The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-07-12
TEE TICHB6RNE TRIAL.
Review OF the Case-Baron or Butcher
"A Very Strange Story.

The famous Tichborne case, which has
Just been adjourned by the Court of Com
mon Pleas, London, until November next,
and which has attracted so much attention
on both sides Of the Atlantic, had pro-
gressed sufficiently far to assure the jury
that the claimant to the haronetcy and e>-
tates Of the Tichbornes, who styles himself
Sir Roger Doughty Tichborne, was an i'm.
postor. Nevertheless, the Judge, US al
ready stated by telegraph, insisted
upon completing the testimony in the
case, as he could not, of course, do other
WIS., wise. There ss;TaI are many, MAJ nc no o doubt, who.
to believe that the long-lost Sir Roger, sup
posed to have been drowned ut sea some Is
years ago, has turned up alive in the per-
son of the claimant. They feel in him the
same interest that they would in the hero
of Il novel who had been subjected to the
strange yicssitudes of fortune which the
claimant processes to have experienced
though no fiction ever written contains SO
much that is improbable and marvellous
and will be disappointed if the prosaic
butcher, Arthur Orton, as the jury believe
the claimant to be, does not prove himself
to be the rightful heir Of the ancient Itch
thousand pounds sterling year. The fol-
lowing review Of the case is taken from Il
summary from the London reports Of the
trial:
HOW THE "LoNG LOST" TURNED Up.
The first that was heard of the claimant
was In 1856, when. the late Blronct Itch
borne having died. it became matter OF
legal Importance to know for certain that
the heir to the title and property, believed
to have been drowned by the wreck OF the
Stella, about thirteen years before, was
really dead. Lady Fichborne's lawyers put
advertisements in the London papers Offer
inc reward for more definite information
about the fate of the missing man. Re-
sponses were directed to be addressed to
Lady 81. f. Tichborne at her residence.
Some months afterwards letter came to
Lady Tichborne beginning my dear
mama" signed "R. d. Tlchborne," and
containing the most ardent protestations of
love for the old lady and fragmentary ex-
planation of the reasons Of the writer's
mysterious conduct in SO long hiding away
from family and friends, horribly mis-
and tact. The writer yearned to return
home Immediately, and only lacked funds
for the journey.
Lady Tichborne, who, mother-like, had
never given up hopes of seeing her first
born again, believed the letter to be genu-
inc, although the handwriting was very
different from that Of her child Of other
days, and the wretched spelling marked a
sad degeneracy in one who had been care
fully educated at Stonyhurst, and who,
though not an extraordinary bright boy, at
least knew how to spell. She returned an
atfectionate answer, and desired the long
lost" to come to England at once, bring.
ing his wife and children with him-fOr he
had acquired family in Australia after his
hair-breadth escape from the wreck of the
Stella-and provided money for the jour-
ney. On his arrival she was amazed to see
the slim lad who had gone to sea in tit of
self-will and adventure in 1853, returned L
man weighing over 300 pounds.
THE RECOGNITION.
Notwithstanding the great alteration in
his appearance she recognized him, or
thought she did, as her own beloved Roger.
from certain peculiarities of facial express
sion, scars on both ankles, where her son
had had setons applied when he was a child,
his apparent recollection of places and per-
sons which no stranger could be supposed
to have known, and various evidences,
some strong, some trivial. That his own
mother (whO died before the suit came on)
acknowledged him that she made an affi-
dayit stating the certainty of her conviction
that he was her son that she desired him
to have the title and estate, which had,
meanwhile, passed to another heir, and that
she settled an annuity on him until he could
recover his rights by process of law, Is pro.
perly the strongest part of the claimant IS
plea. Other relatives also recognized him.
The butler of the Tichborne family, young
2oger's body servant, his riding master,
numerous officers and privates of regi.
ment in which he had served before start.
ing on his wild sea voyage -over thirty ere.
ditable witnesses in all-swore positively
that he is Sir r. D. Tichborne, or, as one
witness put it, s'If he is not Roger Itch.
borne he is the devil himself"
THE TRIAL AND TESTIMONY.
The trial of the case was adjourned over
for wears after the claimant had asserted
his alleged rights, in order to give the de-
fence time to procure testimony from Aus
trala and other parts of the world, and tc
hunt up, if possible, some of the survivors
of the Stella. All being ready, the greal
struggle commenced in the Court Of Com
mon Pleas, before Lord Chief Justice Ro
will and special jury Of eleven men, will
the distinguished Sergt. Ballantine fwell
known from his connection with the fa
NOUS Mordaunt case) and four other able
lawyers representing the claimant, and ,Sil
! !. D, Q9lerldge, the eminent Solicitor Gen