The Democratic advocate., 1893-07-29
A Strange Case.
From the Philadelphia Ledger.

From the Philadelphia Ledger.
An extremely strange and sensational case
arising under the pension laws is now await
ing the verdict of jury in Springfield, llli-
nois. 1t appears that about two years ago
an insane inmate of the poorhouse OF Jetter-
son county, Illinois, suddenly recovered hls
mental faculties and was identified by DIR.
James Files as William Newly, farmer,
who had long been regarded as one OF the
dead. In prosecuting his efforts to establish
the fact that Newly was still among the living
DR.. Files wrote to his assumed widow, who
had removed to Texas. After some CORES.
pondence the widow returned to Illinois and
recognized Newly as her husband. He was
also identified by his half blind nonagenarian
mother, as well as by his relatives.
As the evidence shows, Newly had en-
listed early in the war as volunteer IN Com
pany ID, Fortieth Illinois Regiment In a
charge in the battle of Shiloh, April 6, 1862,
seven men of that company fell and their
bodies were buried on the Sth Of April. From
the pocket of one of the dead soldiers, sup
posed to have been Newby, his comrades
pulled a large plug of tobacco which furnishes
a most important piece OF evidence IN the
case. The widow mourned her husband as
dead, and soon afterward established her
claim to a pension on the testimony OF these
they had seen Newly lying mortally wounded
on the field of battle.
When the old soldier, who bore on his
head the deep scar of gunshot wound, was
recognized as Newly by his wife she inform
ed the Pension Bureau of the fact and her
husband at once made a claim Tor pension
and arrearages, amounting to the snug sum
of $50, 600 The Government declared the
claimant swindler, and prosecuted him for
attempted fraud The trial, in which upward
of 200 witnesses have been examined, has
lasted three weeks. and will go to the jury IN a
day or two. DIR. Files, the discoverer OF the
claimant, has turned against him; and 1t Is
intimated that the refusal of Newly to pay
him $1,000 of the expected pension money has
had much to do with his change of mind.
On the other hand, number of veterans
have sworn that the claimant is no other
than their old comrade Newly. AS to the
tobacco found in the pocket of the dead SOL
dier buried at Shiloh for Newly, the latter S
wife swore that her husband never used to-
bacco. AS an offset TO this testimony two
of her sons have testified that her alleged
husband is n swindler. At the same time the
Government has produced many witnesses,
among others several prison officials. who
have identified the claimant as "Ricketty
DAM Benton, dangerous Tennessee horse.
thief.
In the region of Illinois in which this trial
is going on public opinion, as might well be
imagined, is greatly divided on the merits oi
the case. By some Newly is regarded as q
swindler. By others he is regarded as an
honest and unfortunate old soldier, who,
crazed BY his wound in the head, had wan
dered about the country, from poorhouse to
poorhouse, until he miraculously recovered
his senses and was able to establish his iden
tity. Grand Army Posts have shown their
faith in Newly by contributing to Mrs. New
by considerable sums of money for defrayine
the cost of his defense. In order to arouse
popular sympathy in behalf of the old soldier
stories have been spread abroad that he is !
victim of the prosecutions Of u Democratic
Administration in its hostility to the pen
sioners, when, in fact, the arrest Of Newly
was made by Republican Administration.