Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-06-19
LOST AND MISSING.

the! nave Hseu anu moved. StatiSticianS Tel
us that surprising number of individuals dis
appear mySteriOusly each year from the Cir
Gle OF their acquaintance: and police record:
similarly Inform us OF the large proportion o.
the Whereabout or existence of missing meI
and women Indeed, from all accounts, II
seems tolerably easy matter TO get lost beyond
recognition or finding; and the annals OF de
tectiye science are no better prepared with ar
answer to the query about missing persons thar
ordinary society would be to reply to the
familiar question, "What becomes OF the pins?'
1t will be understood that we are referring tf
those cases OF inexpl1cable disappearance IL
which no adequate reason can be assigned
t n Ihe - rsb instance at any rate for the mys
explained In the plaineSt but saddest fashion by
the discovery OF the missing body although
tne records OF medical jurisprudence teen
with examples wherein the identity of the loS
INDIVIDUAL becomes matter OF the graveS
doubt and uncertainty. And thus we note that
amongst the unwonted phases OF human life
there stand forth prominently those In which
first, case OF disappearance gives rise to the
vain search for or TO the discovery OF the mis-
sing body, and In which, secondly, science ap-
pears TO assist I'm the work Of Identification
this latter being In many cases a difficult and
sometimes hopeless labor impeded by the
grim and even ludicrouS force of circumstances.
The wellworn adage that 'truth Is stranger
than fiction finds nowhere better illustration
than in the histories stored up In the note book
or the medical jurisL And the records OF a
police station may In their own way furnish
the imagination with more fertile field than
has yet been encompassed By the most faciIe
pen of Hugo or Sue.
Allusion has just been made to the difficulty
experienced In the work OF identification even
by the most Intimate relations and friends of
the missing person. Many examples OF this
dlfhculty may be cited, the indefinite nature of
the task arising probably as much from the al
teration In appearance produced by the chilly
hand" which sets the features in repose, as from
any other cause The lapse OF few hours after
death may effect grave change In the cast or
pose OF the human face, as every doctor knows;
and police authorities, who have to do with the
identification OF the dead as well as of the ltv-
Ing, are accustomed to receive with juStiiable
care and caution the statements made by most
persons in cases OF disputed IDENTITY
A comparatively short time ago an instance of
this fact was afforded In a northern English
city. The body OF woman of diSSOlute habits
was found under circumstances which rem
dered the sheory OF her having been murdered
and extremely probable hypothesis. The que5-
ton naturally arose as to the name and identity
or the victim. Several persons were found
ready to declare that the body in question was
no other than that of MN, with whom they
had daily associated. Interrogated closely upon
this point, they still adhered to the exact
statement they had made; and their opinion
was supported by at least one fact, namely,
that NJ. \. had not been seen in her usual
hauntS Tor some days prior to the discovery
OF the body. identification In this case seemed
10 be little short OF acertainty, when 1t occurred
TO shrewd police officer 10 make assurance
dOubly sure by visiting the city prison, with
the view of aScertaining whether the person In
question might not be 1ncarcerated within its
walls. His search was duly rewarded by the
discovery that NJ. \. was there undergoing
short term OF imprisonment, ignorant OF the
circumstances under which she was credited
with being with the majority whilst still
alive and well. A suggestion grayely made in
connection with this case. that the body was
that OF certain A. B., was Indignantly re-
futed by A. B. herself walking into The police
station and confronting her anxious friends.
But the apparent impossibilty of Identifying
LOT INSaa
reference to case decided in the vice chan
cellorS court so recently 1866. This latter was
suit In which the plaintiff. HOlliSS wished TO
establish the death of person named VIM. Tur-
ner. Turner was last seen alive On the 1th OF
May, 1865, when he was entertained at GuildfOrd.
