The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1904-04-06
HEOTnERM MAN


be the double of a private in a New
York regiment.
The name of the Confederate was
Wakefield. while that Of the Federal
was Thomas. The former belonged to
a Louisiana regiment. When placed
side by side they seemed TO be twin
brothers. Each was about twenty-five
years old; each was about five feet five
inches high: each weighed 40 pounds.
Their eyes and hair were or the same
color. and ever their voices were the
same except that the southerner had a
little more drawl. The pair were as
much astonished as the officers and
surgeons who were called to look them
over.
You will not be surprised that advan-
tage was taken OF this curious coinci-
dent to send Thomas into the Confeder-
ate lines. AS a preparatory step he
was given q week In which to pump
Wakefield. The prisoner did not know
the object. and, being OF a garrulous
disposition. he vas ready to talk on
any subject. Thomas got from him his
family history complete. then the name
VI Liz WV ttOm NhiCh INC budu hoii
ed. with incidents of people and streets;
then the names of his officers and COM
rades, with incidents OF campaigning.
The Federal had been an actor before
enlisting and had cultivated a wonder
full memory. When he had stored up a
thousand different things I'm his mind
he bought the uniform worn by the
Confederate and was ready to set out
on his mission.
One night Thomas was taken down
to the front and made a bolt for il.
InAbther words, 1t was made to appear
that one of the Confederate prisoners
was making a dash for liberty. and the
picket opened a sharp fire, but took
care not to aim at the running man.
On reaching the Confederate lines
Thomas was sent to the headquarters
OF General Malone. The general seem
ed a bit suspicious. and Thomas. play
ing the part OF Wakefield, asked that
his captain be sent for. 1t was a cou-
pie of hours before the officer arrived.
and the general at once said 10 him:
Captain, this man who has come
into our ines tonight claims TO be a
member of your company. Is he or IL
he notE'
He certainly is, sir" was the prompt
reply.
What's his manner"
".John Wakefield, sir"
That settled 1t.
After three or four days and under
preteDse OF visiting a cousin In a Vir-
ginia regiment Thomas covered the
front and had a loo at guns and forti-
tications. When he returned to camp.
calculating TO take the first opportunity
to escape. he was at once put under
arrest. 1t appeared that Wakefield
and some of his comrades had raided
a store of a lot of eatables. and the
proprietor had ascertained their names
and now demanded their punishment.
When the merchant and Thomas
were brought face to face the latter
declared that Thomas vas not the man
he represented himself to be. Why he
should have made such a declaration
is a puzzle, but he seemed to be guided
by intuition. He was ridiculed and
laughed at. but he stuck to his assertion
and even denounced Thomas to Gener.
al Malone. AS stated after the war
the general had felt doubts of Thomas
from the first, which may again be set
down TO the sense Of intuition.
The name of the merchant who had
been despoiled was Saunders. and he
was of an implacable nature. being
put on his mettle by the snef $ and
ridicule. he determined to prove his
case at all costs. AS the accuser he
had the general ask hundreds OF ques-
tons He knew the town and the peo-
pie from which Thomas as Wakefield
claimed to hail and in the course OF the
day had trapped him a dozen times
Iver. AS an Offset all the officers and
Drivates OF the company asserted that
Thomas was Wakefield and that there
was no room to doubt. He went at IL
and related every incident OF camp life
for a year past and told of things which
IT seemed impossible for a stranger TO
know.
General Malone was clearly puzzled
over the case and took two days TO
think 1t over. At the end of that time
Thomas was escorted back 10 find u
soldier in Federal uniform in the gener.
ais tent. n there were also two civil
fans in waiting. 1t was a little surprise
for the spy. The man I'm Federal uni
form claimed TO have known Thomas
as a Fedora soldier under the name OF
Brown, n the two civilians claimed
that he had never been a resident OF
their town.
Thomas realized that the pinch had
come. and he braced himself to make n
fight for his life. General Malone
treated him in the fairest manner and.
acting as his own counsel. he went at II
and soon had the supposed Federal SOL
der all twisted up and out OF the run
ming. Then he tackled the civilians. and
they proved to be as easy game. In
stead OF being cornered up he eornered
his accusers. and 1t was SO well done
rAof ho w-ao conn1inapfoA hr tho Oan.