The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1885-06-18
A STRANGE CASE.
Two Young Men Go to Law to Discover
Which is Which.
Pittsburg Dispatcl

law firm in this city. The case is al
action in ejectment, in which the
plaintiffs Joseph B. Metz and the de-
PENDANT young man by the name o.
Hylebrone, alias Metz. The dispute
between the parties is in reference tC
a large farm located in the north
eastern part of tits State. The de-
PENDANT in the action has been living
on the farm for the past FIVE years,
and is known among the neighbors
as Joseph Metz. The story is long
one, and adds another illustration in
support of the declaration that truth
is stranger than fiction. The story
of the plaintiff to his lawyer is as fol
lows:
About nine years ago Joseph Metz,
a TeutOn, residing in the southern
part of Germany, decided to emigrate
to America. In the summer of 1875
he, with his good wife Catharine and
his five study boys, started for the
United States. From the sale of
his real estate he realized about $50
600, and with this sum he was able to
buy well-tilled farm with com
Portable dwelling in the eastern part
Of the State, and still have neat
amount of cash besides. He lived
on the farm for five years, but finally
the desire to die in his native land
took such a hold on him that in 1880
he and his wife made deed of the
farm to. the supposed eldest son, the
present occupant, and returned to
Germany. His wife and the four
young children accompanied him.
With the remaining cash in his pos
session he bought farm in the vicin-
ity of his old home, which at his death,
which occurred about a year ago, he
bequeathed to. the younger members
of his family. The strangest part of
his narrative transpired after his re-
turn to Germany. 1t appeared that
at the time young Metz, the present
occupant of the farm, was born, there
lived in the vicinity of Metz's place
woman by the name of Mrs. Hyle-
bronze. She was employed at various
times as nurse in Metz's household,
and was present at the time young
Metz was born. This woman made
some startling disclosures to the old
man Metz just before his death, which
in substance were about as follows.
At the time of the birth of the
child she also had an infant son, and
although she was very poor she de-
sired that her son should be raised in
aflluence. AS she had the entire
control of young Metz, she one night
shortly after the infants birth sub
stituted her own child and took young
Metz to raise. The family never dis
covered this, and young Hylebrone
grew up to manhood as Joseph Metz
She said that she had always regret
ted the act, but was afraid to tell the
truth. The real Metz has always been
known as her son. The scenes at the
fathers death-b bed when these facts
were brought out were affecting in
the extreme. The father refused at
first to believe the woman's statement
and to recognize the young man as
his son, but finally by circumstantial
evidence the truth of the woman's
statement dawned upon him, and he
received his newly tound-son. The
revelation was as unexpected to the
son as it was to the father.
A few days later Mr.. Metz died,
and, after waiting short time in the
old country, the son came to this city
to commence proceedings against the
possessor of the estate in America.
He claims that-he can eject the pres
the occupant, as the deed was made
to Joseph Metz, and he has the facts
in his possession to prove that he is
the party intended. Hylebrone wa,
naturally very much surprised wher
the foregoing statement was made tC
him. He refused to believe it, anC
declares that there is conspiracy
to defraud him out of his rights
Ills mother is also in the city, having
left Germany in company with Metz
She says that she is sorry for whar
she has done, and it will be her life
work for the remainder of her exis
tence to bring matters out right
When the case comes to trial it vii
probably be one of the most sensation
al ones ever tried in this State. Mrs
Hylebrone, the author of the decep
ton, is a good-looking German wo
man, and appears about 40 years o
age. She says that her only desir
in doing it was to benefit her child
and that she did not realize at tn
time the terrible wrong she was com
hitting against the babes. The farm
is worth $4,000, as it is in good con
dition. Metz is married, but has n
children.