The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-07-18
MISTAKEN IDENTITY.

Jnt CINCINNATI Enquirer OF the 9th INST.
which is right in saying that it reads
like romance:
Albert Post, the central figure in the fol
lowing story, was few years ago prominent
in social and business circles in Cincinnati.
lie was the SOn-in-law Of Mr George Lewis,
the senior member of the present firm OF
George Lewis Il Sons, importers and dealers
in dress goods. This was in 1871. The firm
was then Lewis q Livingston. Post was
employed by the firm as bOOkkeeper. 4 few
years prior to this, Mr.. Lewis lived in New
York, and there Post first met his future wife,
Miss Ida Lewis, young girl of rare person
al beauty. After Mr. Lewis removed to Gin
cinnati, Mr.. Post, who resided In New Y York,
continued his visits to Miss Ida, and they
were soon after married at the residence of
Mr.. Lewis, at Mt. Auburn. Post IS spoken
OF as a man Of fine business qualifications
and good habits, and Of extraordinary fine
appearance. His many excellent traits of
character won him many friends. The firm
Of Lewis q Livingston was well known and
was doing a large business. Post was the
Son-ln-law of the senior member, and his
prospects were very bright. His wife was
young and beautiful, and, so far as the out
side world could judge, loved him with all Of
woman's devotion. After they had been
married year or more, child was born to
them.
One Saturday morning, in the summer Of
1872, Post kissed his wife and baby goodbye
and left them while he went on a business
UP 10 1OlullDuS, IlllS state, promising 10
return on the following Monday. He did not
return on Monday, as his family expected
tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday brought
no intelligence Of him His wife was greatly
alarmed, and his friends could not account
Tor his absence. A telegram was sent to the
business house which he was to have visited
in Columbus, and the response came back
that he had not been there. His books were
found to be all right, and DO reason could be
assigned for his remaining away. The myS-
teTy was deepening every hour, and on Fri
day telegram was received from London a
town near Columbus, that a stranger answer
ing to the description of Mr.. Post had com
nltJed suicide by poisoning at hotel IN that
place on Sunday, and that the body had been
buried there. Mr.. Lewis and his family did
not believe that Mr.. Post had committed sui
eide, and could not think that the dead man
was he. Nevertheless. Mr.. Harvey Lewis,
now one of the firm of Lewis & Sons went
up to London to examine the clothing and
effects Of the dead man. The clothing was
entirely different from that worn by Mr.. =.
when he left home The hat was the same
style and manufacture, but il was almost
new, while Mr.. Post had worn his hat for
two years. Mr.. Lewis described his brother
ln-laW To persons who had seen the stranger
before and after death. and the description
agreed with the suicide. The coroner who
held the inquest, and every juror, with one
exception, was of the opinion that the dead
man was Mr. Post. But how account for
the clothing being entirely different from that
90 TO Columbus, as he had told his wife he
intended to do, led his friends to believe that
perhaps he had committed suicide, although
there appeared to have been absolutely no
cause to induce him to take his own life. If
he intended to kill himself, and wished to
hide his identity, he would naturally change
his clothing. There was not a single article
among the effects of the stranger by which
his identity might have been fiXed-no paper
no letters, not even a key or a pocket-knife
1t appeared that he had purpOSely put every
thing out Of the way before taking the poi
son.
Mr.. Harvey Lewis returned home and gave
it as his opinion that the suicide was not Mr.
Post. and this opinion was shared by many
of his friends Mrs. Post. however, was not
satisfied. as the description she had of the
deceased agreed with that of her husband
with the exception Of the clothing worn, and
preparations We're made to diSintcr the body
for identification. Mrs. Post, Mr.. Lewis and
his sons, and several intimate friends, went
to London for that purpose. Before going,
. however, Mr.. George Lewis, the father-in-
law of the missing man, remarked that he
would examine the hotel register. Post wrote
a very peculiar hand, and Mr.. Lewis was of
the opinion that he could recognize his
writing upon the register, whatever name
lie might have subscribed or however much
ne might have tried to disguise his writing.
The register was examined. The stranger
had not registered.
Mrs. Post examined the clothing of the de
ccafed, and the moment she saw the hat she
. recognized it as one worn by her husband
when he left home. Mr.. Lewis said this
could not be. He thought Mr. Posts hat
was an old one. while this one was new.
Mrs Post speedily explained this Her hus-
band, a few days previous to his recent de
parture from home, had lost his hat out of
! the car window. She was with him at the
/ time and at her request he bought a new
hat precisely the same kind as the Old one
/ had been Mr.. Lewis was now the only one
of the family that doubted that the dead
/ man was Mr.. Post and when his daughter
related the fact of his having bought the
new hat, he, too, was satisfied and the grave
/ was opened. The one Juror was fully per
suaded that the dead stranger was not Mr..
/ Post, and there were still others of the same
mind. The coffin was opened, Mrs. Post
/ took one look at the face of the dead, and
/ exclaimed, ooh, my poor darling! :" and fel
fainting upon the coffin.
The last doubt was removed from tho
minds of those who witnessed the scene
The body was removed to the hotel, anC
another inquest was held. The face of the
! deceased was slightly discOlOred, but all tn,
/ witnesses who knew Post in life testified, tC
! the best of their knowledge and belief, that
| the body before them was his. Mrs. Pos
was fully convinced on this point. The
/ next and most important witness was Sam
/ johnson, an insurance agent who had iSSU
/ ed life insurance policy to Mr.. Post, anC
/ who knew him well. Johnson was at tha
i time agent for the Union Mutual Company
/ this city as an insurance man of great indus
/ try and ability, and if he were living nov
| his recollecti0nS of this affair would be very
[ interesting. Nj. johnson died in Washing
1 ton, Ind, about two years ago lie had is
! sued a policy to Mr.. Post for s.. 600. He wa
/ present at the second inquest and so posi-
/ tive was he that he expressed a willingness
/ to pay the insurance Not only was tn
/ dead man a counterpart in face and genera
| appearance Of Mr.. Post, but the books o
Z the insurance company showed that tn
I height was exactly the same. The bod,
l was Il trfie larger around the chest than tn
/ measurement of Mr. Post showed him &
/ fact that the body had swollen some, as wa
| noticeable in the face. Mrs Post recOllecte,
| that her husband had one tooth filled. n
/ more. The dead man had the same tOOtl
| flied, and no other
The mystery enShTOuding the suicide O
the strange man was now cleared up in tn
7 minds of those familiar with the affair, am
the body was brought to Cincinnati by Nh
/ Lewis and reintcITed in his lot in Sprin
! Grove Cemetery. As soon as the prope
Z notice of the death was furnished to tn
I company I'm which Mr.. Post had been in
I sured the money was paid TO the heirs \
usual III such cases, bond was required b
/ the company. ihdemnifying them from los
in the event that the deceased should prov
not to be the person insured. Mr.. Georg
/ Lewis readily gave such bond in the sum {
$4,000. The money was then paid thrOug
the agent Mr.. johnson, to Mrs Post, an
was afterward, as IS stated, put into til
| business of Mr.. Lewis.
This was IN 1872. While Mrs. Post wa
stil mourning the loss Of her husband, hc
only child, the one solace OF her life sicker
ed and died. This doubled bereavement
! fell with crushing weight upon the sad heal
/ OF Mrs. Post. The baby was buried besid