16 | Adolph Beck A Case of Mistaken Identity

In 19th century England it seemed that having a distinctive moustache was risky, as chemist Adolf Beck found out to his misfortune. At the time, eyewitness descriptions of criminals were accepted as fact, in a world without DNA and the scientific advances we now rely on. How was Beck mistaken for a conman who, except for his moustache, didn’t really look like him at all?📢 Get in Touch & Support the Show Have a story idea or just want to say hello? Drop us an email at [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you!💡 Support Us on PatreonEnjoying Curious Britain? Help us keep the show going by becoming a patron at Patreon. Your support allows us to keep exploring Britain’s most intriguing stories.💰 Make a One-Off ContributionEvery little bit helps! If you'd like to make a one-time donation, you can do so via PayPal here: [Donate Here]🙏 Thank You!Your support means the world to us and helps keep Curious Britain alive. We truly appreciate it!Sources: ·Arkowitz, Hal & Lilienfeld, Scott, 2010, “Why science tells us not to rely on eyewitness accounts”,Scientific American Mind, https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/do-the-eyes-have-it/  Futility Closet Podcast, Episode 165: A Case of Mistaken Identity https://www.futilitycloset.com/2017/08/14/podcast-episode-165-case-mistaken-identity/The Evening Times, December 24, 1909The Sun, May 31, 1914, “Sir Arthur Conan Doyle a detective in real life” https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030272/1914-05-31/ed-1/seq-47/#date1=1789&index=8&rows=20&words=Adolph+Beck&searchType=basic&sequence=0&state=&date2=1924&proxtext=Adolph+Beck&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1Wikipedia, Court of Criminal Appeal, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Court_of_Criminal_Appeal   ·      Wikipedia, “George Edalji” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Edalji