Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 January 1896 — Dangers of Having a Double. [ARTICLE]

Dangers of Having a Double.

It is sometimes very unpleasant and even dangerous to look like another person. A friend of mine, who is engaged in the practice of law, told me of a singular Instance where too strange a resemblance got a client in trouble. A young man was arrested, charged witli burglary. He had been surprised whil j .n the sleeping room of the head of the family, and liad escaped by jumping through a window. He was pursued, but got away. Two hours later my friend’s client, a strariger in the town, was arrested. The man and Jiis wife, who saw him, positively Identified thf young man, as did those who joined 11. the pursuit. To his attorney he perpisted'in protesting his innocence, but could not account for him Self at the time the offense was committed, except by saying lie took a long walk to see the city. The attorney who at first believed ids client to be guilty, looked up his record and became convinced that the young man was Innocent, but bis conviction seemed a foregone conclusion. One day the lawyer met a man on the street whom he mistook for ids client. “Why, how did yoti obtain bond?” he asked. “You are evidently taking me for someone else,” was the answer. A bright idea struck the lawyer. The stranger though he was in hard luck, and a proposition to sit in the court room during the trial was accepted. The lawyer concealed the double until the case was called, then he had the real prisoner sit behind him where he couldnot be seen, the accused being small and my friend quite large. The double was seated in the prisoner’s dock. Every witness identified the man inost positively, and the prosecuting attorney looked fully satisfied until the supposed prisoner was placed upon the stand, and it was shown that he was not the defendant. Subsequently a convicted burglar made a confession, and among the crimes was the one #ith which my friend’s client had been charged.—Washington Star.