The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1874-02-05
[From the Missouri Republican,
MARVELLOUS NARRATIVE.
A MAN WHO ALMOST DOUBTS HIS own IDENTITY.

MARVELLOUS NA00A4AvG
i AMAN WHO ALMOST DOUBTS HIS OWN IDENTITY.
There is a trial involving the mos
marvellous question Of identity nov
progressing in Court at Malone, Franl
lin county, N. Y. If the case were no
in Court, and engaging the attention Q
judges, lawyers and many witnesses
some of the developments would b
incredible and set down as a ground
less fabrication. We give an outlin'
of the reported facts:
Two years ago Willis Peyton, far
mer of Franklin county, New York
left home with the usual baggage of ;
traveller, a patent-right model of ,
spring bed and several letters of intro
duction to parties south. His business
was to sell rights. He was 40 years o
age and had wife and several children
some of whom were we'll grown. lie
wrote to his family from Terra Haute
that he was feeling i'll, but would pusl
on to Evansville, where he had friend
David Weaver, with whom he intended
tospend few days before going further
South. Here the old Willis Peyton was
lost to the world and to himself and Il
new man seemed to grow in his place,
still clinging to Willis Peyton's mem
DRY and some marks which were on
Willis Peyton's body. He has given
his story under oath, and it is briefly
this:
THE TERRIBLE CHANGE.
After leaving Tcrrc llaute he lost all
consciousness, but somehow got into a
hospital at Evansville, where he found
himself recovering from small pox.
He was then bald, and when he re-
sumed his clothing every article APP
pcared to have been made for much
smaller man. The pantaloons, which
he recognized as his, were at least six
inches too short. He could get no
trace of his money, watch model spring
bed, or other effects
When he was released from the hos
pital he went to his friend David
Weaver, who spurncd him as an impos-
tor. He was, in fact, horrible sight,
and looked like the Wandering Jew, or
some other walking pestilence
Viewers remarks about his friend
Willis Peyton's personality caused him
10 examine himself, and he found he
lad grown eight inches taller in As
many weeks. He would have denied
lis own identity if it had not been for
lis mind and other evidences that had
been familiar to him from his childhood.
Of course he could not continue his
contemplated journey, for he had lost
is objects and bearings. He went 10
IN engine house and looked into a
mirror, and did not even recognize his
ace. He thought Of suicide, and his
lext thought was Of home The latter
He was utterly lost and
started to find himself. On the way
he was taken i'll again, and once more
III the world was blank. He finally |
arrived at his own door after an alb
'encc Of two years. Willis Peyton's |
amily believed him dead. The Willis
'eyton who had left the threshold two
,ears before had light hair, nearly red |
md very scanty beard and was thin
n flesh. The Willis Peyton who now
Knocked at the door was much taller,
'ounder, and had brown curly hair, and
/ heavy beard. He looked like a gross
lie on the former, with no truth in him;
'ut the sequel is startling. He knocked
md was invited into the house of the
Widow Pcyton," and took a seat
at Mrs. Pcyton he said: 81
oppose you don't know me, Adder"
'he answered, "No, sir, | do not; who
re your" The man burst into tears
nd said: you'll not believe me, | |
NOW, when | tell you; but it's got to
,ome some time, and might as we'll
low as not I'm Willie Peyton.'
HIS WIFE sHRINKs FROM HIN.
Mrs. Peyton shrank from him, ordered
i'm out of doors, and two of her sons
nd hired man took him to the nearest
Justice, who sent him to Jail as lu-
latic. He was first tried by Commits
ion of Lunacy and was adjudgcd per-
ectly sane. He is now being tried be-
ore the Surrogate on the question of his
'retcnsions as the husband of Mrs.
'cyton and the owner of the Pcyton
property. He has told his story, the
,n;ot, <,c .,,I:,L 600 Io.o