The Progress., 1888-12-15
CONFUSING IDENTITIES,
Remarkable Instances of People
Being Taken for Others.
Antonius' Twlns-Imprisoned for Claim
ing lie Was Himself-Notable Case
in Russia-Ot Stories of Mis-
taken Identity of Equal
Interest.

LA AANuHSAd-OCuer SCOrl0S Oh MIS- j Z
taken Identity of Equal
Interest.
A French writer says no two persons
do exactly resemble each other, and
on close observation, distinctive
physiognomy may be observed, even
in children and twin children. too, of
the same family; yet the distinguish
ing traits of some individuals are
so slightly perceptible, or have be-
come forgotten, that many persons
have been known, without any inter-
ested motives, but purely through
ignorance, to attest as true what was
really false-fathers, mothers. hus-
bands and wives have been thus led
away by illusions enormously deny
ing or maintaining the identity of their
children or of each other. The infatu-
alton OF Lady Tichborne in the cele-
brated Tichborne cause was a case in
point.
Instances of mistaken Identities have
existed in all ages, and it is no uncom-
mon thing for one person to be mis-
taken for another. Pliny AYERS that it
was next to impossible to tell the great
Pompey from the freedman Publicius
and the plebian Vebius, as each of
these personages resembled him most
closely in his generous and
noble department. and his strik-
ingly handsome countenance. There
was low slave named Serapion, whose
occupation it was to sell animals for
the sacrifices To him Oneas Scipio
bore such a strong resemblance that
the populace nicknamed him Serapion
One of the descendants of Scipio and
the consu1s Metellus and the Lentulus
We're each called after certain actors
in Rome" whom they most strongly
resembled in feature and person.
When Antonius was triumvir, Turanius
sold to him two children of rare per-
sonal beauty and an almost perfect re-
semblance, the one of whom was
born in Asia and the other beyond the
Alpine mountain ranges.
Turanius passed them off as twins,
but as they grew up their language be-
trayed them. This deception ruffled
Antonius somewhat, and he charged
Turanius with having obtained for
them a price altogether too exorbitant.
Nothing taken back, Turanius replied
that the very point which was consid-
cred defect in these children was, in
fact, their very highest recommends
ton, inasmuch while resemblance
between twins could be looked on as
nothing very extraordinary, an example
of such strong resemblance existing
between two children born in distant
countries was worthy of the highest
recompense, and, arguing from this
standpoint. it may be that the dealer
imagined he delivered the goods too
cheap. Be that as it may, Antonius
ever afterWard considered the purchase
as the most valuable of all his innumer-
able articles of vertu. The proconsul
Sura was not only resembled in feature
by Sicilian fisherman, but also in a
certain defect in his speech.
Sufferings and other causes will so
far change the appearance of q person
that his identity may be lost to his
nearest friends. There was the case
of Andrew Casall, nobleman Of Boz
lagna, who, having been absent from
his country for a period Of thirty years,
was supposed to have died in battle.
Presuming him to be in the land of
shadows, his heirs took possession Of
i his (1oo 4
turned up in Italy and claimed his
rights. Looked upon by all as an inn
poster, he was sent to prison. So COM
plete was the change in personal APP
pearance that recognition was an inn
possibility. But there were causes for.
this, as it was shown that he had fallen
into tho hands of savages, and for a
number Of years was held in cruel
bondage. The case wa, referred to a
learned counselor, Laochias, who de-
clded that circumstances may so change
the appearance of a man as to render
him unacceptable, and Casall was
reinstated in all his rights and honors.
singular case of mistaken identity,
or, it may be more aptly termed, inn
position. ACQUIRED in Russia, as far
back as 1854, not entirely without its
counterpart in English history: In that
year the Car, Basitovitz, took it upon
himself to be gathered unto hi fathers.
Dying, he left two sons, Theodore and
Demetrius, the former of whom sue
ceeded to his fathers throne, The
new Gar was man of somewhat
weak intellect, and he allowed all his
power to pass into the hands Of hia.