Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 November 1895 — AN EXTRAORDINARY CASE. [ARTICLE]

AN EXTRAORDINARY CASE.

A Dead Man’s Name and Place Taken By Another. A remarkable story comes from Sedgwick, Wis. Sometime in the winter of 1892 Willis Gorman mysteriously disappeared, leaving a loving wife and a handsome property. Search was made, but the missing man could not be heard from, and his neighbors gave him up for dead. No reason could be assigned for his disappearance. Eighteen months ago a man came to Sedgwick and announced himself as Willis Gorman. He looked like Gorman, talked like him and was familiar with matters known only to Gorman and his wife. Still there was something peculiar about him, and people had their doubts. He failed to recollect certain names and localities, but he explained by saying that he had wandered off when temporarily deranged, and a blow on the head had injured his mental faculties. During his absence he had been in Michigan, where his cousin, John AlcGuire, had nursed him back to health. This statement satisfied everybody, and Mrs. Gorman was convinced that the man was her husband. The supposed Gorman resumed his old place as the head of his family, and everything moved along pleasantly until two months ago, when a son was born in the Gorman household. Then a cousin from Nebraska came to see Airs . Gorman and when he saw her husband he declared positively that he was not the real Willis Gorman. The whole story was told to him and he pretended to be satisfied. But the Nebraska man was still anspiclous, He went to Alichigan and investigated the matter, and upon his return he exploded a bomb in Sedgwick. To make a long story short, he had discovered that Willis Gorman died at the home or John McGuire, in Alichigan. McGuire had found out all about his history and circumstances, and as he closely resembled him, he thought that he would go to Sedgwick and pass himself off for the dead man. He succeeded wonderfully well,' and was getting along finely until he was unmasked by Mrs. Gorman’s cousin. When McGuiro realized that his deception was known, he burst into tears and offered to marry Airs. Gorman at once. The lady’s relatives wanted to accept the offer, but she would not listen to it, and demanded that AlC’ Guire should sign a written confession and depart from the State, leaving her and her child in peace. i AlcGnire accepted these hard conditions and left. The case is the sensation of the hour out West.

Sixteen Indian skulls were found in one mound near Alartin, Mich.,together with implements of war and a Blate, upon which peculiar hieroglyphics were written.