The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1874-01-29

There is u trial involving q mos
marvellous question of identity nov
progressing i'll court mt Malone
Franklin county n. Y. If the cas-,
were not in court, and engaging tn,
attention of Judges, lawyers, ant
many witnesses, some of the develop
ments would be incredible. ahd se
down as groundless fabrication
We give an outline of tho reported
facts.
Two years ago, Willis Peyton. {
farmer Of Franklin county, New Yorl
left homo with the usual baggage o
a traveller and Il patent right mode
OF a spring bed, and several letter:
OF introduction to parties South. Hi,
business YVES to sell rights. lie was
40 years of age, and had n wife and
several children, some of whom were
well grown. He wrote to his family
from Terra Haute that he was feel.
ing i'll, but would push on to Evans
vile, where he had friend, David
Weaver, with whom he intended tc
spend a few days before going.furtheI
South. Here the old Willis Peyton
was lost to the world and to himself
and a new man seemed to grow in
his place, still clinging to Willis Pey.
tons memory, ands some marks which
were on Willis Peyton's body. He
has given his story under oath, and
it is briefly this :
After leaving Terra Hautc he lost
all consciousness, but somehow he
got into hospital at Evansville,
where he first found himself recover
ing from smallpox. He was then
bald, and when he resumed his cloth
ing every article appeared TO have
been made for II much smaller man.
The pantaloons, which he recognized
as his, were ut least six inches too
short. lie could get no trace of his
money, watch, model spring bed, or
other effects.
|. When he was released from the
ohspital he went to his friend David
Weaver, who spurned him as an i'm.
postor. he was, in fact, horrible
sight, and looked like the Wander
ing Jew, or some other wandering
pestilencc.
eaver's remarks about his friend
Willis Peyton's personality caused
HIM to examine himself, and he found
he had grown eight inches taller in
as many weeks. He would have de
MED his own identity if it had not
been for his mind and other eviden-
ces that had been familiar from child
hood. OF course he could not con!
tinae his contemplated journey, for
he had lost its objects and bearings.
he went to an engine house and
looked intoa mirror, and did not
even recognize his face. He first
thought of suicide, and his next
thought was of home. The latter
prevailed. He was utterly lost and
started to find himself. On the way
he was taken i'll, again, and once
more the world was a blank. He
finally arrived at his own door after
an absence of two years. Willis Pey-
tons family believed him dead. The
Willis Peyton who had left that
threshold two years before had light
hair' nearly red, and very scanty
beard, and was thin in flesh. The
willis Peyton who now knocked at
the door was much taller, rounder,
ana had brown curly hair, and
nieavy beard. He looked like a gross
lie Of the former, with no truth in
him but the sequel is startling. He
Knocked and was invited into the
house of the "Widow Peyton,' and
took a seat Lookingat Mrs. Peyton
he said; IL suppose you don't know
me, Adder She answered, mo
sir, l do not; who are you2" The
man burst into tears and said:
You'll not believe, I know, when
tell you; but it's got to come some
time, and might as well now as not
I'm Willis Peyton."
Mrs feyton shrank from him, or
aered him out Of doors, and two of
her sons and a hired man took him
to the nearest Justice, who sent him
to Jail as n lunatic. He was first
tried by commission of lunacy, and
was adjudged perfectly sane. He is
now being tried before the Surrogate
on the question of his pretentions as
the husband Of Mrs. Peyton and the
owner of the Peyton property. He
has told his story, the main points of
which We have given has related in
court circumstances that occurred be.
fore the same Judge years before,
told the lawyers many things that
stranger, such AZ he seems to be.
could not know related Willis Pey.
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