The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-10-26
LIVED DOUBLE LIFE 10 YEARS.
Sudden Death Reveals
Strange Story.
ondon Letter in New York Sun.

London Letter in New York Sun.
From the west of England there comes
a strange story of the double life lived
by a man without suspicion for more than
nineteen years, his neighbors, and even
his own son, being ignorant Of 1t TIL his
sudden death, revealed the truth.
in a house called the Old Orange, in the
small Dorsetshire village of Oborne, Ed
mund Hall, an accountant by profession:
He lived at Oborne with his wife ana
family for nineteen years, during which
period they gained the respect Of the
whole neighborhood.
Mr.. Hall was a great bee fancier. On
Monday, Sept. /, he drove with his 1T
tie son to a neighooring farm IN tne WI
some hives OF bees. Afterward he went
to a farmhouse. and while taking tea
with the wife OF the farmer he suddenly
fell dead of heart disease.
An inquest was held on the following
day. 1t was attended by his eldest son,
who testified that he had knowledge
that his father was suffering from tnst
ailment The sympathy OF the neishoors
about the country was widely expressed
for the dead mans wife and family. No
suspicious were aroused, although some
surprise was expressed at the news that
Mr.. Hall would be buried on the Follow
ing Saturday at Bristol, instead OF In
Oborne ehurchyard, where a son, II 1-2
years of age who died in 1901, and son
il days old, who died in 1902. lie buried.
On Wednesday the Bristol newspapers
announced the sudden death of heart
disease on the previous Monday at small
village near Templecombe of one or the
most distinguished, best-known and re-
spected Inhabitants of Bristol, Colonel
Edmund Carter Plant, c. B.. who would
he buried on Saturday in Bristol with
full military honors. Some residents OF
Sherbourne, where Hall was well known,
on seeing this, noticed the strange COIN
cidence of the date and the manner and
awe hnat he
editor of the Sherbourne paper suspected
something more. He made inquiries
which convinced him as to the Identity
of Hall and Plant, but he was unable to
sight of the body, which on Friday even:
ing, was taken to the station, attended
by a large number of Borrowing villagers,
and was placed in the guards van. The
coffin plate was seen to be dnscrinea On E y
mund Hall. Died Sept. 8, 1902, aged 60"
The Bristol undertaken entered the van
with the coffin. but at the junction where
the van was detached and coupled to an
other train this man changed TO an ordl,
nary carriage and when the train had
arrived at Bristol the coffin plate was
seen to be inscribed:
Edmund Carter Plant, c. B., Colonel
Bristol Engineers; died Sept o, 1902, aged
co."
on Saturday the streets of Bristol
were thronged with thousands of people
anxious to see the funeral, which was the
finest military spectacle the pOpulaCe
had seen since the late Queen Victoria
visited the place in 1897. Eight colonels
acted as pallbearers. They were followed
by brilliant cortege of officers and
troops half q mile long and also by the
Lord Mayors state coach, high sherins
in carriages, etc. Thus this distinguished
resident of Bristol was laid In the ceme-
terry of the town beside his wife. who
died in 1900 and to whom he was mar
red In 1865.
plants career from his boyhood, with
the exception of the nineteen years he
lived at Osborne as Hall, Is well-known.
He had lived at Bristol since 1861. Ac-
cording to Who's Who, he was lieutenant
colonel and colonel commanding of the
Second Gloster Volunteers, r: e. the
Bristol Engineers). He passed through all
the grades fl ON sappar to colonel COM
handing He was decorated for services
in connection with the battalion, and
raised the Clifton College Cadet Corps
which won the Ashburton Shield on
three occasions and the Cadet trophy
twice.
Not until his death was the identity OF
their father revealed to their children
at Osborne. Mrs. Hair knew, and but
for the clumsy work of his legal advisers
when they notified the Bristol newspa-
pars of the colonel's death. the secret
would never have been revealed. The
mention of Templecombe gave the clue,
however. and resulted i'll the exposure.
The.Hooners absences at Bristol or Os-
borne "on business" never aroused the
glfghIpst SISDtclOn.