Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-08

VI thAD Of
THAT OF THE LATTER
10 the Editor Of The Evening Star:
when Dr. Mary Walker and Mrs. Lockwood
some time ago mstook the unknown corpse at
the morgue for that of myself, as published in
HE STAR and other papers at the time, il did
not occur TO me for a moment that il might be
that OF my younger brother. had never rec
oGnized any particular resemblance between
US; he was seventeen years my junior. had
not heard from him for a year or more at the
time, nor had any idea where he was. except
that the last had heard from him he was in
New York city.
Besides, he was well known to both Mrs
Lockwood and DIR. Mary Walker as was. and
neither OF them made anv mention of him, as
lar as saw. IN their statements in the press
and this after II was ascertained that was not
the man at the morgue. The fact OF these
mules being present and not recognizing him
would have been strong prima facie evidence
TO me. II the question had occurred 10 me,
that he was not my brother.
After all that WAS said and done at the time
and think read all accounts from the first
after my name became connected with the
case-absolutely nothing came under my notice
70 suggest IN the remotest manner my brother
or even remind me that had a brother Still,
from reading the accounts, as l supposed an
entire stranger to deceased. / did not fail to
sympathlZe deeply with the poor unknown I'M
fortunate who had been described as Chamber
ing. IN the mental and physical agony of a
hemorrhage, over the low iron rail of the little
park, as the reporter expressed il, to find a
deathbed on the green grass
Notbeing much of a hand for visiting morgues
and such places. aud the spirit not quite
moving me to do SO in this case. did not go
there. l was satisfied that il was ut my corpse
that was there, as had been stated. and was not
reminded OF my brother or any other relative
or friend at all by the incident Still confess
had u curiosity to ace the man that had been
mistaken by such competent judges for myself
IN death, and would no doubt have gone TO the
morgue had l not seen it ANNOUNCED that
photograph Of the corpse would be taken before
afford sufficient opportunity for me to satisfy
my curiosity and possess myself of relic of
the occasion and OF the resemblance, if any, at
the same time.
RECOGNITION BY PHOTOGRAPH.
When the photograph had transpired, some
days after the burial of the corpse, got q
copy On the first glimpse of the picture the
whole truth flashed at once upon my mind. II
was the corpse Of my younger brother. Fred
erick Jerome Seybold, that the ladies had
looked upon at the morgue and seen enough re-
semblance in il to me. it seems in DEATH but not
to him. In life and health. as they knew him, to
mistake 1t for mine. As il was, they had
''builded better than they knew" and by their
generous impulses, acted out, had led the way
TO an identification that otherwise probably
would never have been made.
Oh. then, If | could have gone to the morgue
with Its daily leyees and its priests OF the press
Oh, then, If 1 could have known before that nv
brother was in the city in such a condition, so
| a. to extend to him my humble hospitality as
had so often done before. and as Mrs Lock-
wood herself had SO often done, in a much bet
ter manner and all under much better circun-
| stances all around.
The picture is a good likeness of my brother
in life, though taken under all the disadyan-
tages of hard and pitiable death. Though
asleep a week In death when the picture Was
taken. the original would now be recognized in
1t by hundreds Of Washingtonians for he had
been an active man here as we'll Is elsewhere.
SO positive am l from the photograph alone
that the corpse of my dead brother was the
original of it that / hardly deem it necessary
to say, except that assurance NAV be made
doubiy and trebly sure, that his descriptive
list should show stature of over six feet and
conspicuous scar across the back of one hand,
Just above and nearly on the knuckles, received
when he WAS O child.
He was now dead and buried-better buried.
no doubt, than could have done it-without
my having had any idea that he was in the city;
and thus, everything having been done for him
! that could then be done. 1 have since left the
case, with what little study and examination 1
have been able to give It, mostly 10 Its own fur
ther development, in case there should be any
further inherent developing power in it. As
there does not seem to be any such power left
now deem it due of me to the authorities and
the press, In recognition of their kind offices in
the matter, to offer this, the best solution ca
OF the case.
PROBABLE SOLUTION.
Ny brother was a very active man for such a
poor death. He was what is called hustler"
or ''rusher." He was, from a farmers boy in
Illinois. Normal Institute graduate there. He
was then in turn n teacher, hustling school
book agent a prospector and amateur miner,
an inventor. a lawyer and patent agent, a poly
patentee. clever dramatic writer, Buffalo
Bills first advance agent. Prof. Carpenters
manager here and elsew here for sears proprie-
tor and manager Of the Worlds Museum here
and Snowman generally in Washington and on
the road.
1t would take q volume to give an idea of his
enterprises here and elsewhere. Among other
things he had taken out. should Judge from
twenty to thirty patents of his own. One of
these was for q stylographir pen. for the manu.
facture of which he had established costly and
complete factory in New York city. Tins fac
tory was subsequently, disposed of and the pro-
ceeds put into the Worlds Museum in this
city. The foreman of the factory. while it
existed, was Mr.. Briggs of Brooklyn.
Several years later, after both the pen fac
tory and the World Museum had been closed
ont, and about the time of the morgue incl
dent, l am sure saw the former foreman of
the pen factory selling photographic pens and
other jewelry on the street here, and NV theory
now is that my brother at the time OF his death
was here with his old foreman, Briggs, to get
up trade in stylographic pens and other
jewelry until they could turn up something
better. They may just have arrived here, and
my brother may have been on his way to find
me when he was taken with the fatal hem
orrhage.
do not suspect any one Of foul play or sin
lister conduct, but my brother must most likely
have had baggage and effects somewhere-on
storage. in pawn, at his lodgings or elsewhere
have been unable to hear any thing about him,
from his old home and haunts. since heard
from him direct when he was in New York CITY,
When VIC last parted at Mauch Chunk, Pa, he
had four or i've large trunks Of personal and
show baggage with him; but he had since run
through with good deal Of money in Chicago
grain gambling.
The bloody handkerchief found with his few
effects, with the mark of = priest on it. must, 1
think, have come from some Catholic or other
hospital he had been in.
have now given all the new information I
can and leave it for Col Moore, major and
superintendent of police who so kindly gave
his personal attention to the case, to confirm
my Identification by the record, and for the
kind and skiliful reporters, with what little fur
ther information ] have been able TO give
them, to pursue the case further If they sec
fit to.
IL WAS Col Moo~o,. Satha. %ha ,n;r.r..t,v