New-York tribune., 1871-01-03
TIE MISSING EARL OF ABERDEEN.

Till TRUE sIDh1 DF IIiE NObLEhaN LII o. AM
ADVENTURES.
BOgTON Jan. "a writer i'll The Sunday
Times-Charles T. Payne-giyes what purports to be
true and authorized statement OF all the circumstances
In connection with the remarkable career and early
death Of the Earl OF Aberdeen The writer assisted
IN taking evidence in regard TO the Earl In this country
and nasnuch the accounts heretofore published are
in largo degree purely sensational and ale, and cacu
lated wound the feelings Of the Ears surviving rela
tves be deems 1t bis duty to give TO the public the true
account OF this wonderful case" He denies That COM
mission was 20 this country which employed detec
tives TO discover the young Earls whereabouts ING
Earl, be says, gave minute and interesting accounts
under assumed name 10 his mother, Oh almost every
voyage BIC made and 1t was entirely from the clue when
the letters gaze that intimate private friend Of the
family followed him step by stepin America The Earl
was Of ago when with The full knowledge and consent OF
his family he efs hOToc, after all efforts 10 dssrade him
feiled II IVES also well known to his mother
and bis dearest ffonds that he meant to assume
q strict incognito, and 10 was oniy when All unusual
silerce Of several months alarmed his mother, that the
intimate friend came by her request to America and
traced him step by step by the light OF bis own letters
alone. The very silence was but too well explained. He
was no longer alive having been washed overheard from
Boston vessel three days out of port the 21s Of Jan
uary last Mr. Payne states that tho Earl was fond Of
chilaren but there evidence that no had shown
pnrtcu attention to any young American lady, ana
heboo could not have been "jted" BY capricious
fair oner The Earl left home without an attendant
In 1866 and shpltd andsmau on board vessel bound
to America, assuming the namo Of George H. Osborne
In the Spring of that year he visited his uncle at Fred
ercton n b. but was quite restless during the visit, ap-
parently diskng company and the Difference paid TO
his rank. His uncle, the Hon. Arthur Hamilton Gordon
c. NJ. was Lieutenant Governor 0f NewBrunswick 1T
| the time.
He next came TO this city and shipped before the mast
In New Brunswick bark bound for CardeDas II is not
I hfft IA
known that he sailed several voyages in the coastng and
| West India trade, and thus acquired an intimate
knowledge OF working schOoners His career has been
traced along the coast from Maine 10 Pensacola Becom
ing intimate with slpmate, sewell Small he accom-
panied him to his home in Richmond Ne, and for for
abiding place. While LIVING in Richmond he, IN corr
pany with small purchased boat ana supported nh
and weknown ability as seaman and navigator, soon
led to Eromoon ana he nay became eaPJtan e Is
Joined Masonic Lodge r, whllo sr theTe ana oiso
tendance at church. and strictly temperate He was q
very skilfu marksWal aud wonderful stories are tol
by lis Maine friends Of his performances with gun and
pisto He played the pano-forte well, and spoke seye-
! Tal languages fuently His knowledge OF NAVIGATION
was something quite wonderful in one 80 young and he
was always willing TO impart it 20 others when desired
and indeed, for some time thusht the science In Doth
| New-YOrk and Boston. He was very f0nd OF tne
writings of Aromus Ward and could repeat whole chap
ters from the great Snowman. All hs shpmates TESTIFY
that his disposition was gentle ana generous MS earG-
ter rrcprOachable and hs abilities, mental and ply =
ical, tlaOrdnary. At time he applied 10 Mr. Al
pLes Hardy this city for the position of first officer
on missionary vessel Morning star, and Mr. HARDY
was impressed with his manners aud appearance hat
he would have employed him but that the underWrters
demanded d who was personally known 10 thein as
az experienced nayg gatur He was prOydent a. Wen as
industrious and had accounts with sayings Dsnh in
Philadelphia, another in ts city, ana sun shOIher III
| Richmond, NE. -, q. .
After variety Of adventures. in several OF which ne
nearly lost his life from tie pcris of the sea, and was
only saved by bis great personal strength and daring,
fine voung man came Boston, and, taking fancy 10
tbe ncy three-mastcd schooner Hera, commanded by
Cant lanes H. Kent OF Chatham, Cape Cod, owned by
Nfkersou q CO. o. this city and chartered for VOYAGE
10 China via Melbourne by Messrs Henry W. Peabody
a Co. he secured the position Of first mate. ana sailed
from Boston in her has been stated, In January last
few days frogi this port in heavy sea, he was
! caught by tic dOwnhaul, thrown overheard, ana
drowned letter from cant Kent. received here, gave
the frst inmat OF AIS deat ol which there seems 10
be doubt. 49, 49,,
| OF the manner in which the identity o' the missing
Earl with George H. Osborne as discovered, MI Payne
! says nothing, with tho exception OF the men-
ton OF the Identification OF his Handwriting
| and photographs by largo number OF Wit
nesses and the wonderful coincidence Of the various
testimony with tie letters which his family received
from him az various times Mr.. Payne offers no theory
as to the which led the young Earl 70 take 80
anomalous course, bt sa he authorized a. deny the
various statements which been made In this matt er
various journals and reporters Tine coInls sl0n IN
aud for whom the acted are going 10 China TO lake
the deputaous Of the officers and crew or the uefa,
which from what is already known, can only put thin
beyond u doubt winch "a already morally certain