Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1858-07-31
"oUR COUNTRY Our Country"

Die eVlOence OF ltS DelnR Che MC<AuIevs 4ueI
arguments and dsputatiOns arose between the
parties-sOme being stronglyin the belief that
it was McAuley, and others just as confirmed
in the belief that it was an impOster. In the
meantime, the sick man, rejected and disown'
ed by those he claimed as relatives, returned
to town; and here he was constantly sur.
rounded by persons of town and country, who
regarded him with all the interest and curios-
ity that the unsOphisticated evince upon see
ing the elephant. His relatives, anxious to
be convinced that it was him, came in and
again endeavored to recognize something pro-
wing his identity; but they were forced to re-
turn more fully satisfied than ever that he was
not the man he prOfessed to be.
The question arose whether the real McAu'
ley had no marks by which he could be iden-
titled. Ills friends said yes One Of his toes
had been split with an axe he had scar on
one hand, and another mark under one eye.
McAulcy the second was examined, and,
strange to tell he bore the identical marks
Here was confusion worse confused. When
McAuley left hero his eyes were dark
brown and his hair straight, coarse and grey.
lie was an erect, muscular man Of one hun
dred and scventy-iive pounds weight: The
shadow of q man now calling himself McAu-
icy HAS TdtIlcT uue HAIR, HICuuCU " SNI y ""a
is scarcely grey at all /; his eyes are dark blue.
1t is claimed by those who believe him the
real McAuey that climate and sickness and
time have made these changes. McAulcy
worked for Mr. John Feurt several years be-
fore he went to California, and he left Mr..
Fcurt in charge of his unsettled business. A
correspondence has been kept up between
them. Mr.. Feurt confrOnts this man, and
cannot believe him to be McAulcy. He visits
him repeatedly and talks to him, but no
change is made in Mr.. Feurt's mind. Finally,
at an interview on Saturday last, the stranger
put question to Mr.. Feurt in regard to his
unsettled business left in Fuert's hands, and
asked if he (Feurt) had paid over the money
he had collected to his (McAulcy's) wife,
This staggered Mr.. Feurt's belief, and he con-
cIuded it must be his old friend McAuley.-
lie took him with him, and kept him until
this morning. In the mean time, he used ev-
cry means to satisfy himself as to the identity
Of the man. But this morning the invalid re-
turned to town, and Mr.. Feurt tells us that
he is not McAulcy. Mr.. Fcurt's mother, on
the contrary, declai es that it is McAuley.
Mr.. Aaron Noel, another old friend of Nc
Auley, failed to recognize him, after several
interviews. Finally he asked the stranger if
they ever had any dealings together. The
sick man looked at him and replied, =" Yes,
you bought heifcr at my sale when was
going away" This was another strong point,
in Nocl's opinion and he felt constrained to
yield his doubts, for he had bought heifer as
stated. But to-day, (Monday,) after further
inquiry and investigation, Mr.. Noel repudiates
the man as McAuley.
Messrs NJ. Kchoe, Henry Hall, and others,
of whom McAulcy purchased goods for years,
before he left, all fail to recognize their old
customer in the new man.
Mr.. John Clark, who accompanied McAu-
ley across the plans in 1862, failed to rccog-
nizc this man as McAuley at first but upon
conversing with him, he is satisfied that he is
the iona .tide McAuley. Mr.. William Will
liams, who met him repeatedly in California,
says he is Mc.Aulcy. MIR. j. D. johnson, OF
I.Icasvilc, an old acquaintance, is positive
that he sees McAulcy in the returned Calfor-
nian. Mr. William Musser, of this place, q
brothcr-in-law of McAuley, declares this
man is not McAuley. Mr.. James Long, Of
this place, who knew him well, says he is
McAuley.
Mr.. Leonard Gaoniger, another old acquain-
tance of McAuley's Indignantly rejects this
man as his old friend. Mr.. James Huston
has crooked finger and he asked this mys-
terious stranger If he know how that happen
ed Yes; bit it. :" Huston says, several
years ago he and McAuley got into fight,
and McAulcy did bite that finger joint, and
made it crooked.
We are simply giving facts, as related by
the persons themselves, without attempting to
prove pro or con. We believe McAuley's rel
atives are honest in their opinions; and they
have right to act in accordance with such
opinions.
As we never saw McAuley before heleft for
California we do not pretend to judge this
man. One would suppose that wife would
be competent to speak correctly in such a
case; and yet all are ready to ask what Object
the stranger would have in attempting slct
an imposition. If it is McAuley, he has 9
hard time Of it. Sick nigh unto death, with
one foot in the grave, he comes q long ant
weary journey to die among his friends, and
is disowned and put aside as stranger.
If he is not McAuley, he is certainly ma
king but poor speculation in the attempted
imposition. He left on the Bostona to-day
from Cincinnati, to get his trunk and papers
which he claims will prove his identity. Mr.
John Clark went down with him; so W.
will know more upon the return of the boat