who Took Bark Into
Halifax Examined?

Boston. Jan. 1.-THE counsel i'll the
Bran case received word. saturday. that
the hearing on the motion for a new trial
would take place the week after next
Captain Thomas Byrne of Wellheet.
thinks he knows Thomas NJ. Bran. and
if he is right in the matter. the develop
ments may he of interest to the public
But Capt. Byrne is not positive he only
thinks Bran is the man who went with
him as cook to the west coast of Africa
The cook. whoever he was. Capt. Byrne
does not remember his name tried to
murder him and his wife, and made adj
missions of a very sensational nature
Captain Byrne says he was around the
court house when the trial of Thomas
Bran was going on. but that he could not
get into the court room. and was also
unable to see the district attorney. He
did not get even good look at Bram
who sat in the dock.
He gives description of his cook. how
ever, which taliies in essential points
with that of Thomas Bran.
He says that in 1891 or 1892 he shipped
the cook, who said he had come recently
from Buenos Ayres. where he had been
serving a term of Imprisonment for as
sault.
While on the voyage there was some
trouble. and the cook attempted to muir
der Capt. Byrne and his wife. but was
knocked senSeless before he could deliver
the lunge with his knife. This happened
on board the vessel Mary Sanford. The
cook was taken ashore at Hamburg.
Captain Ryrne's attention was first at
tracted TO Bran by the newspaper pict-
ures of him, and he then thought Bran
and the cook were one and the same.
This belief was strengthened by the fact
that the cook was 4 West Indian, and
said he came from St. Kits: also that
he had worked in Boston restaurant.
The personal description in regard to
age. height and weight also tailed with
that of the cook.
Mr.. James E. Cotter. Bram's counsel
when seen in regard to Capt Byrne's
story. said:
II do not believe there is a word of
truth in il. 1t is Il weak story all
through. Bran has accounted for all his
time. and | have investigated his story
as he has told it to me, and as he told it
on the witness stand. He has always
told the same. story. The government
thing could have been brought against
him. we should have heard of it before
now.
Il have not seen Bran since the story
appeared. but | am sure there is nothing
in it. | have gone over his life story with
him in detail again and again, and he has
always denied that he was arrested on
any charge, or that he was ever in the
custody of Il police office previous to his
arrival in Halifax
There is considerable conjecture in the
minds OF many Halifax people who have
followed the Bran case as to. why the
plot who brought the Herbert Fuller
INTO Halifax was never called as wit
ness ut the trial. He was the first person
to board the ship from the shore. and
was therefore the first person outside the
crew with whom the principal per sons in
the case held any conversation relative
to the murders. Pilot White was in
formed when he boarded the barkentine
OIL the harbor of what had taken place.
ana he was told more or less of the cir
cumstances of the affair.
Before the pilot boarded the barkentine
he noticed that the vessel was acting
StfahSelN After standing in for the