The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-22

The Strange Story Which Forms the Basis of
Sensational Suit in Pennsylvania.
piffshurr lisnafch

Inc Strange story WAlch Forms the BASIS Oh
Sensational Suit in Pennsylvania.
Pittsburg Dispatch.
The papers ii very strange case are being
prepared by wellknown law firm in this city.
The case is an action in ejectment in which the
plaintiff is Jos. B. Metz and the defendant a
young man by the name of Hylebrone alias
Melz. The dispute between the parties is In
reference to large farm located in the north
eastern part of this State. The defendant in the
action has been living on the farm for the past
five years and is known among his neighbors as
Joseph Metz. He is at present very prosperous
and intends, it is said, to contest bitterly the
grounds Upon which the plaintiff bases his claim
to the farm. The story is long ono and adds
another illustration in support of the declaration
that truth is stranger than fiction The story of
the plaintiff to his lawyer is asfollows
About nine years ago Joseph Metz, a prosper
Gus and honest Teuton residing in the southern
part of Germany, having met with domestic
bereavements. decided to quit the land of his
fathers and the scene of his misfortunes, and
emigrate to that land of golden promise, Amer
the summer of 1876 he, with his good wife
Catharine and his five sturdy boys, started for
the United States. From the sale of his real
estate he realized about 1000, and with this
sum he was able to buy welltilled farm with a
comfortable dwelling thereon in the eastern part
of the State and still have a neat amount in
cash besides.
He lived on the farm for FIVE years. but fin
ally the desire to die in his native land TOOK
such hold on him that in 1880 he and his wife
made deed of the farm to the supposed oldest
sou, the present occupant, and returned to
Germany His wife and the four younger
children accompanied him. With the remaining
cash in his possession he bought farm in the
vicinity of his old home, which, at his death,
which occurred about year ago, he bequeathed
to the younger members of his family.
The strangest part of this narrative trans
pired after mis- return to Germany. 1t appeared
that at the time young Metz, the present occu-
pant of the farm, was born, there lived in the
vicinity of Metz's place a woman by the name of
Mrs. Hylebrone. She was employed at various
times as nurse in Metzs household and was pres
ent at the time young Metz was born. This
woman made some startling disclosures to old
man Metz just before his death, which in sub
stance 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 desired that
her son should be raised in af1lYe1ce- AS she
had the entire control OF young METZ, she one
day shortly after the infants birth substituted
her own child and took young Metz to raise.
The family never discovered this, and young
Hylebrone grew up to manhood as Joseph Metz.
She said that she had always regretted the act,
but was afraid to tell the truth. The real Metz
has always been known as her son.
The scene at the fathers death bed when these
facts were brought out was affecting in the ex
IRENE. The father refused at first to believe
the woman's statement and to recognize the
young man AS MS son, put nnallv, by clrcum
stantal evidence, the truth of the woman's
statement dawned upon him, and he received
his newly-found son.
The revelation was as unexpected to the son
as 1t was to his father. A few days later Mr..
Metz died. and after waiting short time in the
old country his son came to this city to COM
menee proceedings against the possessor of the
estate in America He claims that he can eject
the present occupant, as the deed was made to
Joseph Metz. and he has the facts in his posses
sion to prove that he is the party intended.
Hylebrone was naturally very much surprised
when the foregoing statement was made to him.
He refused to believe it, and declares that there
is a conspiracy to defraud him out of his rights.
His mother is also in the city, having left Ger
many in company with Metz. She says that
she is very sorry for what she has done, and it
will be her lfework for the remainder of her ex-
istence to bring matters out right When the
case to trial it will probably be one of the
most sensational ones ever tried in this State
Mrs. Hylebrone, the author of the deception,
is a good looking German woman, and appears
to be about forty years Of age. She says that
her only desire in doing it was to benefit her
child, and that she did not realize at the time
the terrible wrong she was committing against
the babes The farm is worth $25, 900, as it is in
good condition. Metz is married but has no
children.