Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-06-17
Cases Of Mistaken Identity In the I'm.
gIish Courts.

IL ig not seldom that even British JUS
tice gets hold OF the wrong person.
Cases Of mistaken identity are by no
means rare in the courts A singular in
stance Of this happened 10 q London
young woman, VINO was beguillng the
tedium of life by ssjourn at Brighton.
Mrs Hoddy was, il would appear, en-
ployed in a restaurant ia the city" On
Good Friday she departed tor the pleas.
ant seaside resort with her mother and
a female friend. 1t was Sunday evening,
The three London ladies had been
saunteling on the pier; and toward
eleven IN the evening Mrs. Hoddy was
hyIug her TO her lodgings in Russell
street. A stranger came up TO her
abruptly and accosted her lie went so
far as 10 touch her on the shoulder, and
10 give her the information that he had
seen her before" She declined to rec
ognize him as anyone she had ever seen,
and, as be persisted in following her, she
appealed TO policeman for protection.
She got 10 her lodgings and retired
Scarcely had she gone to sleep, however,
before her landlady reused her with the
intelligence that policeman was wait
ing below 10 take her into custody
Unable 10 credit her senses, the amazed
Mrs. Hoddy dIzzily descended TO the
guardian Of the law. To her further sur
prise she found, in company with the
policeman, the young man who had ad.
dressed her in the street. What followed
fairly overcamc her with astonishment.
La presence Of the policeman, the
stranger charged her with having. on the
Sunday night before, caught him round
the waist and robbed him Of wallet
with five pounds in II.
In vain did poor Mrs. Hoddy declare
her innocence. She was rudely iostled
out of the house and the policeman
pushed her along" till they reached the
lookup.
The complainant stated 10 the magis.
tTate that he WAS tailor of New Bur-
lingion street, London. He repeated
the charge of theft Here comes one Of
those cruelties OF English procedure
which cast stain on the so-much-boasted
British Justice. The young woman was
refused bail; and not only were there no
inquiries made as 10 where she had been
on the Sunday evening when the robbery
was alleged TO have taken place, but she
was treated as prisoner proved guilty.
She MAS examined by female search
err" she was locked up in a cell and
kept there two days and two nights.
Finally she was committed for trial and,
being consigned 10 Lewes Jail, the add.
tionai indignity Of riding from Brighton
10 Lewes on the outside Of the prison.yan
was put upon her. At Lewes she was
forced 70 put on the jail garb, placed in
solitary confinement and forced TO use
penal bread and water
Meanwhile II occurred TO the prose
cutor, Mr.. sydney Landon, that very pos.
eibly he had made mistake. After Mrs.
Hoddy had beer immured in Jail several
weeks, and on the very day before her
trial at the assizes came on, be withdrew
The charge and rendered an apology
This, naturally enough, was not ac-
ceptcd. The outraged Mrs. Hoddy
| brought an action for false imprison.
ment and just jury awarded her dam.
ages 10 the extent Of 81 400.
Another case OF mistaken identity oc.
CURED in London. One Mir. CHAPMAN
was sitting In his library one day when