STRANGE CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4368, 20 March 1875, Page 1 (Supplement)

STRANGE CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY.

(From the Glasgow Herald.)

A singular case of mistaken identity occurred in the Northern District of the city. Between four and five o'clock on Sunday morning, a woman, apparently about 60 years of age, was brought to St. Rollox Police Station by two constables, who stated that they had found her some time previously lying helplessly drunk in Springbum Koad. She gave her name as Margaret Hamilton, and from her dress and appearance she was supposed to be a pauper from Barnhill Poorhouse. She was placed in a cell, and as the morning was very cold a fire was lighted to keep her comfortable. In the course of the forenoon, a man named Nicholas Nolan, an Irishman, who resides at 402 Parliamentary Road, called at the station inquiring if his wife was in custody. On being informed that the only woman in the office had given her name as Margaret Hamilton, he requested to be allowed to see her, as his wife was in the habit, when she found herself in the hands of the police, of giving false names. He was accordingly taken to the cell, and at once recognised the unfortunate inebriate as his wife. He told the lieutenant that he did not think she was the worse of drink, as she was in the habit of taking " falling sickness," and desired to be allowed to take her home. Permission to do so was at once granted, the appearance of the woman giving color to the story. Nolan thereupon went home for some tea and bread, which he gave to his supposed wife, with the view of promoting her recovery, and of enabling her to walk home. He remained in the cell with her for about an hour; but no improvement on her condition being apparent, he left for the pur» pose of getting a cab to take her to his house. Failing in his effort to get a conveyance, he returned about two o'clock along with his aunt and another friend, and the woman was taken home, the poor man carrying her on his back the greater part of the way. He had not left the police office above an hour when he returned again, saying that his wife had turned very ill, and at his request the lieutenant sent for Dr. Wrn. Miller, who at once proceeded to Nolan's house. He found on going that the woman was dying, and that his services could be of no avail; and she expired shortly after six o'clock. Her sudden and unexpected demise threw Nolan into a state of great distress ; but while he was bewailing the loss ho hail sustained, he was startled by the arrival of a messenger from the Central Police-office, with the information that Mrs. Nolan was in custody at that place on a charge of having been drunk and incapable, and that she was surprised at the carelessness he had exhibited in making no inquiry after her with a view to her release. He listened to this statement with not unnatural incredulity, and pointed to the bed on which lay the dead body_ of the woman whom he believed to be his wife. As he declined to accompany the messenger, his aunt and the woman before referred to went to the police-station, for the purpose of endeavoring to unravel the mystery, and there surely enough they found Mrs. Nolan alive and well, and in no good humor at her husband's neglect. Having been informed of the state of matters at Parliamentary-road her mood speedily changed, she burst into tears, and declared that she would never return until the body of the woman her husband had taken in was removed from the house and she was reinstated in her rightful place. Latterly, Nolan came to the Central Police-office, and convinced himself that the wife whose death he had prematurely mourned was still in the body. Ho at once gave his consent to the removal of the remains of the stranger, and Mrs. Nolan went home with him, resolved, it may be presumed, that in the time to come she would keep out of the hands of the police. The body of Margaret Hamilton was taken back again to St. Rollox station, wher a post-viortan examination was made on Monday, and it was afterwards placed in charge of the parochial authorities.