MISTAKEN IDENTITY

Southland Times, Issue 19101, 20 November 1923, Page 5

MISTAKEN IDENTITY

A REMARKABLE INSTANCE. "MISSING MAN” REAPPEARS. (Per United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, November 19. Mrs E. A. Shaw, who lives at 134 St. Asaph Street, identified the body of the man found dead in a vacant section in Hereford Street last Monday as that of Henry Hayes, a shearer, who had been missing from her home where be had been boarding for about a month. An inquest was held and her identification was confirmed by a young student, who was also living in the apartments which Mrs Shaw let. The Coroner, however, said that identification had not been clearly established and accordingly adjourned thl inquest sine die. At that, the matter seemed ended. Yesterday, however, Mrs Shaw was almost paralysed with fright when she saw the man she had identified as dead walking in through her front gate. The real H. Hayes had come to gather his belongings before going out into the country for the season's shearing. When Mrs Shaw had recovered herself, she explained to the surprised Hayee what had happened and he immediately went around to the Police Station and reported he was not the dead man. The inquest on the body was resumed tills afternoon, when the Coroner said the description of tKe man who had died tallied closely with that of Henry Hayes and so it wm not remarkable that Mrs Shaw had been mistaken. The inquest was again adjourned sine die.