Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1893-07-22
WHO is HEP

ton n Dementcd Creature Claims to Bo
William Newby, and Is trying to Secure
Pensiop-Evidence In Remarkable
Case Mt Springfield, Ill.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill, July 1S.-The case
Of the United States vs.. Daniel Benton,
which is on trial in the federal court
here, is one of the most remarkable
that has ever been tried in Illinois, il
not in the United States, and since the
trial was entered upon the middle of
last week it has been the principal
topic of conversation in nearly
all circles in this city. The case is
a criminal prosecution against Daniel
Benton, who is under indictment for
personating William Newby, a union
soldier who for period of twenty-nine
years was supposed to have been killed
in the battle of Shiloh and buried on
the field two days later by comrades.
The prisoner is known as ''RicSety
Dan" Benton, and he is a physical
wreck, and the story of this most ro-
mantle case is being unfolded in the
trial.
The government, which rested ON
Friday last, examined forty or fifty
witnesses and seemed to have made out
an overwhelming case, but, the de
fense is now proceeding, and matters
are becoming decidedly mixed. The
government first has Newby dead and
buried; then it takes up the boy, ''Ricl-
ETY. Dan" Benton, at the age of say
5, s or years, with his mother, Lydia
Benton. He is traced from White coup-
, ty, ILL.,, into Tennessee where he and
| his mother were taken by one Andy
Wooten. There Dan grew up, drifting
away occasionally, but only for short
periods. He was known to the
people of, the neighborhood, and so
was his mother Lydia. Finally he
was sent to the penitentiary at Nash
vile for horse stealing and remained
there for twelve years. All this time
he was Dan Benton. He left the peni-
tentiary in 1889. Afterwards he was
an inmate of many poorhouses in Ten
nesee, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. In
these he was registered as Dan Benton.
There is no conflict of testimony as to
these facts. They were proved abso-
lutely.
In one of these poorhouses he seems
to have become enamored of female
inmate, now known as Hannah Stew
art. They left the institution together
duu DtCdlhe lEdulDS. lhCy NV
marry, but she bore him two children.
One of these was a son and was nam ed
Dan. He is ''rickety'' like his father.
Both mother and son are here and
testified for the government The
prisoner was always known to
both as Daniel Benton. The moth
er visited Dan in the peniten-
tiary from time to time, where
he was, as elsewhere, Dan Benton. She
furthermore testified that he told her
that his mothers name was Lydia Luz
cinda Benton.
The theory of the defense is in brief
that Newly was not killed and buried
at Shiloh, as has been supposed by all
who knew him for thirty years. He
was only desperately wounded in the
head and leg. He was taken by rebels
from the field, and finally placed in
Andersonville prison, where he be-
came known as Crazy jack" In
course of time he was released, a
demented, 'rickety" man. He became
wanderer and drifted about the coun-
try, an inmate of the poorhQuses and
of the Tennessee penitentiary, just as
: Dan Benton. Thus he passed his time
for quarter of century until he
1 finally got into the White county poor
house. Then his reason partially re-
: turned and he came to realize that he
e was Newby. He went out among
1 his old neighbors, and declared himself.
He recognized old friends and talked
in such manner of old times
that he convinced many of them. II
must be so, they urged, for nobody but
; Newby would know things he spoke of.
= Some members of the Newly family
including his old wife, who had long
K been drawing pension on his account
: received him as genuine. Finally he
e himself made application for an original
e pension and then his troubles com
$ menced An investigation of his case
S resulted in establishing his identity tc
,, the satisfaction of the government Off
l. cals as ''Rickety Dan" Benton and hi:
/, arrest and indictment followed.
& Thus far the defense has examined
s sixty-five witnesses. They are Newbyt
l. relatives, old friends and comrades, anl
many of them are testifying very pos
e. itivcly as to the identity of the pris
vs. oner. Most of them, but not all, knew
st Newby before the war. Those VIII
VI had known him were called upon t.
D, describe his personal appearance at tn
If time he enlisted IN the army They at
k tempted to do so, but crossed eac
0. other good deal Some describe
st him as powerfully built, sandy-con
c. plexioned nan, which he was if hi
le own brothers and sisters remembe
IS him right; others described him as
l. large man, with dark eyes, dark hal
s. and dark complexion. The prisoner
IS tall, slender and very dark. Asked
j. they believed the prisoner at the bar t
rs be Newly, all the witnesses declare
d, that they did.
Of The prisoner, if he is really Newby,
lr understood to be entitled to pensio
S, and arrearages amounting to abou
So. 900.
n SPRINGFIELD, ILL.,, July 1s.-The mos
,p interesting testimony yet given for tn
Or defense in the Newby trial was give
lie Monday by ex-union soldiers, some c