The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-16
CHESTER CASE HAS
 DEVELOPME J. F. JOhnson's Real Name Is D. R. Hackstadt
 
IDENTIFIED THE BODY
Man Who Identified Suicides Body As That of Howell Segur Persists He Is Right-Another
 Telegram Sent

The identification of the supposed John B. Chester, who was found dead under mysterious circumstances at the St. Nicholas hotel on the evening of Monday February 8, has been verified by D. R. Hackstadt, who first gave his own name as J. F. Johnson
 MT. Hackstadt, who made the first discovery as to the identity of the sup posed Chester, came out last night with a public statement after the un- dertakers had failed to find the rela- lives of the deceased with the direc- tions he had given them. A telegram was received yesterday by Lige Loy from Hollis S. Segur in which he dis owned any recognition of the dead man as his brother by the photographs furn- ished him.
 q am absolutely certain of the identi- ty of Howell Segur," said MT Hack stadt when seen last night at the home of his son, John F. Hackstadt, 514 North Twenty-first street. T withheld my real name to avoid publicity out of con sideration for my sons family whom am visiting l have been trying to help in locating the relatives of the man.
 T first met Howell Segur about a year ago in Washington, D. c. He was lettering in park at Seventh and Pennsylvania avenues, and it chanced that we engaged in short converse tion in which he revealed to me, as was stated in the papers, many of the facts of his life.
 "Once he was a very wealthy man, but in late years she had lost all his money dealing in stocks and bonds at Washington I am not certain, but think he told me he once lived in Indianapolis. He often spoke of having lost his wife several years ago, and l think his troubles begun with her loss
 Later, from time to time l came across Segur in Washington, where make frequent visits to my two daugh- ters there. He was a cultured man and I found him very interesting. Gradu- ally d friendship was formed and we were together more frequently. I often went to see Segur at the Shorham hotel where he stayed, and it was while Tn his room that 1 first learned of his crippled ankle and mashed toe by which l Identified his remains. His ankle was hurt when he was run down by an auto mOD1le ln w lOils ciid iiC tOid iitS that his toe was crushed In an eleVa- tor accident in Philadelphia.
 Tt was through the automobile ac- cident that I learned the address of his brother, Hollis D. Segur, who lives at Waterbury, Conn. Segur was con fined with his injuries in the Garfield hospital, and during this period his brother sent him money. He was con stantiy getting communications by mail from his people in Waterbury, Conn. remember his having told me that his father lived at that place with his brother.
 Tn the first conversation I ever had with Segur he told me of his intention to commit suicide. As l formerly stated he told me at the meeting in the park that if some time l should pick up the paper and read where an unknown man had thrown himself un- der the wheels of a car and been crush ed to death I need not be surprised to find that it was he. He afterwards spoke of suicide many times.
 Soon after the automobile accident he left Washington, and had not heard from him since. I understand that he once worked for some bank in Atlanta, and I am inclined to think that he drifted back to that city and later came to Birmingham"
 As soon as MT. Hackstadt read of the strange death of the unknown man, he said, he immediately recalled the con- nections he had had with Segur and of his strange, persistent talk of self-in- flicted death. He went at once to view the body, giving a minute description Of Segur to the undertakers before the body was uncovered, and 1t developed that the intimations of Segur at their first meeting had been fulfilled, as It had fallen his lot to make the ldentltl- cation of the unknown suicide.
 Mr. Hackstadt stated that he did not understand why the brother of Segur failed to claim the body after the pie lures of the dead man had been furn- ished unless the photographs did not faithfully reproduce the features. lie said that he had seen the pictures him self and thought they were not good likenesses of the living Segur. Further more it seems that the undertakers failed to furnish adequate information with the photographs that were sent. A lettergram with more explicit details was sent last night to Hollis D. Segur of Waterbury, Conn.,. and this will re- ceive the proper acknowledgment of the identity of the dead man, MT. Hack stadt is inclined to think.