National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1872-06-21
4 Mistaken Identity.

| A lew days ago TWO men entered
store ut West Overton near Pittsburg,
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-apparently dead drunk, under
the overshot Of n stable. He was divest-
cd of his coat, and heavily breathing
like q drunken man he looked exactly
like n person in the stupor of intoxica-
ton, and he 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 cont was missing; his
pockets were turned inside out and not
a thing was left about his person. 1t
was recollected that the young man had
paid for the liquor purchased, and n sus-
picion was at 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. snch as
laudanum, or sulphate of morl aia. The
excitement concerning it has 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 the stranger,
while others, however, saw no resem-
blance, and as positively asserted to the
contrary. And here began one of the
most extraordinary series of contradic-
tory identifications that has ever been
recorded. The father Of Hiram Christ
was sent for, and as soon rs he saw the
corpse. he declared that it was his son.
Upon examining the body closely, how
ever, the father said he was not certain
his son had scar on the chin and a toe
split, and the dead body had neither.
Mrs. Christ was sent for, and she, too,
identified the corpse as the body of her
son. About this time the father recol
lected that his son had purchased n pair
of boots, and that when he came from
the store he complained of one being
too tight, and that on examining the
boots one was found to be number seven
and the other number eight. In an
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 sisters
were now sent for, who said it was their
brother, and while the perplexing dis
pute was going on, the body was putre-
flying, and it was deemed proper to bury
it. The father and mother refused to
attend the funeral, but the sisters fol-
lowed mourning to the grave. With the
grave, however, the mysterious affair |
was not closed; on the contrary, it stirred |
up everybody to greater work i'll definite
directions. Persons were sent ont in
search of Hiram Christ following him up
% his employer, who had recently trans
'erred him to McKeesport. At McKees-
oort, however, Hiram was not to be
ound. The father and mother now fan
led that the buried man was their son.
n great grief and contrition they made
to dig up the corpse from ,
Is quiet resting place at Menanite church, (
nd remove it to the yard where their ,
Ecestors and friends were a rest.
But to remove all grief and sorrow r
rom the hearts of his parents and Sis ,
ors, but not to solve the mystery of the :
cad man, Mr.. Hiram Christ, ia prOprid .
erSono, put in an appearance. He had !
cen temporarily absent from Mckees- s
ort when sent for, but learning soon ,
fter what had happened at West Over
IN, he hastened home. In the excite
tent caused by the contradictory ident :,
cation the companion of the dead man !,
ms forgotten and allowed to escape !.
ON the country. AT Iron Bridge, and =
Broadford, a man of his description 8
anted to sell a coat but beyond this :,
,thing more has been ascertaiued. y,