The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-10-13
MISTAKEN IDENTITY.

of the parties, who had been long time abb
sent, to establish her identity, which was at
tended with some difficulty, and some yet
doubt the evidence by which the claim was
established, and even go so far as TO intimate
that there is a mistake in the persons who
offered it. As to that, have no grounds to
justify such an mption.
There are many interesting cases of mis-
taken identity on record where the courts
have been deceived, great injustice done and
overwhelming frauds practiced. a case is
reported i'll a French work, "Foderi Trasti
de Mid. Legale" vol. I, chap. 2. Martin
Guerre had been away from home many
years. An adventurer named Armand Dutile,
who exhibited the closest resemblance posi-
sible, in features and person. to Gusrre ap-
peared at his home and passed himself off as
Guerre, and so complete was his deception
that he was accepted by Queries wife as her
long -missing husband. She had children by
him and he took possession of Queries prop
erty He lived three years in the family
with the wife. four sisters and two brothers-in-
law of Guerre's without exciting suspicion.
At last, from some cause, his claims were
disputed. The matter came to trial, and,
about the time the court was ready to con-
firm his claims, the real Martin Guerre APP
peared.
Thirty-nine years ago a German family in
Preble county, Ohio, was embarrassed
with a similar deception. John Eberlee
left his fathers home and went
to New York. where he lived for
eight years. Then no word was received
from him. The family supposed him to be
dead. When the old man died he left very
handsome estate to be divided equally
among his children. Before it was divided
man in the likeness of John appeared to
claim his share of the property, and so sue
cessfully did he play the deceiver that he
was just about to receive $1,000 and some
real estate, when letter was received from
the real John stating he was in Germany,
had married, and would be home in few
months. The assumed John, hearing this,
disappeared at night leaving many persons
pecunarily worsted. He had been with the
real John Eberlee long enough in Germany
to learn the family secrets, and that he re-
sembled him so closely that he might in
some way possess his property.
Another case is reported by the same
author mentioned. Gassoli left his
home when a young man, and
given up by his friends rs dead. He re-
turned after an absence of thirty years, and
claimed the property he was heir to- but
was not accepted, and was imprisoned as an
impostor, In time he was restored to his
liberty and given his property only because
the courts decided that because his relatives
could not prove his death and because the
changes in his appearance which they set
forth might have resulted from age, hard
ships and change of climate. This paper
,s-lxE Ill 4 L
lar cases to prove how easy and how fire.
quently one person may be taken for an
other, and how frequently persons so
change not to be recognized by their own
brothers, sisters and even parents.
Legal medicine opens one of the most in
teresting departments of inquiry within the
bounds of professional literature Romance
may CLEAN from this source facts enough
without embarrassing its votaries with i'm
aginaTy heroes fancied tragedies, marvellous
deeds, miraculous deliverances heartless cru
city, unconquered love and eternal con-
stancy.
In a work recently published by Woods &
Co., New York, titled Legal Medicine by
Charles NJ. Tidy, NJ B., F. c. S., series of
very interesting cases are published, forcibly
demonstrating the fact that the nearest rela-
tives may be mistaken as to the identity of
friends both while living and after DEATH
that proof of identity often depends upon
some private mark, some defornity or pecu-
liarity of habit, department or conformation
of structure. From the Dover Standard
Dec. %, 1875, the following case is reported:
son the morning of the 9th instant, the body
OF a man, in somewhat mangled condition,
was found about half mile distant from the
Addison-road station, and two days
later was identified by woman
named Triggs, of Cumberland place,
as that Of her husband. Further identifca-
ton was forthcoming through one of the
mans own children and the man who had
given him employment, An inquest was
held at Kensington work house. and certifi-
cate for burial granted by the coroner. An
hour before the mourning friends would
have followed him to the grave, and as the
hearse was nearing the door of the Triggs
residence, the door-latch was lifted, and to
the amazement of the watchers, Mr. Triggs
walked in.
Another singular case is reported in "Oys-
toms Medical Jurisprudence" page 65 taken
from the Edinburg Monthly Journal for
February 1874. The body of an old man
was found on the banks of the Dee, at Dru-
mock. The left ear and first finger of the
left hand were wanting The mutilation
was apparently of long standing Two young
women claimed the body as that OF their
father, who had been in the habit of
leaving home for weeks at a time.
and who had lost his left ear and
left forefnger. Under this proof the funeral
took place. On the return of the two daught-
ers from these services the boatman of the
ferry which conveyed them over the river
asked them for whom they were mourning
and, on receiving the answer, laughingy in
formed them that he had, half hour since,
set their father over the stream, and that he
was alive and we'll
A very singular case was published, as
near as l can remember, in 1888, in the La
dies Garland. A man was on trial for Sc
rious crime committed at an old tavern some
distance from the city of Toronto, in Can
ada, The proof was so strong and positive
that there existed no doubt of the mans
conviction of robbery and an attempt to
murder aged couple who were that night
alone. The prisoner proved an alibi by two
reliable witnesses, who testified that they had
seen the prisoner at Kingston on the after
noon before the night of the crime
This evidence being accepted as true, the