Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-11-12

had just finished supper at the hotel when
an officer of the law clapped hand on his
shoulder and he went to the police station
as prisoner. There he was confronted
with the name of Henry Thomas, and was
charged with trying to pass worthless
check on a local merchant. He was iden-
titled by no less than six different persons,
and all his protestations went for naught.
He would certainly have been held for ex-
animation. but the real culprit was ar
rested at a point fifty miles away and
brought to Terre Haute. When the two
men were placed side by side they appear
ed to be twin brothers In height and
weight they were exact Their gait and
tones were the same They even had tho
same gestures when speaking. II might
have been a question who was innocent or
guilty had not Thomas confessed to his
misdeeds.
Browns NTH and last venture before
shaking the soil of the Hoosier State off
his soles was the most serious one OF all.
He had spent a day and a night at La
fayette when he was arrested on a charge
Of attempted robbery andfelonious assault.
II was claimed that he was one OF trio
who had assaulted a merchant In his store
In a village six or eight miles distant
The three men had entered the store n
the evening, when the merchant happened
10 be alone. and had knocked him down al
the first step towards getting hold Of his
cash, He had proved a tough nut how
ever, and had driven the gang off in a bait
tered condition. William Brown exactly
fitted the description OF one OF the men,
though the officers OF the law supposed
him TO be a hundred miles away.
He was placed in line with twelve other
men. but Williams walked straight up to
him and said:
you are the man who entered the store
first and asked me to change $50 bill for
you. l should know you IL met you In
China"
You are making a serious mistake" re-
piled Brown. Il can prove that l was in
Terre Haute the night you were assault
ed"
You are the man--the manr' exclaimed
the merchant. Since hearing your voice
would swear to you hundred times
overt
One of the villagers was about to enter
the store as the robbers fed. Two OF
them he did not see, but the third was
described in a way to 1T Brown. The man
was at hand and he also picked Brown out
of the line and said:
This is the man who was backing out
and trying to draw pistol as l came up
He stood fair in the Light, and I'll swear
to him on all the Bibles in the state OF In
diana"
Brown was Brown and no one else, but
he was almost ready to believe that he had
lost his identity since leaving home 10
secured a lawyer, sent for witnesses at
Terre Haute. and no trouble was anticl-
pated In clearing him at the preliminary
examination. -Four good and reputable
witnesses testified TO his being in the DIS
tant town all day and all night OF the as
sault but the merchant and his witnesses
were so positive that he was the man that
he was bound over FOR trial When his
trial came up at the higher court Brown
had ten witnesses from Terre Haute. and
was lucky enough to find two men who
had left that place with him at a certain
hour, and been his companions all the
way to Lafayette. Such was the weight Of
evidence in his favor that ne was acquit-
ted by the jury, though they debated the
matter for two hours before reaching a
verdict. When he had been given his llb-
erty. the merchant said to him:
1T is Just possible that / am mistaken
in this matter. but | say to you as have
said before that / would stake my ali
that you are the man"
A month after Brown reached home the
right man was caught. and when the mer-
chant was called upon 10 Identify him he
did so as promptly as on the other occa-
sion, and added:
What's your name this time. Brown or
Black? Your lawyer was a sharp one to
drum up all those witnesses, but 1 think
we'll land you this timsT'
He was not talking to Brown, but to
Browns double-the nth one turning up
inside Of month. but he wouldn't admit
his mistake even when Brown wrote him
from Vermont. To this day he believes
that the man he first picked out and who
was acquitted was the man who got ten
years in prison when re-arrested.
Copyright 1889. BY c. B. Lewfs)