Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-09-15
A STRANGE RESEMBLANCE.
TAe ssngosar Story About Bepresouta-
ave Taylor and His Double.
4 NAN WHOSE FACE, FIGURE AND MANNER WERE LIKE
HIS, WHOSE HANDWRITING WAS IDENTICAL AND
WHO HAD THE SANE NANE-THy ODD xxPKprRscrs
or THE OHIO CONGRESSMAN

4 NAN WHOSE FACE, FIGURE AND MANNER WE'RE LIKE
HIS, WHOSE HANDWRITING WAS IDENTICAL AND
WHO HAD THE SAME NAME-FHB ODD xxPERIENcEs
OF THE OHIO CONGRESSMAN
Judge Ezra B. Taylor, who represents the 10th
OHIO district In the House. is one OF the best-known
members on the republican SIDE and is ranked
among the ablest He Is q man OF striking char.
acteristics. and would arrest the attention OF
stranger as being above the ordinary run Of men.
HIS lace Is strongly marked with force and indi-
viduality.
He recently received Q letter from Wisconsin,
which calls up again q coincidence in his life
which Is probably the most remarkable OF which
the world has record. He related the story to TIE
STAR man yesterday. He was bora in Portage
County, Ohio. sxty-nve years ago, attended school
with GARFIELD, and the two kept up friendship in
state senate in 1859, Judge Taylor was practicing
law In the state. Shortly after GARFIELD took his
seat Judge Taylor got a letter from him stating:
II received your letter and will be glad TO do
anything can for you. am surprised, however,
that you should desire such position. thought
your practice was worth much more TO you"
This may not be the exact language OF the let
ter, but II was about this.
Judge Taylor did not understand the letter. He
that he was right in supposlng his law practice
vas worth more than any position under tue state
senate.
THE MYSTERY DEKrKNs
and handed him letter, asking II 1t were not his
He examined the letter and replied that 1t was
certainly his handwriting and his signature, but
that he mad not written II, unless he had done so
In his sleep. and then he pointed out that IL was
poslmarked from another part OF the state.
The letter asked for the appointment OF deputy
sergeant-at-arms OF the state senate, was written
IN the judges handwriting and signed plainly with
Mr. Garneld wanted to submit the letter to an
expert to pass upon the cuirography. Judge Tay-
tell It from his own. 1t was submitted to ex-
pert, who, without hesitation, said he could lake
oath to its being Judge Taylors writing. II was
y mystery they could not penetrate, and tney
dropped IL
HE MEETS HIS DOUBLE
Not long afterward the state convention assem-
bled. Judge Taylor was walking down the corri-
dor OF the principal hotel There were mirrors on
the walls in which he could see his reflection. As
he approached the END OF the corridor he thought
there was another mirror directly In front OF nun
IN which he could plainly see his own face ana
form. He drew closer, and No; II was not a
and blood The two looked at each other, and
It seemed as II each had lost his identity In the
other. Had they turned around three times
neither could have been certain he was not the
other fellow. Neither spoke. They just looked at
each other and passed In opposite directions
Later in the day MI. Garheid, with the double
leaning on his arm, approached Judge Tay ior. He
Introduced ,heun: "Mr. Taylor, Mr. Taylor. No;
Mr. Ezra B. iaylor, Mr.. Ezra b. Taylor"
NAMES AND FACES ALIKE
They were the same in name, In form, In face, In
age, voice, carriage, manners and general appear
ance. Judge Taylor was then known as colonel
He had been named after q distinguished clergy
man, Ezra Booth. The duplicate Was also know n
cOiOnel, anu said he was Ezra Booth, but Ne
did not know after whom he was named
THE STAR man had been told that they dis
covered that tney born on the same day. Judge
Taylor says he uoes not remember whether or not
this was developed, but tnaL they were certainly
Saln IN.
stance or condition they could think as pecular
u one, applied with equai aptness 10 The other.
The acquaintance was continued between these
Two men, u constant correspondence between THEM
until year ago. when the other uiel out West.
iney were never able 10 discover any relationship.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS.
few weeks ago Judge Taylor got letter from
lady in Wisconsin stating that she had noticed
the name OF Ezra B. Taylor as voting against the
Mills bill; that an Ezra B. Taylor, formerly living
.Imale f,leud Of her father, who was now dead.
They had, she said, lost sgnt OF this friend soon
after her IaLner's death anu they were ANXIOUS 10
nnd him. They hoped the Representative mlgut
be he.
Judge Taylor wrote prompt reply. stating that
he mad never lived In New York state and nad
never heard or the ladys father; but this DID not
end 1t.
A lew days ago he got another letter from the
lady stating that she had oeen delighted, on re-
ceiving has letter. 10 recognize IN the address tue
handwriting OF heI fathers friend On opening
the letter she had lound the handwriting and slg
nature the same as number OF Old letters they
lave, and that she WAS at loss 10 reconcile The
contents OF the letter with these circumstances.
Il has not yet developed whether the Ezra B.
Taylor this lady seeks is The one who died or yet
third parry to the drama
But, 70 add anolher romantic feature to the
case, II now appears that the Taylor this Lady
seeks might have reason, for conceallng his iden-
tity from the family on account OF some business
relations with the deceased Iather, whom ne may
have owed money.