MISTAKEN IDENTIFICATION

“I knew the body had been in water for some days, all right,” said Harbor Detective Ronson, as he and Professor Fordney proceeded to the morgue where the formal identification of the remains was to take place.

“We found him where you said we probably would,” continued Ronson. “A nasty sight he was, too, lying face down on the muddy river bank, the back of his head battered in and covered with blood and his clothes sodden and almost colorless as only long immersion makes them. And his face! Well you’ll see that for yourself. He had been in the water for at least four days. I’m confident it’s Butterworth from the description, though I couldn’t make out the papers on the body.”

Fordney turned a quizzical glance toward the detective as the taxi sped to the house of death, but said nothing. Arriving there they found in the outer office a tearful Mrs. Butterworth, accompanied by her brother. After a word or two with them, the deputy coroner, the Professor and the detective went to the air-cooled chamber below where an attendant pulled out a slab on which lay the green and bloated body of a man.

Mrs. Butterworth steeled herself to take a look and cried, “That’s not Charles!”, then fainted. Her brother definitely confirmed his sister’s statement. The body was not that of Charles Butterworth.

* * * *

“While a mistake in identification is understandable in such a case, I’m quite surprised at your oversight, Ronson,” Fordney said later. “You should have known better!”

What did the Professor mean?