Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1888-05-04
MISTAKEN IDENTITY.
Curious Incidents Taken From
Police Records.


"The Identification" of several per.
sons in different towns in different
parts of the West, as Tascott, the Chi
cago murderer, is not to be wondered
at. Stranger "idcntfications" have
happened, although it is common
theory that there are no two men
exactly alike in their personal appear
ance except when they happen to be
twins. But that is mistaken idea
the records of our police and criminal
courts abundantly testify. Therefore
1t is not surprising that so many differ
ent men have been arrested in various
parts of the country for w. b. Tas-
colt, who is accused of being the burg
lar who murdered A. j. Smell, the
Chicago millionaire. In each of these
cases certain marks said to belong to
Tascott have been discovered, yet tho
arrested persons have in turn clearly
established their own identity and in
nocence.
The cases of positive yet mistaken
identification of persons are exceeding
ly numerous. The records of the New
York police are full of them.
Some forty or fifty years ago n
forged check for large amount was
presented at the counter of the Bank of
America in this city. For several days
no trace of the forger could be oh
tanned, and the sensation caused by the
crime was almost forgotten, when it
was revived by the teller causing the
arrest of man he saw standing at the
door of the City Hotel, on Broadway.
near Chambers street. The prisoner
turned out to be Mr.. Redmond, the
proprietor of the hotel, and he vehc-
mcntly denied all knowledge of or
completely in the forgery. The teller,
however persisted in identifying Mr..
Redmond as the person who had pre-
scnted the forged check and received
The money. Despite his high charac-
ter the grand jury indicted Redmond
and he was placed on trial. 1t was
then clearly shown, despite tho posi-
tive testimony of the bank teller, that
the latter WIS entirely mistaken, and
the prisoner was acquitted. The real
forger was never discovered.
In the month of January, 1880, Lc-
onidas Binns, of No. 800 Hudson street,
entered the New York post-oflice, where
he met John Sontag, n book-keeper for
the Germania Fire Insurance Com
pany. He at once asked policeman
to arrest Sontag, saying that he was
the man who had stolen his watch on Il
Sixth avenue car some ten days be-
fore.
"Are you sure he is the man?" de-
manded the officer.
Yes can not be mistaken" was
Mr.. Binns' reply.
On their approaching Mr.. Sontag,
the accuser said: "a wish you to return
the watch you robbed mo of"
After n stare of surprise Mr.. Sontag
laughed and replied; Your watch!
What do / know about itP"
As Binns persisted in his accusation,
Sontag was arrested and arraigned be-
fore Justice Bixby at the Tombs, when
the complainant repeated his state
ment.
You are quite positive that this is
the right manP' said the magistrate.
"Ycs, sir; po tive"
''This is dreadful mistake" ex-
claimed the prisoner, seeing that his
position was becoming desperate. Il
never saw the complainant before.
am a respectable man, and was in bed
at home, in fremont, when he says
the robbery took place"
Sontag was held for trial. but before
the grand jury acted upon his case 1t
was proven 10 be one of mistaken iden-
tity.
In 1851 Captain John Buckson lived
with his wife, Nancy, in the village of
Seakonk, near Providence, r. /, The
husband was fifty years of age. while
the wife was many years his junior
They did not live happily together, and
Captain Buckson was glad when
his coasting schooner was on n
cruise. One evening in July n
neighbor heard the Bucksons having
high words, and. looking through the
WlnuOW, hhW inc Ihplhln HcrNouSly
lingering piece of whipcord while
listening to the vituperation Of his
wife. The next day the cottage was
deserted, but the fact attracted no at
tention. us it was supposed that
Captain Buckson had gone 10 sea
again, and it was not uncommon for
Nancy Mt such times to pay visits to
her relatives in neighboring town.
A few days later some children who
were gathering blackberries in patch
of wild land were surprised to see a
dog that accompanied them begin
scratching at some newly disturbed
earth. Tho dog finally uncovered the
face of woman. which the neighbors
soon recognized as that of Nancy Buck
son. On the neck of the corpse was n
livid circular ridge, showing that death
had been caused by strangulatlon. The
cord seen in the husbands hands was
found on the floor of the cottage, and
it fitted tho mark on tn woman's
peck