Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-08-17
NO. 1856.
A DOWN EAST TICHBORNE.

DOWN EAST TICHBORNE.
A case nearly resembling the Tichborne
claimant, being that of lost son return
ing to his parents house, and recognized
and believed in as their true son, while all
the time an imposter, occurred at Bangor,
Maine, in 1S49. The claimant in this case
was young man twenty-four years Of
age, named Luther Hause, wild fellow,
son OF Luther Hause of Troy, Maine, who
had worked at Bangor for two or three
years as common laborer. He imposed
upon the family of James Hause Ito whom
neither he nor his father was related, (by
claiming to be their long lost son, and OBJ
tanned from them money and clothing to
considerable amount, for which suit was
finally brought against him.
On the trial, James lHause, Esq, of
Corinna, Maine, who was an intelligent
man, justice of the peace, and respected
by all who knew him-a man of property
and strongly attached to his children-tes-
titled that he had a son by the name of
james Rowland Hause, who lett home
about three years since in company with
neighbor of his. went to New Bedford and
there shipped on whaling voyage in a
vessel by the name of Copia. The first
fendant, was through neighbors of his.
who told him few months before, that
they had seen his missing son Rowland in
Bangor, and asked him il he was not Jas.
Rowland Hause. He replied no, he was
Luther Hause. They insisted however,
that he must be Rowland, and urged him
to return to his fathers with them. This
he refused to do. A day or two later a
neighbor of Mr. Hause, went to Bangor,
and was charged by him if he saw his son
to bring him home. Mr.. Roberts found
the young man Luther, brought him to his
own house, and sent for Mr.. and Mrs.
Ilause.
On their arrival Luther addressed the
former as father" and then turned to
Mrs. Hause, threw his arms about her
neck and kissed her, saying, "How do you
do, mother9" Mrs. II. did not at first be-
lieve that it was her son. His eyes and
hair were different in color, and his COM
plexion differed still more widely. In
speaking to Luther, she said: .'Is it pos
sible that this is my long lost son Row.
land?" He answered, '.Yes, mother, it
is me-, She then said to him: ''If you
are my son you have got scar on your
knee He pulled up his pants and
showed scar on his knee. She then
said: my son had a scar on his breast
that was burned in Mr.. Andrews shop"
He pulled away his shirt bosom and
showed q scar on his breast. She then
said: MY son Rowland had scar on his
neck, under his ear" He held up his
neck and showed a scar in that place on
his neck. She then said: 'sOne of my
sons toes Tapped over the other" He
said Zone of mine is So" The young
man then went to the house of Mr. Hause
and Mrs. Hause asked him to show her
the room where he used to sleep; he went
up stairs to the room where her son slept,
and after some hesitation, threw himself
upon the bed standing in the room, and
said That is my old bed' Mr.. Hause
and his wife were then fully satisfied that
he was their son, and provided him with
clothes, etc. He remained at their house
some five months, and they were satisfied
that he was their son.
A daughter of Mr. James Hause testi-
fed that she kept school at Brewer (oppo-
site Bangor) and that she did not at first
know the defendant when he called to see
her. Doubling his identity, she said to
him: "If You are my brother, you have a.
scar on the head, where / hurt you when
you were little boy" She then felt of
his head and found scar. and became
satisfied that he was her lost brother. She
so testified before the court
Several of the neighbors of Mr.. Hause
took this young man to be Rowland Hause.
Young men who had been schoolmates
with Rowland talked with Luther about
past times, and become convinced that he
was Rowland Hause.
On the other hand there were several
doubtful circumstances connected with the
young man which led the father and moth
er to feel continual uncertainty about their
putatve son. And one day there came
over to Corinna Mr.. Dow. who positive
| ly recognized the youth as Luther Hause
who belonged in Troy. Mr.. Thomas Gal
diner also told Mr.. Hause that he recog-
nized the youth as Luther Hause, having
lived near his fathers seventeen years, and
been very familiar with him. Mr. James
Hause now became so stirred up about the
matter that he determined to settle the
question publicly, and took out warrant
against Luther for obtaining goods on
false pretenses. He was arrested, and
Mr.. Seth Hause, of Troy, being summon
ed, appeared at the trial, and there reeog
fnized the prisoner us his son.
That was the end of the case. But the
trial created uneXampled interest; over
four hundred persons were present, and
apparently the majority OF them We're in
favor of Luther, believing him to be the
long lost Rowland. But the Judge was
too close-sighted not to give its due weight
to such positive evidence of non-identity
and sustained the warrant. The sovereign
mob, on the adjournment of the court
hustled the prisoner out of the way. and
though he was afterward tried and found
guilty of procuring money on false pre-
lenses, it was shown that Esquire Hause
and his wife, who had so credulously be-
lieved in his identity with their lost son
(atterward found in Calitoria) We're much
to blame for suffering themselves to be so
easily humbugged.-C Cincinnati CONNER
cial.