The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-07
IDENTIFICATION.
TIE REMARKABLE CASE OF JAMES
PIERCE WEAVER.
a BODY Idcntinea Through Many Marks ara
by His wife nnd Numerous Other Persons
Turns out to Bc That or Another when
MIR. Weaver Appears Alive ana Oyoit.

From the chicago TInes. Herald.
Tho question OF tho identity OF Mrs. Luctpert
with tho woman who was seen in u number Of
places by different persons and which played
such an important part in tho trial OF the Chicago
sausage maker. has revived interest In one of the
most remarkable cases of mistaken identity that
everoccurrcd in the West, and which would mako
the basis OF II more than ordinarily interesting
romance, containing as 1t does a record ( deyo-
ton. OF dcsertion, of nm attempt to loSa identity,
ana finally OF n denouomont that laid the scheme
bare and gave to n widow tho consolation of
burying tho bo!y of her husband after q long
struggle in the courts tor its possession.
Fifteen years ago James Pierce Weaver was
ono of the most popular undertakers in Indian.
apolis, and was doing a business that was rap
idly making him n fortune. lilo was the father
of nm interesting family and to all outward ap-
pearances was supremacy happy in his hoEio
life. as he was prosperous in business. One
night in tho fall OF 1888 q colored man called at
his home and told him that a man was waiting
to see him Mt the corner q few rods away.
Weaver went out TO meet tho man, and as he
emerged from the house the stranger placed .
pistol to his head and fired. Weaver fell to the
ground, and when carried into the house II was
found that the ball had entered just below the
right ear and had come out at the neck.
William Eden surrendered to the police a few
justitying 1t ON the ground of relations sustained
to his wife by Weaver. Weaver recovered in .
left the city. Mrs. Eden followed in a few days.
and the charge of attempted murder, against
ugly scars on Weaver's neck, and, as the sequel
proved, these we're destined to play an impor-
tant part In the drama still to be enacted.
Something later than one year after Weaver
ieft the city an Indianapolis man was visiting in
ing at the principal hotel to fnd that mine
host. wasnone other than James Weaver, who
had sr" psppis a sis sa nn@e W Snd p T%s kn Sys. E Es the
as Mrs. Pierce. presided over the domestic af-
tSiTs t Or 'h nai hos Msrc o, and there her was ,Ss no suspicion
Weaver was prosperous and popular, and he
an Th hls so sHaRlpiSssd Of T affairs TST Ta in e sSSs sSSi Ct Mira.
Weaver, and she suddenly bounced down upon
the pair and caused their arrest, and with 1t
wife gets half the fine for prosecuting such cases,
and the Texas, court was in a humor to give her
80 G, and Mrs. Weaver returned with $1,000
in her pocket, having refused an offer OF $4,000
if she would get a divorce.
The Dallas de%nouement caused the hasty
flight OF Weaver and his alleged wife. and the
a ranch, but just where she could not learn.
She was on the point OF going. to Texas to insti-
DECEMBER. 1883. a man called upon i% and said
that tho Masonic lodge OF which Weaver was a
for n demit,. but the lodge had refused TO grant
it. When the letter was written Weaver was
seemed to Be to- inform II the deserted wife w Of Hi
whereabouts.
liivered a letter to Mrs, Weaver which bore the
Atlanta postmark.. When opened it contained
one of her husbands old business cards and a
clipping from the Atlanta Constitution, giving
the details Of IA wreck on the Georgia Pacific
Railroad. on Dec. Il, in which It was stated that
James w. Pierce. a wealthy Texas ranchman,
was killed: The clipping stated that Pierce had
visited Atlanta with two valuable race horses.
had spent money lavishly. and was on his way
home when the accident occurred.
There was nothing to indicate who had sent
card eae nf bSs Mrs. SWi! pareE.s and eaci ies GId ens1psss
readily supplied all the missing links. and tears
filled her eyes as she recalled her happiness be-
fore the evil days came. and thought OF her tru-
ant husband dying among strangers, but in his
Of Mrs. Eden, Should be notified OF his death.
Accompanied by Elijah Hedges. who had long
taking business. Mrs. Weaver started for At
lanta the next morning. but upon reaching, that
city found that another woman, who had not
body as that of her husband. To Mrs. Weaver
, ,sjs T sss m ,ss evil IL sc MiSs , anS b hss S1s5n SsS h Sss
made her children more than orphans. and she
d &a%an nc aa %,sh b the ARREST 1rst a PBs crane, b of the, an.
property Of Ranchman Pierce, and Mrs. Weaver
was required to make proof of her identity and
also identify her husbands remains;
The body was cShumed and the Identification
turn him over and you will find two scars, one
the neck" These were the scars made by
Edcn's bullet. and when the corpse was turned
| oNVl lucy tIc
Mrs. Weaver was given possession Of the body
and property. but before she reached the train
pievined by 9e order ere Of the the f rau pt WamaS. ~ Snd suit uft
was fled for possession and also against he rail-
James W. Pierce. Mrs. weaver was thus forced
to remain in Atlanta, and the next day she fled
for killing her husband, James !. Weaver. The
battle in the courts then began. but Mrs.Wcaver
was almost without monGy: and she accepted a
miss her suit for damages II the company would
make common cause with her for possession OF
the body and property. In the meantime a dele
cation OF Texans arrived at Atlanta and identi-
fed the remains rs those OF ia es W. Pierce. u
ranchman that they had known for years. The
to surrender tho body when Mrs. Viewers at
was buried u third time. Witnesses went from
this city, and every one recognized the body as
that OF James Weaver.
DIR. Wilson of the Surgical Institute. who knew
Weaver well. caused the body to be eNhumcd
and ordered the socks taken from the feet. say
ing that ho had trimmed a corn on tho little ton
Of the len foot, and lrcnted a bnnion on the right
just MS he described them, A woman stenog:
rapher. who also knew Weaver well. identified
him positively. ana SO did numerous other In
dianapolis citizens who had known him for a
score OF years. The fact that Weaver. under tho
name ofp rec. was in Atlanta; that he wrote
his name to James w. Pierce, and that some one
h mm SEN oGy of of, ns t 3s D prsideSt' ears iefi NC TO 1 ns w' 10
doubt his identity, and the scars. corns. and
bunions and close resemblance, OF tho features
made every ono positive in making oath TO the
identity.
The body was exhumcd four times Mt the in
stance OF indianapolis friends and three, times
for Texas delegations. Roberts Park Church..
OF which Mrs. Weaver was n member, made up
money with which to prosecute her claims. and
the liveliest interest possible WAS manifested.
The Texas wife did not appear at Atlanta. and
this convinced Mrs. Weaver and her friends that
she was nole other than Mrs. Eden. and that
for reasons best known TO herself she did not put
in an appearance. Thus the matter stood Tor
several weeks, but in the meantime the attor-
neys for the Texas woman were not idle.
While Mrs. Weaver WAS preparing to go TO
Atlanta to prove her claim to the body and prop
erty, word reached her that her husband hal
been found in Chattanooga. and had been taken
to Atlant, in charge OF an officer. William Rip
ley. an old friend OF the family, was despatched
to Atlanta AT once 10 expose this new attempt
10 defraud the Indianapolis widow. As he
stepped from the train at the Atlanta depot he
saw a familiar figure standing on the platform
and a familiar voice exclaimed:
"ncllo Bill. What are you doing here :,
Hello. JIM" was the answer, and Itiplcy
stood face TO face with James We,yer