Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-10-22
THE MAN OR HIS DOUBLE:
An Extraordinary Case of Doubtful Identity
-Eepndiated by His Wife-ldehtified
by Brother and Sister.

An Extraordinary Case of Doubtful Identity
-Eepndiated by Ills Nife-Identitied
by Brother and Sister.
The case of the Youngs, as curious in
many respects as the famous Tichborne
case, was taken up in the surrogate court,
New York, Wednesday. The man claiming
to be Theophilus Young. whose identity is
the point now in dispute, is not a claimant,
but appears in aid of his brother, in oppO-
sitiOn to a suit brought by his wife, the
legal status of which rests upon the allie
CATION that Theophilus Young is dead.
The case grows out Of an inheritance to Il
share in which Theophilus Young was en-
titled The distribution Of the property,
which is situated in New York, was de-
layed by lawsuit, which was attended to
by Henry Young, the older brother of
Theophilus, and who was the executor of
the estate in litigation. Theophilus re-
ceived advantages on his claim from his
brother, amounting in all to s., 200, and i'll
1870, ut the time when the last sum was
paid him on this account and when the
prospect Of a decision in their favor seemed
very uncertain, he together with his wife
made over to Harry Young all his rights
already received. The suit resulted in
lONOI vi IAC OuuHS, 81 UALO AASAlly
made good bargin when he bought out
appears to have done nothing more
action was taken il until after
his death was reported in Boston, in Feb
ruary, 1876. He had disappeared, and Il
body in the morgue was identified as his.
In October. 1877, his widow obtained let
ters of administration from Surrogate Cal
vim, and Immediately sued Henry Young
for the share of Theophilus in the estate,
claiming that the sale of his interest was
invalid. Henry Young replied by an ac-
ton for the revocation of the letters of ad-
ministration, on the ground that his
brother was not dead. He obtained an
injunction staying her suits against him
until the case before the surrogate should
be settled.
A good deal Of evidence in the case, i'll
the shape of afidavits and of testimony
taken before commissioner, in Boston,
has heretofore been submitted, and \ re-
sumo of it was published in August last.
1t is very conflicting. On the one side
were produced witnesses who positively
Unidentified the body found as that ofTheo-
philus Young, and witnesses came forward
for the other side who declare that they
had seen and, in some case, talked with
Theophilus Young since the date OF his
alleged death. In the meantime a man
claiming to be Theophilus Young
himself turned up. and has since
been living quietly in New York
stunning public observation. Mrs.
Theophilus Young once made application
for his arrest as an impostor, but nothing
was done in the matter. lf an impostor,
he had never attempted to impose on her,
for he refused to go near her. They met
for the first time yesterday before Mr..
Edward +. Cndcrhill, who was appointed
by Surrogate Calvin to take testimony in
the case. A man about forty years of age,
of medium height, with light eyes and 4
sandy moustache, came into the court in
company with Henry Young. He said
that lie was Theophilus Young. Referee
Underhill asked Mrs. Young whether thi;
man was her husband. She looked ut him
for moment and then said, in 4 loud
tone, "That is not my husband"
Henry Young was then put on the wit
ness stand. He identified the man who
called himself Theophilus Young as his
brother and as the husband of Mary J. G.
Young. Early in August, lie said he re-
ceived letter from his brother asking him
to meet him OH August in the law Office
of E. G. Drake. He met his brother on
the appointed day and saw him often from
that time to August "a. He identified his
brother by a popularity in the for;nati III
Of one of his finger nails and of his lower
teeth. Sophia Young, sister Of Thcophiiuss
also identified as her brother the man who
called himself Theophilus Young. The hear
ring was continued.