The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-12-28
A Canada ROmance-Curi0us Case of
Mistaken Identity.

One of the most singular cases of mis-
taken identity ever brought to light in
Canada has just taken place at Ottawa.
On the afternoon of the Goth of Septem.
Der last, a dying man was found by
farmer living at Johannesburg, lying on
the roadside, about seven miles from
Prescott. The farmer brought him to the
latter place, where he died, evidently
from sheef starvation, having been lying
around the country side without any Wis
IDLE means of support for several DAYS.
An inquest having been held verdict
was recorded in accordance with the facts,
and he was buried at the public expense.
Meanwhile, the prevailing opinion was
that the unfortunate man had been a resi-
dent of Ottawa, and many people there
who had friends from home, they knew
not where located. grew anxious, and
compared the description given of the
deceased with that of him on whose &C.
count they were SO uneasy.
Now Mrs. Hughes, who resides on
Nicholas street. between Rideau and St.
Paul, in that city, had husband who left
the city in July, 1875, that is to say, four
teen months before the date of the sad
event, but she was morally certain, from
the description given in the papers, that
it was her husband who had been buried
in Prescott. Acting on her apprehen.
sions, she started tor that town on the
fifth day after the burial, and, after very
great difficulty, succeeded in having the
grave opened, the lid of the coffin taken
OFT, and the body exhumed. 1t was dis
agreeable task, and Mrs. Hughes was re.
quested several times to desist and rest
satisfied with the description which hap
been given in the Ottawa Times, but she
persevered.
AT length everything was ready for in
spection, and she found that SO far rs the
state OF the body would permit, ever,
mark correspondent, even to the mos,
minute particular, with those she knew to
have been on her husband. The height
and apparent age correspondent in a
marked degree, and as Hughes had served
in the One Hundreth Regiment of Foot,
Mrs Hughes brought his discharge with
her, and the description of his person
therein given exactly correspondent with
the body lying before them when in life.
Such was the opinion of all present at the
examination. 10 add to the proof OF
identity she mentioned before the coffin
was opened all these particulars, and in
addition that her husband wore long
black coat, which, on inspection, proved
to be the Case. Thoroughly satisfied tina,
she was a widow in the land, the relict OF
MIR. Hughes had the body rein,erred, ana
came back to Ottawa, where. acting on
the advice of Major Buckley, she had at
tidavits prepared for her by MIR. J. J..
kehoe, emDcdying the facts of the case
The days ana weeks rolled on, and the
first grict was beginning to wear off the
edge OF Mrs. Hughes sorrow for her LOST
husband, when, to her astonishment
amusement and delight, he, whom she
thought she had seen buried under the
earth, walked into her presence Oh
Wednesday morning. We pass over thu
first transports of joy and the mutual ex-
plantations that ensued, merely remarking
that Hughes was in profound ignorance
OF all that happened, and had himself un-
dergone strange reverses Of fortune while
away from Ottawa. He had two very
pretty little girls, and when the eldcs,
saw him enter yesterday, she exclaimed,
Ma, has papa come up out of the
ground?' All the friends of James
Hughes, except one, agreed with his wife
that it was the body of her husband
which was buried in Prescott, and that
one was his mother, who, by some strange
instinct, could never be brought to believe
it, though why she could not very we'll
explain: Hughes had had very narrow
escape from death during his sojourn a,
the other side. He was one of the suffer
ers by the oil train taking fire in Penn
sylvania, and causing the death of seven
and the injury of about fifty. He was
taken to the hospital in very bad state,
and remained there three months between
life and death, but ultimately recovered.
He is by no means like dead man al
present, nor even like one who had been
dead. He is as hale and hearty as any
man in the city of Ottawa.-St. job.
IN. b. Telegram, Dec. 8.