STRANGE CASES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23332, 26 October 1937, Page 10

STRANGE CASES

IMPOSTORS EXPOSED AUDACIOUS PERSONATIONS The Gentlemen’s Magazine for 1739 gives an interesting account of the remarkable case of Martin Guerre. At the age of 11 he married at Biscay a beautiful damsel of the same mature age. A son was born to them nine years after the marriage, after which, having defrauded his father of some corn, Martin disappeared. For eight years nothing was heard of the truant. Then the poor pining wife had to be congratulated on his return—his four sisters and his uncle joining with his wife in recognising and welcoming him. For three years the pair lived peaceably together. Two children were born. Then the wife caused the husband to be apprehended on the ground that he was not himself. The accused made a grand defence—his uncle, with whom he had'quarrelled, had invented the story to spite him, and drawn his wife in. “A more execrable piece of villainy,” he said, “ was never heard of.” He gave the fullest account of his adventures while absent, and related correctly the incidents of his past life, including a circumstantial account of his marriage and the birth of his son. At the trial between 30 and 40 witnesses deposed that the man was really Martin Guerre; they knew him by his person, air, and tone of voice; and by scars and secret marks which it was impossible for time to efface. A large number of witnesses declared that the accused was one Arnold du Tilt, commonly called Pansette; while upwards of 60 could not be sure whether he was one or the other. The judge ordered an examination of the man’s person. The result being adverse, he gave judgment and sentenced the man to be beheaded and afterwards quartered. The people were not satisfied, and the case went before Parliament. Some of the new evidence was very strong for the claimant — he had the original Martin Guerre’s two scars on the face, his bloodshot left eye, his grown-in finger nails, and his warts.

Parliament inclined towards the prisoner, and the judgment of the inferior court was about to be reversed, when, suddenly, as if dropped from the clouds, appeared another claimant in whom all the witnesses recognised the real Simon Pure. Arnold died penitent. His confession made it easy to understand how the imposture had been effected. Much Interest At the end of the seventeenth century another case excited much interest in France. A common soldier became acquainted with the footman of a young nobleman, who had fled to Switzerland from the persecutions and died there. The two worthies put their heads together, and, the footman supplying the facts of the deceased man’s life, th» soldier personated him, constituted an action of ejectment against the dead man’s noble relations who had_ been permitted to enter into possession of the forfeited estates, and succeeded in his claim. Parliament, however, reversed the decision, and the pretender was finally sat upon. But the curious thing was that he couldn’t read or write, and had not the sligntest resemblance in feature, shape, or stature to the man he personated. It was the claimant’s indomitable assurance alone that won him his temporary victory. . The chronicler says: It is me steadiness of the front, hardiness or downright audacity, which impose on mankind the most, and make amends for all defects in the understanding. The soldier had made many blunders; but his invincible assurance repaired all and brought even his enemies to his side.”

Secret Marriage An action, Smith v. Smyth, was tried at the Gloucester Assizes in August, 1853. The claimant had a prettier case than the soldier, but he had not his brow of brass. The prize he aimed at, too, was worth winning—£2o,ooo or £30.000 a year (besides a baronetcy). His plan was strictly according to the novelist —a secret marriage, a hitherto unheard-of child (himself), all revealed by the discovery of ancient documents. The man stood his first day’s cross-examination well; the second day’s not so well: the third day he collapsed. Then the claimant! “A goodly, portly man i’ faith, and a corpulent: of a cheerful look, a pleasing eye. and a most noble carriage.” His irremediable blunder was his going to Wapping and putting into the hands of his enemies the Orton clue According to “ Sergeant Ballantyne’s experiences,” the other side made serious initial errors. The sergeant writes his belief that if the evidence of the tatooing had been brought forward at first, and the claimant had been closs-examined by Mr Hawkins (later judge), instead of by an inexperienced Chancery barrister. the vast proceedings, the immense expense, the public excitement might all have been spared. There are no instances of finally successful personation There has been a considerable amount of success, but not success enough. Except in times of revolution, rightful owners are likely to win.