Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-07-03
A Case of Mistaken Identity.

A Case Of Mistaken Identity.
Mr.. NJ. l.. KELLY, of St. Louis, arrived
here Thursday, to remove to that city the
remains of his son, John L. Kelly. NJ.
Kelly came ia response to a letter from
Coroner Stephens, announcing the suicide
of his son, who had leaped from the Mad
ison street bridge and found grave in
the turbid waters. Upon arriving, Mr..
Kelly, who yet cherished lingering hopes
that there must be some dreadful mistake
about it, FASTENED to the Morgue, only to
have his first fears confirmed, for he at
once recognized the remains as those of
his son. A keener sting was added to his
grief on learning that his son had been
driven to the desperate deed by sheer
poverty, having been turned out Of a cheap
boarding house because he had not the
money to pay his bills, while there was
place for him in the house of an atffuent
father.
With heavy heart Mr.. Kelly arranged
for the transportation of the remains to
St. Louis. Then, in hope Of obtaining
some memento of his lost son, the be-
reaved father sought out the boarding
house in question. He found that it was
at 16s East Adams street. kept by one
Sherm, who, on turning young Kelly out
into the street pennilesS, had held the
poor fellows trunk as security for the
amount due for board .Sherm, it will be
remembered, was the witness who first
identified the body at the COroners in
quest, and also testified that solely from
the description he had been led to believe
that the body was that of young Kelly,
and who, on examination, Immediately
recognized it as such, infinitely identify
ing not only the features and general APP
pearance, but the coat, boots, and other
articles of apparel-in all which he was
fully corroborated by his (Sherm's, bar
keeper, who had known the young man
for years
While Mr. Kelly was on the way from
the undertakers-whereh he ordered mag
nificent metallic casket-to Sherm's,
strange scene was being enacted at the lat
ter place Crouched in a corner, with
bristling hair and bloodless face, the bar
keeper who, before the Coroner so posi-
lively identified the body of his friend and
acquaintance, Kelly, with eyes distended
with horror, gaZed in speechless agony at
the apparitiOn before him-that of young
Kelly entering the door as last seen alive.
BY a supreme effort the barkeeper recov-
cred himself sufficiently to dart out of the
room, leaving the ghostly visitant the sole
occupant. To Sherm the barkeeper i'm
parted the strange story, but the latter had
courage enough to enter the bar-room, and
there beheld not the ghost of young Kelly,
but that youth himself, wearing a most
sheepish air, but making desperate effort
to look jaunty, in which, remembering
his board bill in arrears, he utterly failed
At this juncture Mr. Kelly, ST., ap-
peared, and not recognizing the youth be
fore him as his lost son, was introduced.
The bliss that filled the fathers heart was
almost more than he could bear, and he
literally wept for JOY. When he had
somewhat recovered his composure he be
sought his Maynard son to go nome with
him to 81 Louis to gladden. the hearts of
his mother, and brothers, and sisters, who
wept him as dead, but young Kelly was
bent upon remaining in Chicago. Instead
of investing in $3.50 coffin the father
paid the sons board bill and gave him
$50 in cash.
The mysterious feature of the affair is.
that the barkeeper, who had known young
Kelly for years, seeing him daily, was so
certain that the corpse at the Morgue was
that of Kelly, that even now it is impossi-
bic tor him to convince himself that it
was otherwise, and even yet he quivers as
though before visitant of the spirit
world whenever in the presence of that
young man. Sherm, too, was equally GER
tain OF the identity of the corpse at the
Morgue, as was Mr.. Kelly senior, the
points OF resemblance in features, size,
color Of hair and eyes, and even minute
particulars. The question now is, who
was the suicide thus identified as young
kellys.-Chicago Inter- Ocean.
To REMOVE HARD PUTTY.-Heat a sol
dering iron red-not and draw the end
slowly along on the hard putty. Any
other pointed iron will answer about as
we'll as copper soldering iron. Care
should be exercised III handling the iron,
to keep it moving with sufficient rapidity
to prevent burning the window sash, or
any other wood to which the putty is ap
piled A hot iron will soften the putty so
that it may be removed with compare
lively little difficulty. Hard putty should
never be cut away with an edge-tool, as a
portion of the timber is liable to he re-
moved with the putty. Soft-soap is fire.
quently recommended to remove hard
putty, but softsoap operates too slowly
for general use.-Amerlcdn Builder.
A SLIP Of the tongue on the part of
Judge Grace while charging the Grand
jury last Monday at Eddyville created con
siderable laughter at the Judges expense.
n % orr inc ff ffo Il, Il.