Women Doubles

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 25, 30 January 1937, Page 15 (Supplement)

Women Doubles

STRANGE COINCIDENCE A boy of 16 called his married sister as a witness at the South London Juvenile Court to prove that she had a double, and the magistrates were so impressed with the likeness that they discharged the boy and his companion, who pleaded not guilty to snatching a woman's handbag and stealing 10s (states the Daily Mail). Mrs Mary Goodwin, of Southcroft road, Tooting, said she chased the boys when her handbag was snatched and caught one of them. The boy told the court that he was challenged to snatch the bag by his companions, because they thought the woman was his friend’s sister. They did it as a practical joke, but got frightened and ran off when they found their mistake. They realised that the sister must have a “double.” The sister was then called and stood next to Mrs Goodwin in court. The Bench warned the boys to be more careful next time they played practical jokes. Mr John Walsh, aged 35, of Bolton, whose wife disappeared from home 11 weeks ago, was awakened by the police, dashed to Manchester to meet his wife, and was confronted by her “double” — a woman bearing the same name, with similar features, but a different voice. “The police took me to a women’s hostel and brought the woman in,” said Mr Walsh. “I shall never forget that moment. The woman had the same features, eyes, and expression as my wife, but I knew that it was not her. Her name was Kathleen Walsh; my wife’s name was Kathleen Mary Walsh. We stood looking at one another. •* *ls this your wife!’ said the police officer. •“No,* I replied. •“Is this your husband?’ he asked the woman. •* *No,’ she said. “The woman went away. I went away. And that was that.”