The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1899-03-29
THIS man DOES NOT
KNOW HIMSELF.
IS ANXIOUS TO LEARN HIS OWN
IDENTITY.
Robbers Fractured His Skull, and
Now He Cannot Remember
Anything Of the Past.


There is q man in Chicago, ILL.,, who
would like to know who be is. Like
wise be is anxious to learn whether Of
not he was ever married, and il &c, he il
DESTROYS OF locating his wife and chill
dren, II he has any, says the Cincinns
Ii Inquirer. He is man OF about mid
die age, but cannot at present remem
Der anything Of his past. His story al
told by himself is given in the letter
appended below. Perhaps wife ant
children are mourning husband ant
father as dead, and it would prove in
deed charitable act to reunite the
family. The man does not know hi,
name, but uses that OF Sidney A. Mat
thews, which he thinks he has right tc
claim. The photographs he speaks OF,
and which he found in his possession,
would lead him to think that he wal
right, as the pictures we're ordered by Q
Mrs. j. Matthews, Of Falmouth, KY,
about year ago from Mr.. I. Benja.
min, the well-know photographer, and
1t WAS to the latter that Mr.. Matthews
wrote in order to learn. if possible, al
to his own identity. 1t will be appar.
emit from the letter that the writer there.
Of is an intelligent person, and we'll ed.
ucated, and seems to be truthful. The
letter is as follows:
THE UNKNowN's LETTER.
''PALMER HOUSE, CHICAGO,
"March 10, 1899.
BENJAMIN, Photographer. Cincinna
to, Ohio-Sir: Permit me to presume
upon your kindness for few moments
in the following long story, which will
I think, explain itself:
"As the result Of blow from either q
sandbag or lead pipe in the hands Of
robbers Il am told, sustained frac'
ture of the skull. This occurred, I am
told by the physician who attended me,
on the Presidents Jubilee Day here in
Chicago, on the lake front, in October
1898. At least I was found there uncon-
scious and supposedly in dying condi-
ton, with my pockets ri1ed of what
money l had that morning in my pos.
session. Asa result OF this blow, ]
have since been under treatment, and
am now we'll and out OF danger, but
with the sad result to me that I have
completely lost all memory of the past
even to my own identity. know both.
ing whatsoever that happened previous
to my mental recovery some few weeks
since. Some papers. or, to be more ex.
plicit, the remnants OF some letters,
such as two envelopes, addressed to Sid.
ney A. Matthews, postmarks almost OBJ
liberated with blood, but which seem
to have been forwarded to the Burnet
House, Cincinnati, and withou any thing
more on them to tell me anything. One
seems to be in q lady's handwriting,
the other in gentleman's business
hand. Among other things found il
the small satchel I carried, two photo
graphs Of little girl, taken by you q,
far as can mskeout, some time in De
cember, 1897, with the inscription, il
same handwriting ss envelope: 'Doro
thy A. Matthews, - months old, taker
=, Il think made it out December 20
1917 A description OF these photos may
aid you to find the entry Of the order
81. A little winsome miss, peepine
through the back of O chair; cabinet
size photo.
"2. Do, do, sitting on a stool. list
ening to the tick OF Q watch
There is third photo, but so badly
damaged that I can't make out any thins
in connection with 1t. It appears t.
show some little one playing with bool
or reading ii.
THE ONLY CLEw.
"Now, sir, these photos give me tn,
only clew have TO work upon to dis
cover who and what am. I have M
memory at ell Of the past. The physi
clan says IL may return to me some do,
possibly upon receiving sudden shock
as OF meeting some one whose personal
ity my memory could fix upon. TIL,
little girl whose picture l have, I fee
sure, for my heart tells me it is true
that she is my child, for in fact l hsv,
nothing out :of the past, except it is
prediction for little girls aud children
These seem to hunger for, 80 I feel tina
my heart tells me true and that some
where ] have loved ones who possibl,
may be mourning me as dead, or may,
be worse. Now, what l have to request
sir, Of you, is this: Look upon your reg
lister and see whether any photograph
we're ordered from you OF Dorothy 8
Matthews, and II so, You surely mus
have the entry of who ordered same
II you have, will you kindly put me into
communication with them by forward
ing this letter to whoever may have or
dered such. would prefer this to b,