Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-09-30
From tI.e Gan francisco 'Chronicle. Reot. s.

From the San Francisco Chronicle, Sept. s.
A Question OF fdentity-An Unfortunate
EOuutrytuan ia sam Francisco Fails
into TrOubIc-Fs HItatnRen for q. LunatfC
and COnnneIs in the Asylum.
In the month Of November last citizen
of one OF the new counties resolved.in his
mind that he would pay the cosmopolitan
city of San Francisco u visit. He had
heard the wonders of the metropolis
dilated upon had faint visions OF what
wonders Woodward's and the City of Gar
dens presented to an inqairing bucolic
mind faint rumOrs came waited over the
bay Of 'Black CrOok" Ieg-acies, and fam
would he look upon the Uur+ooities CI
nature as nature formed them. Invested of
extranecus drapery. Having finally re
Volved the question In his own mind, he
HE'D himself off from sweetheart and friend
and was soon ensconced in q fashionable
hotel for as he had never been here be-
fore and scarcely ever expected to come
again, he determined to see ''the elephant"
in all his gorgeous hues. He came, he
saw, was conquered fOr i'll the course of
his wanderings he meandered into a
"deadfaIl,' where he underwent the
usual process that leaves the victim sans
cash, SCt1iS sense, suns every thing, except
disgust and remorse. In the early dawn,
wandering along the front of the city, and
Illuminating upon the vicissitudes of for
tune, he became suddenly immersed in the
scented debris OF the sewers that dis
charged themselves in that vicinity
While in this plight he was taken into
custody by one Of the city guardians, and
from the effect of his nocturnal imbiba-
tions and extraordinary bath was in q state
of mental bewilderment. He could give
no coherent account of himself, and was
locked up in the station house for safe
keeping until called for. AS his name was
unknown no charge was entered against
him. He therefore remained in his cell
for some three days uncailed and uncared
for. Ia the meantime an inquisition had
been held upon one Day, who was declared
insane by the county judge and ordered to
Stockton. The officer in charge not being
acquainted with Days person, bounced
upon our unfortunate bucoiic friend, and
without more ado, hurried him off to
Stockton, and turned him over to the
tender mercies OF the custodians of the
insane asylum as a lunatic. Great
and natural was the amazement of
our victim and of the presiding genius of
the asylum. Alternate explosions of rage
and appeal to reason were alike Of no
avail. Protestations were useless, proofs
Of identity were treated with dirision or
! as the cunning vagaries and devices of a
| mailman. Great was the grief of the
friends of the missing man. Inquiries
flew Ill every direction over the wires. Ad-
vertisements crowded the columns of
newspapers. Even the temptation of
large rewards failed to elicit any informa-
ton as to his probable fate. His friends
and relatives finally resigned themselves
to the belief that he had come to an I'M
timely end. He had either been shang-
haed, drowned or was the victim of Bar
barry coast rangers. The mystery was,
however, solved il Nay last, some six
months after his supposed demise, when
the same careful officer discovered Day in
the coonty jail. and that he was the person
whom he should have taken to Stockton
in fact that it was a case OF mistaken
identity. Day was taken to the asylum,
the circumstances explained, exchange of
boarders made, and our friend was releas-
ed to roam again in freedom and ponder
on the mystery and uncertainty of human
events.