The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-06-24
A Mistaken Identity.

A few days ago two men entered q
store at West Oyerton near PittsNirg,
Pa, and purchased pint Of whisky, the
younger Of the two, who was all dressed,
paying for the same. On the same even
ing, he was found in state Of insensi-
bility-Hpparently dead drunk, under
the overshot of stable. He was divest-
ed of his coat, aud heavily breathing
like a drunken man he looked exnctly
like a person in the stupor OF intoxica'
ton, and lie was accordingly left as such
to sober up at leisure during the night.
In the morning, however, he was found
in the same condition, and shortly after,
the man died. On examining the body
no marks OF violence were discovered,
nor anything to excite suspicion OF foul
play, but his coat was missing; his
pockets were turned inside ont aud not
thing was left about his person. It
was recollected that the young man had
paid for the liquor purchased, and sus.
picion was ut once raised that he had
been drudged by his companion, then
robbed. The symptoms led to an infer
ence OF poisoning by opium in some
form, or by some other drug, such rs
laudanum, or sulphAte Of morphia. The
excitement concerning it hOs been in
tense. One man in the crowd gathered
around, identified the dead man rs Hiram
Christ, and Immediately several saw the
features Of Mr.. Christ in tho stranger,
while others, however, saw no resem-
blance, md as positively asserted to the
contrary. And here began one OF the
most extraordinary series OF contradic-
tory identiAcations that Inns ever been
recorded. The father Of Hiram Christ
was sent for, and MS soon us llo saw the
corpse, he declared that II was his son,
Upon examining the body closely, how
ever, the father said he was not certain !;
his son had a scar on the chin and toe
split, and the dead body had neither.
Mrs. Christ was sent for and she, too,
identified the corpse rs the body OF her
son. About this time the father recol.
lected tint his son had purchased pair
OF boots, and TINT when he came from
the store he complained OF ono being
too tight, and that oil examining the
boots ono was found TO bc number seven
and the other number eight. III m
instant the boots OF the dead man were
examined, when, wonder OF wonders
one was found to be number seven and
the other number eight. The sister
were now sent for, who said II was theil
brother, and while the perplexing dis
pute was going on, the body wRs putre'
flying, and II was deemed proper to bury
| it. The father aud mother refused to
attend the funeral, but the sisters fol-
lowed mourning to tho grave. With the
grave, however, tho mysterious aiiair
was mot closed; on the contrary, Il stirred
up everybody to greater work in definite
directions. Persons werc scilt out in
search Of Hiram Christ following himup
to his employer, who had recently trans.
ferred him to McKeesport. AtMcl{ces-
port, however, Hiram was not to be
found, Tho father and mother now fan
cied that tho buried man was their son.
In great grief and contrition they made
preparation to dig up the corpse from
It's quictrcstirg place at Menanite church,
and remove Il to the yard where their
ancestors and friends were ut rest.
But to remove all grief aud sorrow
from the hearts Of his parents and sis.
tiers, but not to solve tho mystery OF the
dead man, Mr.. Hiram Christ, IA pr0priG
persona, put in an appearance. He had
been temporarily absent from McKees,