The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-04-22
ilPSES OF IDENTITY.
,,r Ugo UNICCOUNTABBY DIshP-
rh"' PEAR FOR LONG PERIoDa

~
-.s,,,p who Became Auother Mar.
,r,,er entitled People Who Drop Out OF
Ia" by Dr. A. +. osborne. sunerintendent
.s.boms Tor children at Glen Ellen. Cal, was
~ I. few nights ago at the meeting of the
ysIeo.Legal Society at the Academy OF Ned
~, II West Forty-third street. After speak
20, MYSTERIOUS disappearances in general
"a the usual inability to account for them.
4, raper gave several instances which the
thor SAYS happened to persons. and under
...unstances well known to him.
IN. frst case was that Of man OF middle
:, in rugged health. and free from any in
,.,,s5 neuropathic faint" He was plumber
e !, trade. and lived in town near Philadelphia.
:, vas prosperous. and was neither over
liked nor the victim OF business troubles;
. A, family lie was harmonious. and he had no
. ~ habits The Sunday on which he disnp-
..,rad no had been in the house all day. read
I ~ and playing with his children. About 4
.,loek he got up from the lounge on which he
=, changed his house Jacket for an ordinary
,,,insss coat and told his wife he was going
,,t for short walk. He stepped into the
s,,et and suddenly disappeared. as II he had
unishsd into air.
Although a conspicuous figure in the town.
tad AtnOuku Nhb bbAetNs NtEo CEO"utus hb
"a, seen By nobody. His absence continuing
| a, next day an exhaustive search was made
'nr him. But nothing could DO learned. There
vu absolutely no trace Of him. either In the
bvu or in the surrounding country. In due
purse the business was disposed Of and the
hmily moved to Chicago. giving up all hope Of
trdine clue to the mans disappearance.
one day two years later a number OF men
a. Nhatr tHada In In IL
"A. Of the far Southern States. Suddenly one
II them dropped his work and clasped his
hands to his head.
ny God" he cried. looking about dazedly.
where am II How did get herep This isn't
NJ shop!-where am II What does It mean ?"
His companions were at first disposed to
laugh; but when they saw the mans changed
,Ipression. the beads OF sweat on his brow.
nd his nervous twitchings. they knew he was
not drunk. but under the influence Of some
great emotion. They spoke to him. but he in
listed that the name they called him by was
hot his. At last he made his way to the boss
h the shop. and tried to explain about his
i.nily and his business In the North. The
toss was incredulous. Heknew the man as a
wandering tinsmith who had drifted into the
had snPcys r pfO1e spd to bs
Trustworthy and skilled workman. and no
Irthcr inquiry had been made.
| nder fictitious name" DIR. Osborne says
b his paper the man had been known to his
and had been paid. He remem.
tered nothing ofthe past during his period OF
N come V OVER him Of that ,Stai ss8dsy2Ris
sing to so out his promise to return soon
d then all was blank. lie had no money.
nd had received good wages. At the last ac-
cunts had OF him he was at Chicago. living
bis normal life; somewhat mystihed over his
tsal iyn If "a - ora In xuh ha
figured. although feeling we'll and apparently
10 mental balance, he realizes that he has been
he central figure In some overstrange mental
Phenomena quite mysterious enough to make
him. at times, doubt his sanity"
. pr. osborne's second case he speaks Of thus;
,lOtSer town near PSiladelpSia. This man.
Ehom We shall designate as ", was law
Tsra prominent politicians former member
al powers aud OF brilliant attainm ents.
one day he got up from his desk. leaving
lis law books open at the pages he had been
nents. He disappeared. In due course Wig.
rous search was Instituted. reservoirs and
um ption that he had committed suicide and.
D short, all the means that M oney and In flu
nee would put into operation were employed !:
lis domestic affairs were well known to be
lost happy. He was abstemious In his habits.
nd more devoted to his profession than 10
light was dispellei by the disordered state VI
Bis unlocked desk. over which were scattered
IapeTs and a mass OF unfinished work. His
accounts were all right. and among his papers
rere found uncashed checks amounting to
'eyeral thousand dollars.
After several months had passed word came
through Official channels that y. was In
australia, and had applied to n representative
4 our Government there to establish his
pn home. II was some time before his family
kre fully satisfied OF his existence In that far
" country under such startling circumstances
give definite account Of how he got there.
y. finally established his Identity. His
passage money was forwarded. and in due
direct to his former home, and. after short
period for recupsration. took up the practice
81 his profession. and was. as he has continued
him. his former normal self. How he had dis
appeared he was unable TO say. lie knew
thing until he came to himself aboard a
amer nearing an Australian port"
The third ease DR.. Osborne cites as follows:
\, was stalwArt young freshman. active.
nan nv occupation. aud Was esteemed indus
tlous and trustworthy
One afternoon he accompanied two young
purchases The huggy was small and the
three crowded into the one seat In crossing
bridge spanning q railway the horse took
SnmanaGeable. The horse ran away. the
buggy was overturned. and the three occu-
Pants we're thrown out The horse was finally
H1Ac VI 81 lcloN AHo Dflukts anu lHo
whole affair occurring IN thickly settled
uburb o. the town, people were soon on the
'ehe. They found two insensible m en- in the
al and these they carried to nearby
use, wheEs IN short time after the accl-
snt was enabled to examine their wounds.
found them 10th suffering from severe skull
h,aetares. from which they both died within
When We came to look for Y. he had mys-
Nnopsly Gisappeared. Several persons had
teen him In the buggy when II had crossed the
Wdge-had seen the three men at the time
ns buggy upset-but somehow in the excite
go was believed TO have gone TO his home.
hss than half mile distant.
sleh was not the case, however. and q
seArch was instituted IN the belief that he had
wandered on IN daZed condition into some
nne place. and there perhaps had fallen in
NhhMole. No trace could be found OF him.
me next day, while on my professional
~ stopped at his home 10 make inquiries
" MS wlte-they were Tegu lar patients Of
sSt -Ahd was Informed that he had mysteri-
Ssy appeared at the door Just few moments
Trs oLs lone had seen him enter the village
sst leading to his house His wife, dis
uaeted with grief at his unexplained and
Shgalar disappearance. CHANGED TO go to the
III opening on the street. and there con-
smshted l. standing 'dAZed and stupid on the
ssSSon'Tp. he did not speak at first, but looked
su MN, as she expressed u. as IL In
tNsaan His attempts to speak atteTward were
ns s.tsd 70 unintelllgible cultural sounds. He
ssSSnllei her TO lead b m inside and to take
~ A.s dust-coysred and torn outer garments.
M ne some ~ his injuries became apparent;
hsasS undressed and put 70 bed and
$50 thorough examination OF his condition
4 "a has ~ lar m