The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-04-01
Remarkable Coincidence.

The old adage that truth Is stranger
than fiction" has made many versifcations,
but none, perhaps, more remarkable than
the following ~ Yesterday, says the Atch-
ison Patriot, on the Missouri Pacific Rail
road train, which reaches this city few
minutes after twelve O'Clock, stranger
arrived who sought out the Lindell Hotel
for q comfortable meal aud few hours
rest before proceeding on his isjourney across
the continent to California.
Aiter his baggage had been cared for,
he registered his name on the hotel regis
ter: Frederick Moffat, Bangor, Me"
The gentleman was shown the dining.room,
and began eating his dinner.
A few moments after these events hap
pened, the buss drove up to the entrance
Of the hotel, and a stranger, just arrived
by the Kansas City, St. Joe and Council
Bluffs Railroad, stepping out and into the
hotel, after divesting himself of overcoat
and wrappings, he proceeded to register
his name and location. Much to his sur
prise he found his name-"Frederick
Moffat"-already registered. He had not
written it; ho had just arrived; he was a
total stranger Who had written the
name? He could almost have sworn the
writing was his. He was puzzled; but q
better look at the register disclosed the
fact that Moffat hailed from Maine, while
he resided in San Jose, California.
Moffat No. 2 wrote his name on the
register, and turned to the clerk and asked
for Moffat No. l.
Having been informed that he was then
ut dinner, he stated that he would like
an interview with him, and quietly seated
himself by the stove until Moffat No. l
returned from the dining-room, and was
pointed out to him by the clerk.
He introduced himself, and the two
men bearing the same name, who were
totally unknown to each other, sat down
to conversation which disclosed the fol
lowing coincidents:
Moffat No. was born in Maine, and
was thirty-one years old the third day of
January, 1876. Moffat No. 2 was born
in California, and was thirty-one years old
on the third day Of January, 1876.
The father Of both families was named
Charles" and the mother "Mary."-
Each have two sisters and one brother
dead, whose name was Charles, named
after their father. Both were proprietors
Of livery and feed stables in their respec-
tive places of residence, and the residence
Of both were consumed by FIRE on the 9Th
day of March, 1875, and were insured in
the Etna Fire Insurance Company.
These two men were similar in appear
ance. In height, ayoirdupois and general
appearance they were almost enough alike
to be twins The only difference is in the
complexion and color of the hair. The
Maine mans hair is black, while that of
the one from California is fiery red.
These two men stayed over night at the
Lindell Hotel, and left this morhing-the
Californian on his way to Maine on busi-
ness, while the Maine man goes to Cali
fornia for the benefit of his health
When the fact is taken into considera-
tion that these two men were no kin, and
never heard of each other or their respec-
tive families before this strange meeting,
the chapter Of incidents will read all the
more like romance. These statements,
however, are strictly true, just as we have
related them, aud will be verified by Mr..
Moose, of the Lindell Hotel.