Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-03-11

tIleu tnat the defendant was Joseph
| Barker; that he worked at rigging
and loading vessels, and that at night
ne served on the city watch; that
during the period from September,
lSOO, TO March, 1901, he had not been
absent from the city for a longer pc.
ROD than q week, and that on Dec.
~, lSOO, no was engaged in his gen.
eral aVocations in the city. These
witnesses were just as positive that
the defendant was Joseph Barker as
the prosecuting witnesses had been
that he was Thomas Hoag. But the
counsel for the prosecution had other
testimony in reserve, which they
now produced.
Several other witnesses were called
who identified the prisoner by marks
and scars on the person, by the sound
OF his voice, which was extremely
peculiar and by certain Struggling
OF his shoulders. Thomas Hoag had
scar on his forehead, another on
his neck and one just above his liz,
and the certain peculiarities of the
voice, speech and gesture, all of
which were plain ard palpable in the
prisoner.
In addition these, three or four
witnesses swore positively to scar
that he had under his foot between
the heel and the ball, which was plain
and easy TO be seen. They were all
convinced that the prisoner was no
other than Thomas Hoag. The de-
fence now introduced two other wit :
nesSeS, who SWOre unhesitatingly
that the prisoner had not been out of
New York city from 1889 until 1901,
except on one occasion for Il single
week and on another for month,
both Of which absences were fully
accounted for. One Of these wit
nesseS was a man who worked con-
stantly with him, and the other was
his mOthCr-inlaw, who had seen him
almost daily.
At this stage the bewilderment of
the judge, jury and spectators was
about complete, for it did not seem
possible that the world could con-
tain two men so remarkably alike
that even the accidental scar of
the person were the same, and yet,
if it were so, what a dreadful lot of
perjury had been committed by per-
sons of the greatest respectability.
II was now agreed between the coun-
sci that the prisoner should show his
naked feet to the jury, in order that
they might ascertain whether the pc
culiar scar upon one of them which
had been sworn to as being on the
foot of Thomas Hoag was visible
the report says that upon exhibiting
his feet no scar or mark could be
seen on either of them.
The defense also called upon the
captain of the watch, who swore
that the the defendant had been on
duty as watchman continuously
during the period in question, and
December 25th, 1900. The jury,
without retiring, found verdidct of
not guilty.
This is probably the most remark
able case of mistaken identity that
our books contain. The absence Of
the scar on the foot saved Parker
that seems to have been the only
visible difference between him and
Hoag. In every other respect ma.
make the two men precisely alike.
A case very similar occurred in the
State of Maine nearly forty years
ago. 1t was known as the "HauSe
case" and created quite stir in its
day. In the year 1916, Jane:
Hause, gentleman of wealth anC
good position, resided at Corinna, {
small village in Penobscot county
thirty-two miles from Bangor. He
was married and had several chill
dren. In that year, one Of his sons
Rowland Hause, left home, went tC
New Bedford, and there shipped or
board a whaling vessel for a VOYAGE
to the Pacific Ocean. At the same
time there lived at Troy, smal
town in Waldo county, blaine, some
} twenty-five miles south of COrinna,
man named Seth Hause, not at al
related to James Hau5e. He had ;
son Luther of about the same age a
Rowland, twenty-three or four year
old, who worked as common la
bOrer i'm Bangor.
After Rowland shipped on boart
the whaling vessel he was not heart
of again up to 1919. In that year
friend and neighbor of James Haus
chanced to see Luther in Bangor
and concluded that he was the miss
ing Rowland. On his return to Co
rinna no Informed the father that h
had seen Rowland in Bangor. Or
this information the father sent an
other friend to bring his son home
That friend Mr.. Roberts, met Lu
ther, took him to be Rowland, an'
persuaded him to return 70 C0rinna
Roberts took him to his own hous
and then sent for Mr.. and Mrs. Jane
Hause, and presented Luther as thei
son. The young man addressed Nh
Hause as father, and, turning t
Mrs. Hause, threw his arms abou
her neck and said: GLOW do yO
do, mother ?" Mrs. Hause was nc
quite satisfied, and said &" Is 1t pos
, sible that you are my long-lost so
Rowland?" He answered, " Yes
, mother, it's me-" She then said t
him: eff you are my son, you hav
scar on your knee"
8 He pulled up his pants and shove
, a scar on his knee. She then said
t NV son has scar on his breast, tbs