Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-01-16

- NC ClldLlOQS OF WONuoTIul 1QC1Q0uIS
or the parodxes of human events.
For example," and he brought out
a small volume from his library, here
is the story Of one of the most remark
able cases in all history as showing
a problem of the uncertainty in identi-
hcation. 1t illustrates the difficulty of
getting accurate information of one
OF the commonest points in the trial
or criminal cases, the matter of identi-
lying person or persons. You know
there is scarcely a case that comes up
but what we have string of testi
mony concerning the identity of some
one. This case | want to show you
is the story Of Martin Guerre. Look
it over"
| did so, and, with the lawyers per-
mission, made transcript, which is as
follows:
In France, in January, 1885, one Mar
tin Guerre was married, at the age of
IL, to Mile. Bertrande del Rolls, of Ar
tlgues. A settlement was made for the
Fair, and in the ninth year of their
marriage a child was born to them.
Shortly afterward the newly made
father got into trouble. He took some
wheat out OF his fathers bins and APP
prOpriated it to his own use. Fearing
the old mans wrath, he ran away.
His wife thought that her husband
would only remain separated long
enough for his fathers displeasure to
soften, and eight days were set apart
as the probable time for this. But
the eight days, and then weeks and
months went by, and it was finally
eight years before tidings came from
the runaway.
One winters evening a man claim
ing to be Martin Guerre presented him.
self with a long story of penltence.
AS to his identity, it was accepted
without question by his four sisters,
his uncle, and every member OF mis-
wife's family. And it is not SO much
wonder, since the traveller bore the
identical marks of the person of Mar
tin Guerre, and, moreover, was ia
miliar with the bits of family history
such as only the genuine Martin could
apparently have known. At any rate,
the deserted wife accepted the new
conner with all fondness, and, In the
course of three years, presented the
supposed Martin Guerre with two
children.
AS to whether Nine Guerre at first
had suspicious concerning her alleged
returned husband can never be known
1t would seem as if those almost i'm
perceptible differences between man
and man must have been observed by
her, but it may be that the stranger
showing her a tenderness and consid-
Grafton which her real husband had
not done, she was somewhat willing to
put up with the new order of things
she may, also, have thought that her
own peace of life would be best con-
served by keeping of her own counsel
Be this as it may, it was not long
before rumors arose. 1t was said that
the man who claimed to have returned
to his wife, Nine. Guerre, was fraud
The excitement finally became such
that, at the instigation of Pierre
Guerre. an uncle of the missing man,
Nine Bertrande was forced to have
her alleged husband arrested. The
accused made an eloquent defense and
explained the causes Of his long abb
sence. He claimed to have been a SOL
der in Spain until, consumed by the
desire to sec his wife and child, he
naQ resolved 10 return. lie also gave
apparently overwhelming evidence,
through his accounts of secret family
history, of matters pertaining to the
Guerres, that he was the bona fide hus-
band of Nine. Bertrande. His replies
to sharp questionings concerning this
we're ready and invariably accurate,
The wife corroborated his statements,
but now denied positively that the ac-
cused was her husband.
One hundred and fifty witnesses
were summoned, and of these forty
swore that the prisoner was, beyond
doubt, the missing Martin Guerre. On
the other hand, a great body claimed
the man was Arnaud du Tilh, called
"Pansette, whom they had known
since a child. The remaining wit
nesses. sixty in number, declared the
emblance between the two was SO
close they could not render an opin-
ion.
The trial resulted, to the general sur
prise, in a conviction. The man was
pronounced to be Arnaud du Tilh, and
sentenced to decapitation. Appeal to
a higher court brought an order for
new trial. On summing up the testi-