The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-12-18
THE REOENT CALAMITY.
An Incident of the Ohio River Disaster
disqualification of u Corpse.

An Incident of the Ohio River Disaster
-IdcniiGcatiOn of "a Corpse.
Nom the Lfttsb,rg Gazette, Dec. H..
Among the victims to the recent heartrend.
Ohio, were MIS- Commodore Thompson, a
young married lady OF New Orleans, on her
way back to the CrescentOlty. and a companion
named Mrs. Griffin, who had resided in the
same place. The day following the awful night
OF the accident the bodies of both these ladies
were found, IL was thought and taken charge
OF by griefstrlcken friends for interRent.
They were placed In the Episcopal church at
Madison, Inc lana, not far from the scene OF tue
wreck, and the ladies' of the parish very kindly
rendered the remains every proper attention
and prepared them for the grave
, Their funerals took place In Christ Church,
Rev. James Runcel, ID. D., officiating. Tue
graves were prepared, and the interesting
when q message was received from Commo.
dore Thompson, directing that the bodies OF
his wife and Mrs. Griffin be forwarded 20
Philadelphia for interment there AT the same
moment Mr.. Wolf, cousin OF Miss Fahnestook,
who was also lost in the disaster, appeared In
the church and laid claim to the supposed
body of Mrs. Thompson as that OF his unfortu-
nale relative. The friends of Mrs. Thompson
insisted that the charred corpse belonged TO
her, and In order to prove that they were not
mistake en- produced evidence TO show that their
de CT ased friend owned and wore plain gold
ring on her finger. with the name "Grace''
engraved inside, and IL was by this ornament
that they had succeeded ia Identifying the
body. Mr. Wolff was surprised at this an.
nouncement, as IL was on just such ring Of
tnst Identical shape and bearing bear the very same
making good mis- claims TO the corpse as that OF
Miss Fahnestock.
He had positive knowledge OF her owning
and wearing such o ring in life, and was doubly
assured OF the fact by kilograms from Pittsburg
asserting that while here, just a few days before
her terrible death, the young lady had on her
finger such q ring. Here was a dilemma. The
friends OF Mrs THOMPSON were equally positive
with those of Miss Fahnestock that the ring
found on The corpse had been worn by her. and
beyond doubt fixed tden' tdcation. After q calm
discussion the friends determined 10 forward
the body 10 Philadelphia and there endeaVor to
solve the mystery. The two lost ladies were of
about the same size and build, and as the
clothing had all been burned away aud the
features horribly mutilRted, the confusion
arising from the remarkable coincidence of both
having rings on their fingers of exactly the
same Kind and bearing the same legend was
quite natural and OF course sorely distressed the
respective friends.
The corpse arrived in Philadelphia and the
question OF Identification still remained unset.
lied. AS a last resort several gentlemen OF the
medical pro fesson were called to- bring science
to solve the perplexing problem. A post
mort EN- examination revealed the fact that the
dishgured body was not that of a married lady,
and The friends OF Mrs. Thompson willingly ac-
qulescrd in the decision. and the corpse was
surrendered for burial TO the relatives OF Miss
Fahnt stock. The coincidence OF the rings was
very remarkable, aud had both the lost ladies
occupied the same relations in life, the identi-
hcatfon, perhaps never could have been m made,
unless. indeed, the body OF Mrs. Thompson be
yet dragged In from the river in SUCH preserva-
tion as to render the features recognizable