Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1871-12-30 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

ROMANCE OF REAL LIFE.  Among the instances of "mistaken identity" that have lately been brought forward none is more extraordinary than the case of a young woman who was found drowned in the Thames on the 13th of April, 1833. At the inquest held on the body on the 16th of that month, a full report of which appears in the Annual Register, Mr Peter Wood, an eating-house keeper in the Bermondsey .New Road, deposed that, having seen a paragraph. in the newspapers announcing the discovery of the body, .and suspecting the deceased was a young woman who had lived in his service, but who had been discharged by his wife on account of jealousy, he went to the workhouse to which the corpse had been carried, and at once recognised it as that of the unfortunate girl. He was very much agitated, cut a lock of hair off the deceased, and kissed the corpse. He also went to an undertakers, and gave orders for the funeral. The parents of the deceased, being informed of the melancholy fate of their daughter, also went to the workhouse, and were loud in their lamentations over the body, which was recognised by them, and several other witnesses,. mostly relatives, who swore positively to its identity. It was proved that the deceased had lived with Mr Wood as a servant for four months. She had only left his service about a month before her body was found, and had during that time been living under his protection. Iler mother and other relations spoke in severe terms of Mr Wood's conduct, alleging that he had seduced the girl and thus caused her to commit suicide. The jury also were very indignant and adjourned the inquiry, after five hours' deliberation, until the next day, when Mr Wood, the alleged seducer, was again present, but was so overcome by his feelings that nothing could be made of him. His wife, 28 years older than himself, was called, but her passion overcoming her reason she merely shook her head at her husband, and nothing could be elicited from her. At this juncture a drayinan in the employ of Messrs Whitbread and Co., brewers, walked into the jury room, and being asked by the coroner what he wanted, replied, "1 come to say, gentlemen, that Mr Baker's daughter, you are holding an inquest on, is now alive and in good health." " What do you say ?" asked the coroner and jury in astonishment. " I'll swear," said the drayntau, "that I met her to-day in the street and spoke to her." In about a quarter of an hour the drayman returned and in,raduced the real Eliza Baker. To depict, continues the account, the aston!ahment of the relations and Mr Wood is totally impossible, and at first they were afraid to touch her. She at last went forward, took Mr Wood by the hand, and exclaimed, " How could you make such a mistake as to take another body for mine? Do you think I would commit such an act?" Mr Wood fell senseless in a fit, and it was with great difficulty that seven men could hold hint. After sonic time he recovered, and walked away, to the astonishment of every one, with Eliza Baker, leaving his wife in the jury room. No evidence being given to prove who the deceased was, the Jury, after eleven hours' deliberation, returned a verdict of "Found Drowned."—Pall Mall Gazette.