The Express.
London, England, 1868-03-16 00:00:00

THE INQUEST ON LADY TICHBORNE.

The difficulties which surrounded the settlement
of the gamed= of seoeemion to the Tiethorne baronetcy
are likely to become still more implicated by the sudden
and unexpected death of Lady Henrietta Felicite Rich-
borne, upon whom an inquest wee held on Saturday by
Dr. Lankester, at the request of the claimant to the
family estates, who made a very serious statement upon
oath, from which it would seem that he suspected
,the death to have been caused by unfair MOMS.
It ma a, perhaps, be necessary, for the purpose of
rendering the case *Droplets, to recall attention to
the fact, that recently a pntleman suddenly appeared in
Ragland who claimed to be Roger Charles Doughty Tick-
borne, tenth baronet, and heir to the title and estates con-
nected with the Tichborne family. He stated that after

meeting with various misfortunes Consequent upon a voyage
be had undertaken twenty-eeven years ago be reached Aus-
tralia, and had remained there up to the time of leaving for
England last year. He was admitted by the deceased lady
to be her son, and was in immediate and friendly relation
with her op to the time of her death; but his identity was
denied by the other members of the family interested in the
disposal of the property; and the case yet panda the decision
of the Lords Justioes.
Upon the opening of the coroner', court on Saturday, at
Howlett's Hotel, Manchester-street, Manchester-square
Mr. Looock Webb stated that he appeared on behalf of Sir
Roger Doughty Tichborne.
Mr. Alfred Seymour, 39, Upper Gronenorotreet, sworn
and examined, said—l am half brother of the deceased. I
believe she was born in 1804, and was at the time of her
death 64 years of age. She was the widow of Sir Jamas
Francis Doughty Tichborne. She has been in very good
health lately, but I have as reason to suppose that she
came to her death by any other than natural causes.
Coroner—l believe the son of the deceased is present.
Mr. Dobinson, of the firm of Dobinson and Geer, Lin-
coln's-inn—As the agent of the estate, I dispute that this
gentleman is her son.
Coroner—That does not matter, so far as this inquiry is
concerned, if he swears that he is her son.
The gentleman in question, who had only been referred
to by gesture, here stepped forward, and having been
sworn by the coroner, said—My name is Roger Charles
Doughty Tichborne. lam the son of doused. I saw her
last alive this day week. She appeared to me to be in
good health. I heard of her death about ten minutes past
two on Thursday last, or,grather, I was summoned to come
to London from Croydon immediately at that time. I
found her dead a little after four.
Coroner—Do you know bow she came by her death, or
do you suspect any one of causing her death?
Witness (after a loag pause, during which he seemed
struggling to control his feengel—l do not know bow she
came by her death ; but I wished the poet mortem ex-
amination to be made, because I am fully aware that
One of my servants was offered 1,0001, to put me out of
the way.
At the request of a juror this statement was repeated.
Coroner—We cannot go into that question here, although
if you can bring evidence in support of what you state you
can take action in another smut,
The next wine.. was then called.
Edward Hurst, a waiter at Howlett's Hotel, deposed—
Her ladyship had been living here for five months. She
had been in general good health all that time. I found her
dead on Thursday morning at twenty-five minutes past
eleven in her room, with her body on the floor by the fire-
place, and her head on the sofa. She had her dreuing-
gown on. I had not seen her till then sites the morning
before, when mho went to Croydon. Her maid and her
footman were both with her the morning she died.
Catherine Barrett—l was her ladyship's maid, and saw
her on last Wednesday night. She was in her usual health.
She got up at half-past six on Thursday morning, andlwent
into the drawing-room, and said to me, You have not
yet lighted my fire." She appeared in her usual health
still. She went back to her bedroom, and slept till seven
o'clock. She came into the drawing-room again, and
took two cups of tea. I was celled to her shout half-past
nine, and had some conversation with her. I saw her
again at a quarter-past eleven, when she had a newspaper
in her band. I never saw her again alive. She was not
dressed. She never dreamed till twelve.
Mr. Henry Times, M.E.C.S.—I was called to deceased
at half-past eleven on Thursday morning. She was quite
dead. She had been dead a very few minutes, and was
quite warm. I could not detect anything in the room like
potion. Her body was moderately nourished. I found
extensive congestion of the brain. There was • little
fluid, but not enough to account for death. There was
some also in the ventricle. I opened the cheat and found
the longs congested and there was evidence of long-
standing disease. There was very little fluid in the pen-
cardiuni. The heart was very smell and shrunken. The
right wall was very thin. The left wall was thicker,
but the fibrous substance was wily broken in. There
was fatty degeneration of the heart. The right cavities
, were full, and there was a slight quantity of fluid blood
in the ldt The eaves were healthy. The stomach had
• little fluid in it, which I have preserved. I did
not perceive any indicatians of poison. Yr. Tiernan
said several other medical gentlemen who woes with me
; when I made the posttiortim examination agthed With UM
Mr. Tiernan said all the organs were healthy except the
heart. The cause of death was fatal syncope from a feeble
heart.
The Coroner said that was a very common cause of death
in persona of from 60 to 70. The heart graduelvehriabaker
from its natural site, and suddenly failed
There were circumstance, connected with the ease that
might lead them to suspect unfair play, but there was an
en *e want of evidence to support any supttion. Every-
thing seemed to be going on properly in the hotel, and
they could not suspect deceased's urvants. If, ho mover,
the jury thought there was the slightest reason to awes,
that she had taken, or had had administered to her, any
paws, they must adjourn, and send the contents of the
stomach to undergo* careful analysis.
After seine conversation on the subject of further me-
died evidence, in the course of which the coroner said
the Middlesex magistrates frequently hampered hint by
outdo. him liable to pay for extra medical evidence out
of his own pocket, and would do any injustice to save •
few oldElege,
1L8.C.5., corroborated the evidenee of Mr.
tiness.
Mr. lintel in answer to the foreman of the jury, rid
the death mightl have been hastened by Anthems from
bed. Deceased was a strict catholic, and might have
been fasting. lie had often given her medical certificates
besenseqnonce of bar unfitness for fasting, but she had
mot adoid far ontiliaatee
After a short deliberation in private, the jury returned
a verdict, "That deceased was found dead, and that
death was caused by atrophy sad fatty degeneration ci the
heart."
to

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