The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-01-24
The Story Of a Lost Heir.

The London star Of January has the follow
! ing interesting story, part OF which has already
been told, but in an incomplete form;-
''The events of real life are often 80 extraordi-
! nary that the writers of fiction never need trust
wholly to their imagmations for the materials
! out of which TO tashont the most romantic or
! sensational story. Certainly Sir Roger Charles
Tichbourne, Bart, who arrived at southampton
Yesterday and was recognized and welcomed bv
his Hampshire tenantry as the longlost heir to
an English baronetcy and an estate with a rent
roll of from ten to fifteen thousand a year,
has done more than his part towards verifying
the old adage, which, although too hackneyed TO
quote, is based upon a truth that IS constantly
repeating itself. OF course, Sir Roger Will yet
have to do much to establish his claim. Posses
sion is Hine-tenths of the law, and even an infant
who is in this position is generally sure of plenty
OF friends to do battle Tor him, and to assert the
genuineness of his title. But fortunately for all
parties, the questions now at issue involve
no profound genealogical puzzle. Baptismal
and marriage registers have not to be
ransacked, or musty parchments, worn and
obliterated by age, untOlded to solve
the perplexing ENIGMA whether the Individual
who calls himself Sir Roger Charles Tichbourne
Is really descended from the first baronet whose
creation dates as far back as 1920. Ii this were
the point to be decided, the feast would be
one for lawyers to tatten upon for years to
come, and the cause OF Tichbourne UerSus Itch.
bourne might be destined 70 grow in length and
Obscurity Tor the benefit of a remote posterty
But as, in fact, the only thing which has to be
done is either to prove or to disprove the iden-
tity of the new claimant, we may hope for
speedy solution of the problem. The question
is whether he is the son of his supposed father
or somebody else's son. The tenantry of Itch
bourne Park, or at least some of their number
appear alIeaOy TO have satisfied themselves that
the eX-butcher of Wagga Wagga is in truth the
eldest son OF the late Sir James Francis Doughty
Tlchbouine. and therefore the lawful inheritor
of the title and property of that defunct worthy
'This strange, eventful history, as 1t has come
to us from Australia is worth narrating. Many
elxyh Il
Roger, the heir of the late baronet, suddenly
lett home and took ship for America. He pro-
badly surrendered himself 10 the influence OF
that rowing disposition which has allured many
a scion OF q wealthy or arstocratic house to the
Eold.diggings of Australia, 10 the backwoods of
America, or to the foreCastle of merchantman
The vessel which conveyed him to the Ameri-
can continent was wrecked and it was expected
that Roger was among those who persisted. If
the relations of father and son had been unsatis-
factory there would probably be no very strict
inquiry into the facts, and at best these would
be difficult Of authorization. Be this as it
may, his younger brother, Alfred JDseph
Tchbourne, was recognized as the heir and
on the death OF his father, in 1862, entered into
possession OF the title and property. Sir Alfred
was then young man, only twenty-three years
OF age; and year previously he had married q
daughter of Lord Arundel of Wardour His
life was brief and its vicissitudes were not a
feW-fOr our readers may remember the frequent
appearance OF his name in connection with
CtIldlu proceedings III I0C OOQIJOI bdQkfuDtCV.
He died few months ago in the prime of his
youth, Tor he was only twenty-seVen years of
age; and a short time afterwards his widow gave
birth to q pOsthumOus child-a son,
'lt was not until intelligence of the death of
Sir Alfredlreached the aEtipodes, that his elder
brother revealed himself in his true character
Ills motive for preserving his alcOgnitO as he has
explained 1t, certainly does not appear unrea-
sonabe. He says that he was well content that
his younger brother should enjoy the position
which belonged to him by right, because he was
sincerely attached to him, and also because he
felt that the vicissituues of his own life had
untitled him TO play the part of an English
country gentleman. The history of mis- rovings
would no doubt form an entertaining narrative
II we were only in possession of the details.
After his shipwreck, he remained some time in
America, and his worldly goods having gone
down in the Bella, he pursued a variety of occu-
patiOns until, growing tired of the New World
he determined, ii he could, TO propitiate fortune
in Australia,
"He now appears on the scene as Thomas de
Castro, the owner of a small business in lamut
and subsequently butcher at Wagga Wagga
where he married a laborer's daughter named
Bryan. Casting off all the old associates, he
appears TO have adapted himself entirely to the
new condition of life which ne had so strangely
chosen. His position is described as having
been a very humble one, and his marriage to
a plasterer's daughter sufficiently indicates the
obscuIity OF his lot. Although the Wagga
Wagga Express is wrong in calling him "a
British peer he must sometimes have been
Il
shop in an unheard-of Australian town for the
comforts of the patrimonial home in Tichbourne
Park, and il is therefore not surprising that
when his brother died, he should have made up
his mind to turn his back on Wagga Wagga
and try what enjoyment he could extract out of
ten thousand year. True he thinks his colo
NAL experiences somewhat unfit him for the
high social position which he will now have to
occupy; but he need feel no apprehension on
that score. Wealth is a great power in this
country, and If the adventurous butcher of
Waega Wagga could by one spring leap into
dukedom instead of baronetcy, he would find
that the inconeruity OF his former state with
his new eXatation would be no bar what
ever to the reception either of himself or of his
duchess into the highest society. Being a
simple baronet he will, if he establish title
be great man in Hampshire; and if colonial
manners have not made him too democratic, he
may one day represent his native county in
Parliament. There is only one possible draw
back, which is that Sir Roger may be unable
to prove himself to be the veritabe son of his
fathern