Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-08-15
A TRAGEDY OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY
CNew York World.)


The most remarkable instance Of mis-
taken identity in the whole history OF
human Justice IS that OF Soren Qyist'
which is told BY the fresides OF Den
mark.
II was the most thrilling and pathetic
Tragedy ever enacted in the courts Of that
Uttle kingdom. Several generations have
passed away since tho first horror or IL
smote the heart-strings OF the Danlsh
PEOPLE and impaired n sympathet-
shock to the universal heart OF ciYilized
mankind. BuL II still remains a common
theme of talk among the simple folk
OF Jutland and the story, told by father
10 son. IS destined TO live as long as the
story of Cain. the first murderer
All the textbooks of the law relating
To circumstantial evidence repeat IL, and
every great murder trial which turns on
presumptive proof reYives IL. Lawyer
Howe In tho trial Of Thorn and Mrs.
Mack. will doubtless recall II again as
q fearful example of what may be done
on incomplete proof o. identity, which
never can be undone and yet never ought
TO have been done.
I.
Sorcn Qvist was The pastor Of the little
village church Of Veilby, in Jutland. lie
ter. generous. hospitsbe and diligent in
the performance OF his sacred duties. but
he was also man OF constitutonally
violent temper-a scourge 10 his house
hold and q humiliation o. h'mee
He was widower with two children
a daughter who kept house Tor him, and
son, holding an officers commission
in the army
At Ingyorstrup, a village not far from
Neilby. dwelt a cattle farmer-Morten
Burns-who, by means anything but hon
CRADLE had acquired considerable pro-
ucry and who was in ill-repute as an
INSCRIPTIONS self-seeker and an Cypress
or of the poor
This man paid court to the pastor $
young and beautiful daughter but his
suit was rejected by both parent and
child. Stung by the refusal, Morton
Burns conceived a burning hatred Of the
venerable pastor and his daughter He
kept this desire TO himself, and worked
stealthily and quite unsupported by the
clergyman.
Morten Burns had a poor brother
named Niels. who was a shiftless and
law fellow. and withal quarrelsome.
Soren Qvist, needing a farm hand, hired
this scapegrace brother OF the man who
hated him Nes Burns was constant
ly provoking the pastors naturally irri-
table temper by his Incidence and I'M
pudence. lie was constantly scolded,
and on several occasions was thrashed
by the irate pastor.
Their relations as master and servant
eliminated in the mysterious disappear
ance which IS the basis Of the celebrated
tragedy. Niels had been sent to dig n
piece OF ground in the pastors gar
den. but the pastor found him not dig
ning. but leisurely resting on his spade
ana cracking nuts which he had plucked.
The pastor scolded him angrily The
man retorted that 1t was no business Of
his 10 dig in the garden, at which Soren
struck him twice IN the face, and the
man. throwing down the spade retail
ated. Thereupon, tho old pastor lost all
self-control, and selling the spade, he
dealt the farm-hand several blows
with IT,
Niels Burns fell 10 the earth Ike one
dead, but when his master. In great
alarm, raised him up he broke away,
leaned through the garden hedge, and
made off into the neighboring wood
From that time he was seen no more.
il.
Before long Morten Burns, the rich
brother Of the missing Farmland. was
lintlnE aIOULl Nit Niiih%r Nt4at tAN POI
son had killed Niels and hidden his body.
These rumors and insinuations passed
from mouth to mouth, and as the farm
hand had disappeared, the suspicion be-
gan 70 grow that the pastor had guilty
knowledge OF his end.
Vinarv Norten Burns appeared before
the district magistrate with three wit
nesses and charged the pastor with the
murder Of his brother. Two OF these wit
nesses were a widow named Karsten
and her daughter. Else.
They deposed that on the very day
when Nies Burns was last seen at the
parsorage they were passing by the pas
to-'s garden together at about the noon
hour. When they were nearly IN front
o, the hedge which encloses IL. they
heard somo enc calling Else. II was
Niels. who was on the other side Of
The hazel bushes, and who now bent
back the branches and asked Else II she
would have some nuts.
She took a handful and then asked
him what he was doing there. He an
swerod that the pastor had ordered him
to dig. but that the job did not suit