The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-02-20
Is Dependent Upon ths Scars
on Capt. BuTsIem's Body.
THE BERTILLON RECORD SHOWN
Prisoner Denies Identity and Asserts He
Was Never Convicted In England = Judge
Fosters Statement

New York, Feb 2O.-Upon the delicate
question OF a similarity between certain
scars that appear on his body and Others
which the police assert were found on the
body OF n man who served a sentence
for swindling in an English penitentiary
several years ago depends the liberty OF
Captain Godolphn +. Burslem. a former
member OF the Democratic club and well
known I'm Tammany hall
Comparison of the scars will be made
before Judge Foster. i'm the court of gen.
eral sessions, when Bruslem will be ar
raigned for sentence on a charge OF grand
larceny, of which he was convicted sever
al days ago
IL Burslem is able TO prove, and he is
confident he can. that he is not the man
who was in the English prison, he may
go free, but II he fails a sentence of ten
years stares him in the face. Judge Fos-
ter has said that IL was one OF the most
peculiar cases that had come under his
notice.
REARREsTED ON OLD CHARGE
Burslem. who was broker. was
charged in 1890 with the conversion of
$1,000 by Carrie Kramer, of 233 West Four
teenth street He was tried but dis
charged, testimony showing, il Is said,
that he used the money as directed.
Last June Detective Sergeant Nugent
arrested him I'm Boston on a charge OF
grand larceny I'm the same case. the evil
dence being substantially the same as ad-
duced on the previous trial
He had fine offices I'm Boston and was
doing a prosperous brokerage business.
He was brought 10 this city and locked
up I'm the Tombs eight months before he
was tried. Then he was convicted.
When taken before Judge Foster. Mon
day for sentence. IL was asserted that he
had served a sentence OF five years In n
prison I'm London on similar charge, be-
tween 1885 and 1890. In support OF this
statement his measurements under the
Bertillon system taken at the time of his
arrest in Boston were compared with the
measurements OF the English convict,
which the detectives asserted they had
obtained from Scotland yard, and were
said to be similar
TESTIMONY FOR BURsLEM.
George +. Armstrong, OF Plainfeld, n.
j., informed the police that he had seen
G.. +. Burslem convicted I'm London and
that Captain Burslem was the man.
When, however. Captain Burslem was
pointed out to him, he said he was not
the man. Burslem introduced other af-
fidavits TO show that he was not the same
man.
This testimony so impressed Judge Fos-
ter that he told Burslem that If he was
not the man who had been convicted in
London he would be inclined to allow him
TO go free.but II he was the man he would
deal harshy with him
To allow the district attorney to exam
Inc Burslem, and compare the scars on
his body with description of those re-
ceived from England, Judge Foster sent
him back TO the Tombs.
Mr.. Cantwell. one OF Bursem's coun-
sci. says he will ask Judge Foster to
grant "A stay OF sentence until he can OBJ
tain a minute description OF the man who
was convicted I'm London, under the name
of Godolphin Burslem He says the
name Is a very familiar one In England.
and he thinks Captain Burslem Is a VIC
tim of mistaken identity.