The Norwegian, Beck, who was sentenced by a mistake as
to his identity to five years' penal servitude for swindling women, has been released, and will, we hope, be liberally com- pensated for such a monstrous, though accidental, failure of justice. His "double" has been caught and sentenced. There is reason for surprise that such cases are not more frequent. There are probably no two persons who are exactly alike, but men nowadays dress and arrange their hair in the same way, and there is a tendency towards type which occasionally makes distinction difficult. There are well-known cases in the House of Commons, and the writer of these words saw the other day in a railway compartment a passenger so like an old friend in face, manner, and voice that but for a difference in height, not visible till he rose, he would have sworn to him in any Court. Likeness is, and always has been, a danger for the innocent, and should make witnesses who have any doubt in their minds, or are conscious of any imperfection of sight, more careful in their testimony than they are. We see that remedies are discussed, but there are none of much avail except mutilation of the features or extreme eccentricity of dress, and neither of these is likely to be tried.
Bank Rate, 3 per cent.
Consols (21 per cent.) were on Friday 881.
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