Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1870-11-05
Deaths Impsrsonality.

Oeetn1 4mpeto01outy.
In the course Of an ipterestiug srticls
upon the various cases Of disputed identity
which, from time to time, have pushed
incarnate justice, and imperilled both ma
terial and moral interests, q prominent
English periodical recalls an instance;
bearing date Of not quite two years ago, by.
whish 4Ahs~spahbiuaas lscIdona Eaiued
pointed illustration Of the faflibility Of ali
post-mortem evidence. Going back 10 the
spring to work upon some new houses scar
the Victoriu Park station of, the Ner&k
London railroad, which had been left nm;
finished through the winter, the bhflder
found in an obscure closet Of ohW Of the
crude tenements, the body Of q man Who
had evidently been dead for some time. A
slight scar over ono eye, on additional odd
boot near the feet, and some trifing blood
stains upon the decent clothes, we're at first
the appearances suggesting foul play but
the subsequent finding Of bottle, stiil
containing some laudunum, near the eorpsei
and the final medical inquest gave grcac,
er plausibility to the hypothesis Of suicide.
Although the man had apparently been
dead for at least two months, the body was
in condition Of sufficient preservation for
personal recognition, aud witnesses we're
summoned to establish an identity. A
carpenter who had visited the buila:ngsirY
the preceding February, positively recog-
nized the remains as those Of gentleman
Unlocking, but seemingly insane persorp.
whom he had seen childishly cutting up,
bits Of wood upon heap of building ma
terials before one Of the houses, aud who
had responded incoherently to the questions
of the witness. In stature, features, beard,
clothing, and whole physical aspect the
dead body was exactly that Of the apparent
maniac, or imbecile aforesaid. But now
came female witness, who, without seeing
the body exactly described it in descripl'
tion Of brother of hers who had beeu,r
missing for three months; and, upon view
ing it, positively identified with the lost
relative in question. This testimony did
not necessarily conflict with that Of the
carpenter, though complication Vas yet
to come. A lady and gentleman brought
forward photograph of relative Of theirs
who, eighteen months previously, had de-,
serted his family mysteriously, taking
large amount Of property with him; aud
by their recognition and the evidence Of
the picture, the dead man was "identi6ed"D
again. Next appeared Dr.. Ellis, physician
to St. Luke's Hospital, who testified that
on the 1st Of February q lunatic named
Heasman made an extraordinary escape
from st. Luke's. The extra boot, found
near the body, had the name Of Harnett
written upon the lining. And the name
Of another patient, through whose room
Hoasman must have passed in making his
escape, was Harnett. A brother Of Heas<,
mans also recognised the body Is that Of
his brother, who, he said, was insane upon
the. subject Of poisoning. This, identifiea-
tion, it will be seen, did not conflict with
that Of the carpenter, but put the latter atl
immediate. variapce with that of the girl
who lost her brother. Then appeared =
Mrs. Mary Ann Banks, who AFTER carefully
examining the corpse, distinctly swore that
it was her husbands and to substantiat6
what she said, produced photograph cfr
still more startling resemblance than I'll, /,
before. Her two sisters fully sustained her,
ia the Identification. Strong as this testi-
mony was, still another bereaved wife In
sisted that it was her husband upon whom
the inquest vas holding; and pointed u =
peculiar mark on one of the fingers - 6naR,
proof. Nearly every one Of these witnesses
was corroborated BY the testimony Of near
relatives, aud, for time. the jury were uto
tcrly bewildersd by the strange iconfnsiepy
Histories. Cumulative evidence was, how.
ever, in favor Of the Heasman identiicx@
tion. Heasman's wife swore that his nams
found written in indellibls ink upon some
Of the dead map's uudsrelothipg, awaS il,
her handwriting, and Dr.. Ellis, sxamining,
once more, found that the deceased had .
dental cavity corresponding exactly with !
tooth lost BY his former insane patient IL
his charge to the jury the coroner auB6
unhesitating credit to "a the witnesses tR
perfect sincerity, and could not disceyu
that there would Be any benefit to any one
Of them in legal veri6catioo ~ his 81 hsrs
identifying testmony bat Il vaS ssidsits
that some one Of them must Be mistaken,s
and the strongest oircumstantiL evidence
was with d.. Ellis and the Heasman -.
The jury agresd with him and gsve verdict
accordingly; aud yet, a. may b scsa;; H.
was possible that the dead body phonM;
have been that Of some man not oncs nau-
ed At tho inquest. The oass ~ nee IsS
il'ustratieu of the grim saying that = dsaE
men tell no talsi.n ie W Is u aaslsg aso
~ The editor Of tho Brandon (lfies,l
i ono Of Your, quiSt chabs,
Who never says anytkisR auyone css t(Skd
oR.~s> - H.. fs-ls.-tx N