The possibility of excitations with fractional spin and statistics in
1 + 1 dimensions is explored. The configuration space of a two-particl
e system is the half-line. This makes the Hamiltonian self-adjoint for
a family of boundary conditions parametrized by one real number gamma
. The limit gamma --> 0 (infinity) reproduces the propagator of non-re
lativistic particles whose wavefunctions are even (odd) under particle
exchange. A relativistic ansatz is also proposed which reproduces the
correct Polyakov spin factor for the spinning particle in 1 + 1 dimen
sions. These checks support the validity of the interpretation of gamm
a as a parameter related to the ''spin'' that interpolates continuousl
y between bosons (gamma = 0) and fermions (gamma = infinity). Our appr
oach can thus be useful for obtaining the propagator for one-dimension
al anyons.