He then presented an emaciated appearance: his
mind was unsettled and weak; he was unshaven
and suffering rom Dolls and sores, which were
dressed at the last named place. On the 18th of
May drowned body was found In the river Wey
and at the Inquest, which was summoned on the
1Ith, TWO men named EtheringtOn SwOre to the
corpse as that OF their father, who was missing
at the period In question. The friends who had
entertained Turner at GuildfOrd, on the other
hand, declared their belief that the body was
that OF William Turner; but it was neyerthe-
less duly inferred as that OF Philip EJheringtOn.
On the neck OF the drowned man cOlOred
neckerchief was found, this article assisting In
the ultimate Identification Of the body, which
was effected some months afterward, on Philip
Ethertngton, the supposed drowned subject,
walking into his daughters house. The question
III.
The proofs were clearly brought out at last
William Turner had left behind him at
GuildfOrd fragment OF a handkerchief: this
fragment being found to correspond exactly
with the article removed from the neck OF the
drowned body, and the fact that the sore, OF
William Turner had been dressed at GuidfOrd
recalled TO mind the fact that similar traces OF
disease were dScernible on the drO gnei mn
To the Vice. hancellOris mind the chain OF evi
dence was complete and satisfactory and ludg-
ment was given establishing the identity OF
nradT "A
two sons OF EtheTiugtOn were positive a, TO The
Identity OF the body with their father who In
his turn must have remained utterly " aorlnt
during his absence from home concerning the
quandaTy into which that absence had led his
nlendS ana others.
More astounding because absolutely true, aud
In the highest degree perplexing as illustrating
the curious and remarkable Condolences of hu.
man life are cases in which a confusion OF lden-
tity and even OF name, may assist In blindfolding
justice In most singular and bewtldering fash
lon. In December, 1881, woman named EliZ-
aDeth Ross was tried at the Old Bailey for the
murder OF an Irish woman named caroline w alsh
After much solicitation on the part OF Ross and
her husband, Walsh had consented to live with
them, and on the evening or the 10 tn OF August
1881, the deceased went TO the residence OF Ross
In Goodmans Fields, taking with her as her
belongings beG and basket; the latter con-
tanned the tapes and other odds and ends which
Walsh was accustomed TO sell by way OF earn
ing scanty livelihood. All traces or Caroline
Walsh disappeared Oh the evening OF August
II
her visitor and LOGGER, she at first replied in an
unsatisfactory fashion, but ultimately stated
that Walsh had left her house on the 10th and
that nothing had been heard OF her LOGGER
Since. Circumstances, however came to Inc
knowledge OF the police which resulted In Ross
being duly arraigned for the murder OF Caroline
Walsh, and Ii was proved by the testimony OF
Ross son that his mother had suffocated Walsh
on the evening or August 49, and had disposed
OF her body Tor anatomical purposes.
Now appears, however, most singular ele-
ment In The case. On the evening or August
10Th an Old woman, giving her name as Caro-
or GCodmans Fields In a state or squalor and
hlth- and was duly conveyed 10 the London
Hospital. There IL was discovered that she had
sustained a fracture or the hip, and after q
days residence Ia the hospital the patient died,
and was duly Inferred. AT the trial it was
argued on behalf OF Ross that the Caroline
Welsh OF the London Hospital was In reality
her Late LOGGER; ana hence IL became important
TO settle the marvellous identity which had thus
arisen between the missing lOdger and the hos
pital patient. The former as has been stated
Welsh. IL was found out, however, that Caro-
line Walsh came from Kilkenny, whilst the
hospital patient hailed from Waterford.
This nrst point or difference was speedily fol-
lowed by the discovery OF other distinctions
fatal 10 the prisoners case, Caroline Walsh was
described as being about 81 years OF age
tall, OF pale complexion, and had gray hair
Caroline Welsh, who died in hospital, was about
sixty years OF age; she was also tall, but was OF
Clearly IN person, and exhibited no defect In
physical cO&1ormatiOn. Caroline Welsh was
dirty and emaciated and her feet were so COW
cred With cOrlS and DuliOnS as TO present the