The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1880-04-02
TWO REMARKABLE FRIENDS.
Or One Remarkable Story.
[Bodie Standard.1

astounding and phenomenal kind.
, This man goes by the name of John
= Jarboe, though his real name is George
Roberts. Upon this change of name
hangs most wonderful tale. Many
may think the story about to be re-
lated mere fancy sketch, but its
truth can be substantiated by num-
ber of reputable men here and in Ne
vada. To begin: In a small town in
Western Illinois there lived a wealthy
family by the name of Jarboe. Its
me mbers consisted of the father,
mother, three daughters, and one son,
christened John. Hard by lived a
Mrs. Roberts, q widow in reduced cir
cumstances, with an only son, named
George, who was about the same age
as young Jarboe. John Jarboe and
George Roberts grew up together, went
to the same school, shared each others
pocket money, and were the closest of
bosom friends. A short time before
the war broke out the elder Jarboe
died. About the time Fort Sumter
lad of sixteen summers, took his share
of his fathers estate and went to the
wilds of Colorado. At Denver he open
ed Il saloon and did thriving busi-
ness for years. Young Roberts an
swered the first call for volunteers, and
went South with one of the first regi-
ments of the Illinois troops. He served
through the war and came home at its
close tall, handsome youth, but with
his head prematurcIy bald. 1t must
here be remarked that John Jarboe
had very dark features and an abun-
dance of straight, dark hair, while
young Roberts was a fair-haired, blue
eyed and ruddy-cheeked blonde. Short
| lev ff0n D>H@ ~koS1
he received a letter from Jarboe, in
viting him out to the growing city of
Denver. Roberts went, and for many
years the two friends were inseparable.
They lived at Denver, Central City,
Golden, Blackhawk and other places
in Colorado, and always together.
About 1878 they came west to Utah.
And now comes the strange part of the
story. Some five years the two were
| occupants of cabin in Bingham
Canon, Utah Territory-a rude, log
| hut, covered with dirt roof. One
night the roof gave way and fell in on
the two friends while asleep in bed.
EARLY next morning the neighbors ex-
tricated them from the ruins. Both
had sustained severe contusions about
comatose state. The first to recover
was Jarboe, but, strange to relate, his
first utterance was, "Did Jack (Jack
was the name George used to call Jar
boe) get killed?' Those around the
bed asked who he meant, and he re-
piled, "Jack Jarboe, of course.' They
told him he himself was Jarboe, but
he got angry and swore he was George
Roberts. Seeing it was useless to argue
with him his attendants dropped the
subject, thinking he would recover
from his strange delusion in a few
days. Next day Roberts recovered
consciousness, and, singularly enough,
inquired the first thing, "Is George
him that he was George Roberts; he
insisted that he was John Jarboe.
During their interim of insensibility
the two friends had completely changed
their identity. Thus Jarboc insisted
that he was George Roberts, and
Roberts as stoutly affirmed that he was
John Jarboe. Their friends and ac-
quaintances thought that they must be
crazy for a while, but it was soon seen
that they were perfectly sane upon
every other subject. 1t was no use to
show them their photographs taken
before the accident. They could not
account for the change in their respec-
tive appearances, but they remained
pCllSClly pOSlCIS0 VI VHClI
After awhile it became sore subject
with them, and they would consider
any illusions to it an insult. There
was much talk of the affair at the
time, but it finally died out as every
thing else does. At last the two friends
went on visit to their old home in
Illinois. Roberts presented himself to
the mother and sisters of Jarboe as the
son and brother, but his advances were
spurned. Jarboe went to Mrs. Roberts
as her son, but she declined to receive
him as such. When she saw her son
she fell on his neck, but he disengagcd
himself and told her he was not her
child. The poor mother was nearly
crazed with grief at this repulse. Mrs.
Jarboe and her daughters saw the real
Jarboe, and wanted to smother him
with kisses and embraces, but he kept
them off, telling them they were mis-
taken. Their sorrow and amazcment
cannot be described. Our two friends
held Il consultation, and, concluding
that their relatives had gone daft, inn
mediately set out for Nevada. They
have been roaming around the various