The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-31
ToOK a DEAD MANS NAME.
A veteran of the War Tells How He
Came TO Change His Identity.


A Veteran of the War Tells How He
Came 10 Change His Identity.
West Superior, Wis, Dee. 25-Lying on
his deathbed, In st. Marks hospital is a
sray-haired man known by the name OF
Bert Peters, who, according 10 his own
confession, has for the past thirty-four
years passed himself off for a man who
was killed during the war. According>to the
dying mans own story which is substan-
tiated in some degree by the recollections
of old residents the man Albert Peters,
who was supposed 10 be In the land of the
living all these years has been dead since
1863, and the man now lying on his death
bed al St Marks Is no other than Louis
Drummond, who was supposed to have
been killed, and who since the war has
been passing himself off for his dead COM
rade. This strange confession was made
after he had been informed by attending
physicians that he could live but short
time longer. Peters has been resident of
the head -the-lake region for many
years, ana has always borne the reputa-
ton of being good-natured but eccentric
man, with a small fortune, and DISPOSE
ton to be charitable in a quiet way. Years
ago he carried on a small insurance and
loan business in what is known as the
"Old Town" but Of late years he has been
a man Of leisure, living the life Of a bach
eor and residing ia obscure hotels or
boarding houses. Three months ago the old
man was taken i'll. and at his own request
was removed to the hospital, where he
nov lies
The following is his story:
Having been informed by my physician
that | have but a few weeks more to
spend in this world, and wishing to abide
the time until death with a clearer con-
science than ] now possess, / make the
following confessions for the benefit of any
person that may be concerned and trust
that by so doing | have in some degree
atoned for the misdoings charged to my
accornt
I'm the first place. my name Is not Al
bert Peters. This viii surprise everybody
Of course. because / have lived under that
name for many years. My name is Louis
Drummond, and Albert Peters has long
since gone to his maker He was killed
during the war, about thirty-three years
ago.
when the war broke out. Albert Pc
ters and myself were copartners IN fur
trading business, located in st. Paul. We
were cousins of about the same age, and
so closely resembled each other, that fire.
quently | was mistaken for Drumm md
ana he was mistaken for me. We were
both orphans. having been brought up to-
gether by on aunt who died when we were
about 20 years of age, leaving US a few
hundred dollars apiece. Az the time the
war broke out we had been in business
a number of years and had been success
full, but ! had not been saving with my
money while my partner, who was more
careful with his earnings. had Invested in
real estate situated in the cities Of ST..
Paul and Superior.
I'm the fail Of 1851 my partner and de-
cided to- sell out our business and go TO
the war We did so, and for two years
and half marched side by side as pri-
Yates
During the battle of Spottsylvania my
comrade was instantly killed by a bullet
through his head falling not ten feet
from me During the same battle / was
wounded in the side and spent months in
the hospital lingering between life and
death. For some unaccountable reason |
had been entered upon the hospital books
as Albert Peters, and | discovered later
that my own name had been published in
the list OF killed. Then II was that a
strange idea came into my head. People
believe me dead and they believed Peters
to be alive. Why disappoint them by a
revelation of the truth?
81 was discharged from service upon
leaving the hospital, and after drifting
around the east long enough to get rid
of what little money ] had left. / went
back to st. Paul and obtained employment
as a stage driver between that place and
Superior | met quite a number of peo-
pie who had known Albert Peters before
the war, but / had no difficulty In passing
myself as the dead soldier. / heard very
few expressions of regret for the Louis
Drummond who was supposed to be dead,
and as time wore on ! began TO feel that
Drufnmond was better out of the world
and Peters better in IL. / kept up the tax
es upon the property which my dead com
rade had purchased In his name and when
an opportunity offered Itself | sold out the
lots for a good round sum and reinvested
the money. The deeds given to purchasers
of the lots were, Of course invalid, but as
the only heir Of the deceased Peters /
have taken steps to establish the descent
Of title by the courts so that no purchaser
will lose dollar. 1 have a few thousand
dollars left which will be distributed for
charitable purposes in my will. / feel
better now after over thirty years of de-
CeDtiOn."