The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-06-26

could lay IL to lapSes OF memory, as he
had done more than once.
The respondent, who was in reality
Ashley himself, was a man of great
resource. of great fertility. He came
to Grovedale to step into his twin
brothers possessions, after the sup
posed death of the true Vane Hamil-
ton; and he laid claim to the latter's
manner, peculiarities, and so forth,
much of which was natural to him.
The great resemblance was true and
undoubted, but probably no greater
than is often observed between twins
of both sexes.
II myself" said the counsel, have
seen two young ladies, so startlingly
alike that in a long ride on the rail-
way from New York to Philadelphia
l could not detect the least item of
dissimilarity between them. They
were dressed alike and they looked
alike in every particular, as 1 took
great pains to assure myself by study
ing their appearance on the ride in
question. l know of another case of
two men who looked so exactly alike
that one day one of them entered a
store where there was a large mirror
at the further end. He saw advanc-
ing toward him, as he supposed, his
brother, and began speaking to him.
only to discover much to his embar-
rasssment, that it was his own refiec-
ton he was addressing" Resemb-
lances like these were more puzzling
and confusing when one man CHANGED
to be a william. 1t was no wonder the
community had been deceived.-the
wonder was that this wife had not
been 1t is said that nature never
exactly repeats its works; no two
productions are just alike. though the
ordinary observer is unable to detect
the difference; as in this case it was
so subtle as to escape all but the wife.
She knew. or rather felt, that the man
was not her husband, and the doubt
was sufficient to cast about her
prudent reserve. though not sufficient
to deny his claim in words,
The test applied to both men was
we'll carried out. On the part of the
claimant it was announced by quiet
declaration of the most matterof-fact
sort that the diamond stud was at the
bank BY the respondent more melo-
dramatically, and followed by a fit
such as often accompanies catalepsy.
Mr.. Stevens said that without doubt
Ashley was a mind reader, and that
all the phases of hypnotism and clair
voyance were known to him His in
fluence over the jailer in the West
proved this, and his strange power
to see into the minds of those with
whom he conversed proved it. He
hestated just long enough to read the
mind. He read the true claimants
mind at the time when the question
was asked in court. 1t was a dan
gerous gift when in the possession of
a man like Ashley. but it was not
without parallel, as a women's con-
sideration would prove to the satisfac-
ton of every one who recalled the
exploits of Washington Bishop in the
same direction.
Much had been said regarding the
motives of his client, but Mr.. Stevens
contended they were manifestly as
great on the part of the defendant.
There was no doubt he had become
enamored with his brothers wife and
he had decided to possess her for his
own. He had repeatedly urged mar
riage. but not until after the death
of Lenora. who had been murdered
to remove so dangerous a witness to
his past. When he became convinced
that the workman called Prmus Edes
was no other than the true Vane Ham
ilton. there was but one course open.
He must renounce his claims or re-
move the true owner He chose the
latter. The shot was either fired by
his own hand or by his emissary,
Solomon Marks, who was a fit tool for
any such emergency.
opposing counsel, one of a wife's un-
faithfulness but of her fidelity to the
true identity of her husband She
looked beneath the. surface, beneath
the changed hair and countenance,
aged by mental disturbance, and saw
there her husband, the man to whom
she had given her heart, the father
of her children. The younger-look-
ing, handsomer face of his rival had
no charms for her. for she knew he
was a stranger Was that unfaithful-
ness? No, it was the unfailing evil
dence of the heart, which could not
mistake the object of its affection.
Unerring instinct is often recognized
in children, and in the truest order
Of womanhood, and is allied to con-
science and duty. Some call it intui-
ton, and by that name it has been
held to work ntarvels. Men may rea-
son. long and seemingly well, yet fail
while woman by sure, quick intuitions
reach the true conclusion. Mr.. Stevens
contended that such had been the case
in the present instance, that Mrs.
Hamilton had solved it by her wom-
anly ntuitions-intuitions which had
been counsel, Judge, and jury to her.
She knew which was her husband, and
that it was the man known as Primus
Edes. That ought to be sufficient, for
no woman of decency and common
sense would support a false claim like
this, and Mrs. Hamilton was known,
and we'll known, as a woman of the
highest order.
The plea was a fine specimen of le-
gal acumen, which suffers much from
the imperfect rendition given to it.
1t was listened to with the closest at
tention, and the general wonder was
that so much had been made of a
feeble case. The congratulations ex-
tended to Mr.. Stevens for his effort
were all of this sort, and with alarm
he felt that he had been unable to
move them to a belief In his statements.
He scarcely ventured to hope for a
different feeling on the part of the
jurynen.
The judge was very impressive in his
summary of the case, which he said
was different from any other on rec
ord. He not only reviewed the evidence
on both sides as usual, setting forth
the claims of each and explaining cor
roborating and collateral evidence, but
he spoke of the gross charges which
would be made afterwards of forgery,
perjury and perhaps murder, against
the person who sustained defeat. He
solemnly charged them, therefore, to
deliberate long and wisely before de-
Gliding, that the gravest conviction Of
duty and justice called upon the best
and wisest faculties of the human mind
to aid them in decision like this, upon
which rested such great and unusual
issues. 1t was not alone question of
property, but of family and of life and
death. Therefore, let them deliberate
well before deciding.
Two nights and day passed before
a decision was reached, and then it
was in the favor of the present in