AMAZING CASE

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12323, 18 December 1925, Page 8

AMAZING CASE

MYSTERY CLEARED UP BURIED IN WRONG NAME i RELATIVES MISTAKE IDENTITY (By Telegraph.—Special to “Times.”) AUCKLAND, December 17. All the mystery surrounding the amazing case of “Hobartown Jack” or John Gallagher to give him his real name,, has been swept away. The body that was found in Auckland harbour on November 7th and which was stated by a number of witnesses, including Gallagher’s own son, to be that of an old man who was really alive and well in Ness Valley, Clevedon, has been positively identified as that of James Hugh Murray, aged about 50 years, a single man and returned soldier, who had been working principally on scows, shingle boats and at the cement works at Whangarei. Thus has ended the most remarkable story of mistaken identity in the history of the Dominion. It will be remembered that, on tho date mentioned, a body was noticed in the water near the Municipal Fish Market. It was recovered by the police in the presence of market employees. They knew old “Hobartown” well, for on nis p« riodical visits to the city he would always call on them. These men then gathered about the corpse on the wharf, and one and all said: “It's ‘Hobartown Jack.’” But more amazing still, Gallagher’s own son saw the body later and identified it as that of his father.

The inquest was then opened and one of the fish market employees gave evidence of identity. ’ “The body that the coroner has viewed at the morgue is that of John Gallagher, who was known as ‘Hobartown Jack,’ ” he said,' and the coroner on this evidence gave a warrant to bury the body under the name of John Gallagher.

The next episode say the body taken to the home.of sorrowing “relatives” at Mount Eden. From there it was removed to the Hillsboro cemetery. A large number of relations ' and friends followed the hearse and lined the graveside. There was profusion of floral tributes and wonderful things were said about poor old “Hobartown,” and the “Star” spared a whole column to record his exploits at Thames in the old mining days, when his star performance was to raoe the stage coach on foot. Then camo the big shock.

ALIVE AND WELL Someone at, Clevedon read _ the newspaper ■ reports, but was positive that he had seen Gallagher, who lived in a shack in the Ness Valley, alive on Saturday, on which day his body was supposed to have been taken from the harbour. Word was sent to Auckland and Gallagher’s son was astounded. Had he not identified the dead body' of his father and attended the funeral? However, he went to Ness Valley and there to bis amazement he was confronted by his father —in When the news reached Auckland the men who had been present when the body was recovered refused to oelieve the news, but a reporter went to the little valley and. took with him u photographer. That was on Thursday, November 12th, and the photograph of “Hobarlown” was published standing . outside his . humble home. Alongside the picture was an interview given by the “dead man” himself. It was then discovered that John Gallagher had a double, and that double was of course the man who waa drowned. When 'the photograph was seen by those who knew ‘Hobartown” the likeness to the dead man was immediately noticed by those who had viewed the -. corpse. It was stated by a police officer that the only marked difference between the man in the picture and the one buried was that Gallagher was shown with a moustache adornment which the dead man did not possess. Otherwise the cheek hones, prominent lins, hair and broken nose were identical with the then unknown, man. _ . IDENTITY ESTABLISHED Since the date on which it was discovered that a mistake had been made, Sergeant Flannigan, -of the .waterfront police has been making exhaustive inquiries. The clothes taken from the corpse were kept at the station, and it was mainly by these that the identity of the drowned man was finally established. It was found that Murray had been last seen on the waterfront on November sth. Some of his comrades were I sought out and they were able to, swear that the clothes had been worn by Murray. The inquest into the circumstances of Murray’s death will be completed before Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M., coroner, on Monday next. The magistrate has informed the police that it will not he necessary for John Gallagher to attend. Witnesses will swear to the astonishing likeness of the two men. The deceased, Murray,, has three brothers in Auckland.