The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-31
IDENTIFYING A DEAD NAN.
The Disputed Claims Of Two Women to
a Deceased Stranger at Atlanta.
Evidence Conclusively Indicating that the
Dead Man Is James P. Weaver, OF Indian
apolis--A Sensational Suit Probable.

Mr.. Elijah Hedges, who accompanied Mrs. j.
p Weaver to Atlanta, where she went to iden-
fifty the remains of the man killed in the railroad
accident, who is supposed to be her husband. re-
turned home last night. Mr.. Hedges Is quite
positive that the dead man is Weaver. The re-
mains have all the peculiar marks of Weaver,
oven to the bullet wound in the back part Of the
neck, where he was shot by VIM. EdeE, OF this
city, about two years ago The Texas woman
declares, however, that the body is that OF her
husband whose name was Pierce, and the ques-
tion of identity together with the legal right to
the property left by the deceased, will doubt
less have to be settled in the courts. The
body was exhumed aud second examination
was made on Friday, Mr.. Hedges states, at the
request of the Texas woman. DR.. Clark who
was formerly connected with the Embalming
Institute, of this city, and DR.. Wilson, an old
physician of the Indianapolis Surgical Institute,
who happened TO be in Atlanta, assisted in the ex-
animation. The remains cannot be brought back
to indianapolis. Mr.. Hedges says, until after all
doubt in regard to the identity of the dead man
is settled and, therefore, Mrs. Weaver will re-
main at Atlanta, awaiting the courts action in
the matter. The sympathy of the people there
is entirely with her, and she has
been treated with very kindly considera-
ton by them. particularly by Mr. Brown, the
lawyer in whose hands the case was placed. and
by Messrs. Pattison & Bowdoin, the undertakers
who had charge Of the remains Of the dead man.
Further particulars in regard to the strange
affair are given by the Atlanta Constitution as
follows
Mr.. Walter r. Brown has just been retained in
big lawsuit, which promises some extremely
lively and sensational Developments. The legal
fight in which Mr. Brown will soon be engaged
will be kind of triangular battle.
Two women are now seeking to establish that
they were both the lawful wife of the same man
at the same time, and both are trying to recover
damages against railroad for the death of the
man they claim as husband.
The man who has stirred up this legal strife
was j. w. Pierce, the Texas stock-dealer who
traded o carload of Texas ponies for the white
mare, Gypsy, and was afterward killed in the
terrible collision on the Georgia Pacific road, at
seventeen mile tank.
points.
Several weeks before the never e-forgotten
collision between the Georgia Pacific and the
East Tennessee trains at the seventeen-mile
tank long, lean. lank stock dealer came to At
lanta with several carloads of ponies, and put
ting them up at w. o. Jones's stable, gave bis
name as J. w Pierce, and claimed Los Angeles.
Tex, as his home.
Pierce proved himyer sharp shrewd trader,
and disposed of hisponies to good advantage.
He was also a genial companion. and made many
friends in Atlanta He talked of Texas and
about Texas until everybody who heard him be-
came thoroughly inoculated with the Texas
fever. He spoke of his three ranches and his
stock on them, and said that Gypsy would De
fortune to him. Pierce created the impression
that he was worth considerable money.
When Pierce left Atlanta on the Inflated train
an hour or two before the accident, he parted
with his Atlanta friends saying that he would be
back within a few weeks with more ponies. But
that night he was killed, and the next day his
body was brought into Atlanta. It was taken to
Swifts place, where it remained for q week
awaiting the arrival of Pierce's SON, who had
been notified by telegraph of the old mans
body, and at the end of the week the remains
were laid to rest in Westyiew Cemetery.
Yesterday the body was exhumed and then
again buried
Several days after Pierce's death, Mr. Walter
r. Brown received letter from ex- Congressman
Peele. of indianapolis. Ind In the letter
Mr.. Peehe said that he had reason to be-
lieye that J. w. Pierce, the Texas stockmau, who
was killed in the collision, was j. Pierce Weaver,
of Indiana and that il such was the case, Mrs.
Weaver, his wife. resident of Indianapolis,
would like to know it, Mr. Brown made a care
full investigation of the matter, and in doing so
gathered an accurate description OF Pierce. He
then forwarded his information to Indianapolis
and in few days received an answer, saying that
Mrs. Weaver identified Pierce her husband.
Mr.. Brown was then retained as Mrs. Viewers
attorney, and was instructed to proceed against
the railroads in suite for damage, and to re-
cover what money the man had when he died
At the same time Mrs. Weaver took ont letters
OF administration on Weaver or Pierce's estate
and q correspondence between her and Mr.
Hrown ensued In the course of that CORE
spondence Mrs. Weaver informed Mr. Brown
that she had not seen her husband but once
in two three years, because he had been In
Texas.
The disclosure of Pierces dual name created
somewhat of a surprise among his Atlanta
friends. However the double name act was
soon explained.
About the same time that Mr. Brown heard
from Indianapolis, Messrs. Gartrell and Ladsen
received a letter from Mrs. j. w. Pierce in
Texas in which she claimed to be the wife of the
dead man. This letter. like the one Mr. Brown
received, contained statements which convinced
every one who read them that the writer knew
the dead man we'll. Mrs Pierce instructed the
attorneys with whom she was corresponding, to
sue the road on which Mr.. Pierce was killed, and
they are now doing so.
Thus two women are asking the railroad for
pay for the death of the same man.
Mr. Brown, in the course OF his correspond
ence with Mrs. Weaver, suggested that she had
better come to Atlanta, and yesterday the lady
reached the city. She was accompanied by g.
Hedges, an Indianapolis undertaken who knew
Weaver or Pierce for years. Soon after reach
ing Atlanta Mrs. Weaver and Mr.. Hedges called
upon Mr.. Brown, and after consultation it
was decided to go to Westview, take up the
body, and remove all doubt by looking at the
dead man. In the afternoon Mrs. Weaver. Mr..
Hedges, Mr., Brown and Chief Connolly went
out to the cemetery. On the way out Mrs
Weaver told her companions a most sensational
story.
James Pierce Weaver and I, she said ''were
married in Chicago on the 18th of February,
1876. The Rev j. p. CULVER, pastor Of the
new Congregational Church. performed the
emony, and We then went back to Indianapolis.
My husband was an undertake and did we'll.
About 1882 he sold out everything, and, with
$4,000 IN money, started to Texas to buy a ranch.
/ sewed the money in his clothes before he left,
and | knew what he had He said he'd get
good ranch and send for me- Well after he was