New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-04-18

the doctor had violent struggle, ssbbing him in the
neck ard ipficting a. the doctor believed, fatal
wound. The body was examined by this physiciao,
who declared il to be the robber whom he had stabbed
founding his opinion chiefly on the wounds whi,h be
had inflicted Yet it afterwsrd fully proved that
this person had died at his own house and before the
robbery was committed.
Such mistakes regarding identity are Of frequent
occurrence. TIE body for instance, may be confoun-
ded with hat Of some person actually living at the
time. OF tts there is large number OF remarkable
instances; but the most extraordinary was the dis
covery Of the BODY Of Timothy Monroe on the beach
Of Lake Ontario in 1897 and it, Identification with
that of the murdered Free Mason William Morgan.
The Coroner's Jury gave in verdict that it was the
body Of some person unknown to them, who had per-
ished from drowning and the remain- were Therefore
inferred. rumor was soon circulated that II was
the body Of William Morgan, who had disappeared
some months previously in my sterious manner, and
accordingly it was disintered and second inquest
held. MIR Morgan together with the family phys
ican Dr. Henry Of Rochester and several Others VINO
were acquainted with Morgan during his lifetime,
were summoned as witnesses. Mrs. Morgan testified
that she had not particle Of doubt regarding the
ide1tty Of the body and that she fully believed 1t to
be her husbands; and from the testimony of many
Witnesses physicians ard Others the fact appeared TO
be established. The dress, however, bore no re-
semblance TO that worn by Morgan, and the pockets
were filed with tracts; notwithstanding which,
the jury decided that il was his body. But
coon al advertisement appeared in Canada paper
offering reward for the discovery of the body Of
Timothy Monroe, drowned at Newark, in the Nj
agara. From minute description Of the clothes,
a,,1 W
at once that they coresponded with those
Of the body, which had been declared to be that Of
VIM. Morgan. 1t was then once more dkintsued
another inquest held and the Jury agreed that
that Of Timothy Monroe Of Upper Canada. Indeed
the general appearance Of body is frequently 90 I'M
satisfactory that should have but little weight upon
the minds of jury. The examining physician should
if possible be required to state his opinion regarding
come particular peculiarly defornity. Thus, in
1914, DupuytrieD identified the person of murdered
man by observing malformaton of the hipjoint. A
doubtful case, tried at Edinburgh, was decided
by q dentist who produced a cast of the
gums which he had taken before death.
The remains of the Marchioness of Salisbury were
identified by the gold appendices TO the jaw bone for
artificial teeth and the body of Dr. Parkman of Bos
ton was also known through his dentist who swOre
positively to set Of teeth made for the deceased a
short time previous.
Even under the most favorable circumstances 1t Is
very difficult, not only to identify body, but also
to determine whether the wounds, if any, were made
before or after DEATH and upon the correct decision
of these important questions frequently depend the for
tune, reputation liberty and even life of innocent per-
sons all such examinations should be conducted with
the greatest care, not by but by number of med
cal men, Of extensive experience and conversant with
tbs particular department of their profession.