Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-04-26
DAILY SHORT STORY
A Case of Identity.
1902. by c. B. Lcwis.I

lCoPyrlght, l3U2, by G. d. Lewis.
The postmaster at Clayton at the
time l write of and for two years pre-
viously was Il single man. thirty-five
years old. named Henry Day. He made
his home with Il widow named Martin,
who had three children. As postmaster
he was known to every man, woman
and child fer five miles around, and
you would say that his identity could
be proved above any other mans. One
morning Day was missing, and within
an hour the widow startled the COM
munity by charging him with attempt
ed assault and robbery. Her state
ment was to the effect that she had
been awakened about midnight and
found him in her room. She had that
day received $1,000 in cash. and he de-
manded the money. When she cried
out, he struck her with club, and dur
ing the few minutes she was uncon-
scious he secured the money and fed.
Did any one doubt her story? Was
there the slightest reason to suspect
she could be mistaken? She had seen
him and heard his voice. So also had
Frank and Hattie as he left the house.
He had taken a freight train which
passed the station ct l o'clock a. M,
and the station agent had even spoken
to him. AS he was the only pas
senger, the conductor and two brake
men could fully identify him. Was
there ever palmer case?
1t was three weeks before Mr.. Day
was overhauled and brought back for
trial. He was not even illustrated. He
calmly denied that he was Henry Day.
CLAYTON. Indeed he was so cool and
nervy that the officers, who knew him
as well as they knew their own chill
dren. began to doubt if he were really
the man before they started back.
The prisoner declared the officers
mistaken. but made no objection to re-
turning with them. There We're 500
people at the depot to see him. Every
one recognized him as Henry Day.
Next day he was arraigned before a
justice of the peace under that name.
He denied it and gave his name as
James Bailey. His plea was mot
guilty" and he had the best lawyers
in the county. The doubt which the
officers brought back with them now
began to bear fruit. When Mrs. Mar
tin took the stand. she positively iden-
titled the prisoner as Day. On cross
examination she began to waver. One
of her children swOre positively; anoth-
er Thought so.' a clerk in the pOStOf-
| flee was put on the stand to identify
the prisoner. He was positive at first.
but ended by doubling. Only two
| young persons out of thirty called to
the stand were positive. The defense
claimed Il case of mistaken identity.
/ The prisoner declared his name TO be
James Bailey and that he was born OF
American parents in Switzerland. He
| had come to the United States as a
tourist and had only been in the cOun-
try two weeks when arrested. He had
about 81 900 in money, some Of which
was English gold.
When the trial in the higher court
came on. the crew of the freight train
and the station agent were put on the
stand. Each set out to be positive. but
each ended by doubling. The testimO-
ny of the station agent was a fair
sample:
'NIr. Jones, you were acquainted
with Henry Day."
Eyes, SIR y
"What sort of nose had he?"
"Nose? Why. straight nose, sir"
''Sure of this?" =
Eyes, SIR
"That will do"
The prisoner in the box had a Roman
nose Did Day have that sort of nose?
One half the village said yes. the other
half no. The Widow Martin was de-
termined to be positive this time. She
not only believed in what she was 60
ing to swear to, but hundred different
people had encouraged her in her con-
viction. This was the way she came
to grief:
You think it was about midnight
when you awOke?
Yes. SIR
well, what did you see?"
II saw the prisoner at the foot of
the bed and called out"
Did you know who it was before
you heard his voice.
NO, sir
well. what did he say?"
Gle said, I want that money or I'll
murder you
You were greatly frightened?"
'YeS. sir"
"And yet. frightened as you were,
you recognized his voice?"
"Yes. sir"
well, let us see if there is any sim
larity. Prisoner, you will call out the
words used by the man in the bed
room"
The prisoner complied, seeming to
put himself in the others place, and
his words knocked the bottom out of
the prosecution. The Widow Martin
seemed stupefied as she looked ut him.
so you swear that this is the voice
you heard in your bedroom, do you"
asked the lawyer.
IL can't say
OF the two men who had been posi-
tive at the preliminary examination
one backed square down, while the
other was full of doubts. When the