The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-05-27
Which Was Richter =?

berg, Germany. n single man named
Albert Richter. lie was at that time
twenty. eight years old and had consid-
erable landed property. Richter was a
quiet, retiring man, respectable and
honest and we'll liked, and at the date
we give was keeping company with
young woman. They quarreled about
something, and he suddenly disap-
peared. lie was living with his moth
or, and It was shown that he got up
about midnight and left the house.
That was the last to be seen of him for
many year.
AS Richter had no brothers or sisters
the government took charge Of his
property after one year and held 1t In
trust, while reward of 5000 was Of
fered for information concerning him.
When five years had passed and not
thing had been heard of the missing
Richter he suddenly appeared at his
home-that Is. a man claiming to be he
appeared. He entered the house one
evening. hung up his hat on the same
old hook and then turned and en-
braced his mother He used to be clean
shaven. Now he had whiskers. That
was the only difference the mother de-
! tectcd. He was welcomed as her long
lost son, and of all the people who
came to see him no one questioned his
Identity. Richter claimed that he had
gone away TO America because of the
quarrel with the girl. who was now
! married. The government was notified
| of his return, and steps were being
| taken to return his property when
something happened. The wife whom
| he had quarreled with as n girl came
bacl; TO her old home on visit When
she heard that her old lover was home
again of course she wanted to see him.
| He lodged meeting as long as posi-.
| bic, but it came about at length After
| the meeting the woman said she doubt
cd the identity Of the person. Other
people began to wonder, and finally
the mother was the only one that did
not doubt. The government took the
matter in hand, and Richter was
forced 70 submit to an examination.
1t was the woman with whom he had
ouarreled that wrought his downfall.
He stated the cause of the quarrel, and
he repeated some OF the words that
had passed between them, but he could
not describe the interior of her father s
house He could not tell how many
presents he had given her.
Within less than two hours the man
who had even fooled the mother of the
missing man was pronounced an i'm
postor and sent to jail for trial, and In
the end he got fifteen years in prison
Just two years after his exposure an
other Richter turned up. He walked
into the house as cool as you please
and almost the first question he asked
was about Katrina. the girl he haC
quarreled with. He inquired uftel
twenty different persons, made his way
about the house as # he had been borr
In 1t, and the mother rather reluctant
ly accepted him for what lie claimed
TO be. There were four persons on the
farm that had been employed there
for many years. This Richter greeted
them all by name MS they approached
him to shake hands. One OF them hat
lost a child by accident about the tim'
Richter went away. This man re
ferred to it and gave the particulars
For week the mother watched hin
and asked questions, and at last sht
was satisfied and accepted him. Mos
of the neighbors did the same, bu
there was one man that set tral
, for him. The woman who had exposes
the other had now immlgrated to Amer
lea. This Richter claimed that he hat
been I'm England all the time. running
n truck garden near Manchester. Il
the next village to Konlsberg was
young man who had passed three year
I'm a German mercantile house in Man
chester. He was got to come over an
question Richter, who claimed to b
very familiar with the town. The ras
= calls downfall soon came. He coul
, not name five streets. In fact, ne coul
, tell no more of the city than any on
, who had given It careless glance o
the map He tried to buff it out. br
the government officials were notifie,
, and lie was arrested, tried ana receive
a sentence of twelve years.
Six months later the third RlchtC
. appeared. but he didn't carry h
game far. When questioned by I'll
mother he gave many correct answer
, and two of the four employees of III
farm were ready to declare that
was the real Albert Richter when th
fellows nerve failed him, and he di
appeared before he could be arrestet
II was plan enough TO the people thu
the three impostors had seen and talke
with Richter. In fact. they must hay
been chums of his TO find out VIII;
=, they had.
Six months after the disappearanC
of the third impostor the real Richie
5 returned, but it was to be looked upo
y MS a rascal. His mother had becom
so frightened that she dared not sa
~ whether he was the real son or no
All said that he looked the same ;
>, when he went away, but he did not a
y quite the same. He was more silel
: and morose. The government officia
J. questioned him. they had the other
but he could not be trapped. He state
TINT he had gone away because of h