The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1905-11-02
PERSONAL IDENTIFY.
THE MOST DIFFICULT THING TO
PROVE rs WHO YOU ARE.
Our Knowledge of Ourselves Is Based
Upon Principally Hearsay-
Some Illustrative In
stances.

Paradoxical as it may seem, the
most difficult thing to prove in court
of law Is who you are. 1t is simple
matter If you have still living plenty
OF relatives of an older generation,
but suppose your parents and uncles
and aunts are dead, it becomes we'll
nigh impossible. AS a matter of fact,
says the New York World, your knowl-
edge of your identity Is absolutely
hearsay. You know your father and
mother called you their son, and to
that fact you may testify If the ques-
ton of your identity should ever come
before judge and jury. but the testi-
mony goes before the jury with the
warning from the judge that it is only
hearsay. for you have no personal
knowledge of the matter.
Official town or parish records are
valuable, but by no means conclusive.
Suppose you are John Smith. son of
Robert and Mary Smith, born at AL
bany on August t. 1865. The record
Of births in the bureau of vital Stats
ties at Albany will prove that a son
named John was born to Robert and
Mary Smith on that date: the register
Of the church may prove that John,
son of Robert and Mary Smith. was
baptized on a certain date, but they
10 not prove that you are the John
Smith of whom these are records.
To establish the connection between
you and the person mentioned in the
To-, 10.
own identity. is the difficulty. If your
mother is alive she can do it; If any
'elative who has known you since
,ou were born is alive he can do II.
The successive suits for the estate
of A. 7. Stewart failed on such
grounds as these The plaintiffs, cou-
sins of the late Mrs. Stewart, were un-
able to prove their relationship. II
was necessary in one of these cases
hat a man should prove his late father
and A. I. Stewart TO have been broth
srs, but he had no personal knowledge
Of the matter; he had heard his father
In Ireland refer TO A. =. Stewart as
his brother, but the court would not
let him testify even TO that and, as the
defendants denied the relationship the
case fell to the ground.
The identity Of a person becomes
even harder of proof after he is dead
IN the Royal Arcanum there are sew
val hundred thousand dollars of death
benefits tied up because OF the inability
Of heirs to-prove that the insured man
Is dead.
Very often Il "a necessary to success
IN litIga..on over en- estate 10 prove
got only who woro your parents, but
1o wara your luo-ents Family
H.1iaa with the records therein. help
o|r ir l's, but are not Al all conolu-
size. urh and marriage certificates
a accepted as corc9uoIatiye, Dut 20
D.Ir.a quite O. mass Of such matter,
.her with al least some witnesses
who cW testify of tAelr own personal
1rIo.He before court win accept
such a Tact MS proved to its satisfac-
,.ga
Am of This Illustrates the great value
0' keeping family records, for these.
while not conclusive. are strong cor
ratora.irc evidence of identity, espe-
cio1ly n the handwriting of the sue
css'ye heads OF The family, in which
the entries are made, can be proved.
which is generally fairly easy, Many
Great estate has been lost TO it's
r.eht,ul owners solely because of their
inability 10 prove who they were.