The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-19


hanged for murder whose alleged VIC
tim later turned up alive. p
y A.. ). Smell, q millionaire, OF Chicago.
was murdered ten years ago by bur-
giar. supposed TO have been willie"
Tascot. The latter disappeared and a
large reward was offered for his appre-
hension. No less than ten innocent men
We're placed under arrest I'm different
parts of the country, each being "iden-
titled" as Tascot.
In one case the man arrested so
closely resembled the fugitive that no
less than six persons who had known
Tascot intimately swore that there
could be no mistake. The height, size
OF the head, color OF hair and eyes, fill-
ing OF teeth and three birthmarks COR
respond exactly with the description OF
the alleged murderer. Yet the man un-
der arrest succeeded in establishing be-
yond doubt that he had never been
east OF the Mississippi River.
BANK TELLER'S MISTAKE.
A forged check was cashed fifty years
ago by the Bank OF America OF this
city. For days no trace of the forger
was obtained, and the case was nearly
forgotten when the teller caused the
arrest of man standing In front OF the
old City Hotel, in Broadway, ,ienr
Chambers street.
The prisoner was Mr.. Redmond, pro-
prietor of the hotel. He was identified
by several persons and, after being In
dicted, was placed on trial. He estab-
lished complete alibi, and was ac-
quilted.
Capt. John Buckson. a seafaring man.
in 1851 lived with his wife Nancy, near
Providence. r. i. The two often quar-
relied, and after an outbreak more vio-
lent than usual both disappeared. A
few days later the body of woman
was discovered buried not far from the
Buckson residence. The body was
dressed in Mrs Buckson's clothes and
wore her jewelry. 1t seemed impossible
that a mistake had been made.
Buckson was arrested in this city
and. though he vigorously protested ms
innocence, he was placed on triaI. anu
his conviction was foregone conciu-
sion. He would have been hanged had
his wife not appeared just as the judge
was instructing the jury.
She had been visiting friends In Ver-
mont and had not heard OF her nus
bands peril until the trial was nnisneo:
1t developed that the woman afterward
found dead had with three companions
visited 3ucksons house for the purpose
of robbery After having dressed her-
self in Mrs Buckson's clothes she was
murdered by her accomplices.
RETURNED TO HER OLD HAUNTS.
Ada Ricard. woman of great beauty
but OF dubious standing in society
disappeared from hotel in this city IN
the spring of 1861. A few days later a
nude body was discovered floating In
the North River. Some one Identified
the body as being that OF Ada Ricard.
From her husband minute descrip-
ton was obtained of certain, marks
which convinced the police that they
were on the right track.
He told of the loss of a tooth. the ci-
catrice of an old wound on her leg, a
female figure tattooed on the back, and
other peculiarities. That same day MRS.
Ricard reappeared in her old haunts.
Later the body was identified py mrs.
Callahan of Boston as that or ner
daughter. but the next day the girl was
found i'm Bellevue Hospital. The iden-
tity OF the corpse ever remained
re, ytery. W -
Mrs. Nagie disappeared in 1879 from
her home in Brooklyn. Two days later
n body clothed as was she when last
seen alive was found floating In tne
harbor. At the wake, which was at
tended by all the woman's friends, Mrs
Nagle appeared and insisted In taxing
part in the proceedings.
Henry Neuman in 1879 was arrested
In this city. charged with the theft OF a
package of Texas Railway bonds. he
was convicted. and served nearly ten
years of his sentence before II was dis-
covered, quite by accident, that the
real culprit was another man.
A Young man named Duffy was SEN
fenced to the penitentiary for life forty
wears ago for the murder OF police
man in Brooklyn. He had served IL
wears before Superintendent OF Poiic
John Jourdan became convinced or MS
innocence. and succeeded In estaprsn-
ing the fact that a burglar, name un-
known. had done the murder. The
burglar confessed, completely exonerat-
Perrin TT. Sumner was long known as
the "Great American Identiner." For
wears he made himself obnoxious to the
police by mixing up in every mystery
case" and furnishing identincauon
off hand Sumner has always SAID tna'
he was actuated by high motives. He
asserts that identifications are toe
ouickly accepted. and he mace IT his
object I'm life to make the police more
thorough in their methods.
FAMOUS EUROPEAN CASES.
Thomas Geddeley was waiter In
nublic house kept by Mrs. Williams. a,
york. England. at time when thef'
was punishable by deatn. 'euoe'es
robbed his mistress and fled.
Another man was arrested ana iden-
tilted as the culprit. He was given
trial at which he protested his inno-
cence. but he was convicted and hang
ed Two years later Geddeley was ar.
rested and after confessing was hanged
in Dublin for another crime OF the same
| sort.
A most remarkable case was the rob-
berry of the mail from Paris to Lyons
The coach was stopped by four high
waymen and robbed. The postillior
was murdered. For this crime younI
manaamed Lesurque was arrested and
identIfied by nine persons. He was
puillotined protesting his innocence
| rive years later a man named Dubosco
| was arrested.
The witnesses swore the previous
| Identification was n mistake. and that
| the crime was committed by Duboscq
| who was guillotined protesting his In
| nocence as vigorously as had Lesurque
Europe's most famous case rs that oi
Martin Guerre. This man had been alb
| sent from his home for eight years
| when an adventurer named Arnauld
Dutille personated him so well as Il
impose upon his wife and to obtain pos.