Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-04-19
MISTAKEN IDENTITY.

One Of the most remarkable cases oi
mistaken identity occurred In PottsvilIs
the past week. The chief of police re-
ceived q telegram from John.town,
IA, that 4 young man supposed to IN
Luther II. Guthrie, son of q baptist
clergyman In Po,tsville, had been killed
on the railroad st that place on the 10Th
% March. A family iilbla, containing
the name and address Of young Guthrie,
was found subsequently,, near the place
where the accident occurred. Mein~ hile
the body had been burIed AZ unknown.
The Rev. Mr.. Guthrie was away from
home when the dispatch Was receive,l,
aud Mrs. Guthrie at once left for Johns
town to identify the remains, and bring
them Ia po,t.yiile for burial. The body
va. exhumeI, and Mrs.. Guthrie rccog-
niyei IL as the body ~ her .on. by q scsr
on the head aud cavity In one ~ his
front teeth. Hut Que of his hands had q
tsttooei mark, which was not there
when he last left home, aud she sent q
dispatch to the iiellefonie Times, inquir-
Ing u tather u. Guthrie, Who worked
there. had hi. hand taitoo,'i, aud rrcel,-
cd tb" answer be had; ani the iienilh.
cation WAS complete.
The scar upon the head, the cavity In
the front tooth, the tsttoocd hand, tb.
bible. With name and address, found
near where the body was found, ssti.-
ii.i the mother that u wss her sou, aud
she brought the body to Pottsville, aud
II wa. Inferred saturday, the 2i,h ~
Marrh. Ia the family lot. and the symps-
thy ~ the Who'll. community went out to
the bcrra,cd parcni., Who are esteemed
very highly.
Hut Monisy morning the mother W..
.hockci by receiving letter In her sons
handwriting, inqulrlng why hl. last let
ter had not been answered. Some fc-
garied the letter az hoax, others cx-
pl,lnei u Ia various Ways, but no Que
thought Mr-. Guthfl. could t.e deceived
In identifying her son. \ Telegram ~as
.ent to the office wher. the letter was
mailed, addressed to the .on. to come
home az once. aud In a short time an
an.s.r was rrcel'cd, II will come im-
nicil,tely."
Thur.dsy the young man arrived AZ
iotts,llle, aud Was met by hl. father al
the station, aud reviewed as one risen
from the lead. aud the mo,her was
oycrjoyei a. receive her sou whom she
mOurned q. dead Into her loving em.
brace. Now for the story of the Young
man. lie say. he left Bellcfonte March
sth, and went % Huntington, where be-
wofkci few DAYS. While there he
thought he would 20 to John.town aud
view the effect. 10 the food which oc-
CURED there few years ago. lie got
% the car. at Conemaugh, and walked
Ia John.town, In onier Ia ~, good
look" at ih. place where the Hood caused
so much destruction. When he got ofl
the train, d. think. was the time b. lost
hi. iilbls, for De mls..i IL when d. got
to Iftt.burg. lie remain-i but q few
hours In Johnstown. and startsl for
ritt.burg on the 18th of March. lie
went direct to Pittsburg snd got WORK
on ia. l'itt.burg Iost. i.s't saturday
be- wrote Ia hl. mother. asking her Why
hi. last letter was not answered, ani
va. surprised Ia rccei,e Telegram On
Monday requesting him Ia come HON.
Immediately. lie did not know the
reason. for the dispatch, bat hastsne'i
home ,o learn of the dark mystery. Tie
question now arises, whose body va.
buried by Mr. ani Mrs. Guthrief Mrs.
Guthrie hs. been ba.ily engaged search.
Ing the clothing of the unfonunst. man,
hoping "a discover some clue Ia the
Identity ~ the remains, that she might
communicate with hi. mother, but her
..arch thu. Ear hs. been un.ucce.sful.
The weather Ia I'otisylllc since the
flr.t % April la. b."n warm, aud Nrge-
taiion Il pushing forward rapidly. Some
oi the early ,arieile. of tire. have put
oui blossom. aud leaves, aud the bud. 81
other. are Ju.t ready "a burst. The po-
liilcal cauliron I. boiling. Both par
tie. hold their county conventions thi.
week. III. Democrats arr bitter on their
representative Ia congress, Who voted
"prsciic,lly" for the Hand silver bill,
aud II the l.rpublicar. make oi.e
nomination, they can elect their man In
TIL. strong Democratic district.
T.. ". wooDBuRr.
po,ts,ill. Npril :. lsg!