The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-01-06
4 STRANGE NAERArIHE.

4 STRANGE NAERATITE.
The Missing Earl-Fate of the Young
Earl OF Aberdeen who Abandoned his
Titles and Estates to he q Sailor.
A New York letter brings US the following
strange narrative:
The commission sent ous by the Court OF
chancery, OF Scotland, to tal1e testimony as to
the death of the late Earl of Aberdeen, who was
washed overheard from tile ship He0ra, or
which he was the mate, has concluded Its
labors, and the members are about to return
home. Harry Smith, Esq, of the Edinburgh
the Sheriff of Chancery in Scotland, to take
testimony in the case, and L. g. McLaren,
ESQ.,, of the Scotch bar. attorney for the Cor
don family have completed their labors In
this country, bringing to light, and establish
ing by positive testimony, avery step IN the
Earls case from his time o. leaving Scotland
until his untimely death by tlrowRing from the
ing for few days, and will take the steamer
from San Francisco on the list Of February for
China, to conclude their mission In those
waters by securing the testimony Of the cap
tain and crew OF the Hebril as to the Earl's
death.
The late Earl was but lad Of twenty three,
fresh from the University, when he came into
possession of his wealth and honors. he had
been literally and thoroughly educated, and
was, in all respects, promising youRg man.
He was urged to take his seat In the House OF
Lords, but steadily declined on the ground Of
his youth He early declared his intention to
see the world before settling. down In life, and
his expressed purpose of gClng to sea was en-
couraged by some Of his friends and disc6ur,
aged BY Others At last the time approached
when he was to leave home. 1t was under
stood that he was going to New Brunswick to
visit his uncle, the then Lieutenant-Gover
nor Of that Province, and from there would
follow his inclInations. lie had eng":.ed
his passage in sailing ship, and le
eve of his departure had arrived. His old tutor,
the Rev. Mr. Alexander, sought him at that
time, and In an interview of several hours
duration, attempted to wean him from the de-
termination, but all to no purpose. Halfway
across the Atlantic sailor, who had been sent
aloft for some purpose, missed his footing and
fell on the deck, sustaining fracture of his
thigh. The young Earl, who spent two years
in medical college in the course Of his edu-
cation. stepped forward AMI administered to
the sufferer. After setting nnd properly BAN
daging the broken limb, the aristocratic pas
senger reported to the mate for substitute
for the disabled sailor, and from that time m
til the vessel reached port he continued to dis
charge the double duty Of nhip's surgeon and
ordinary seaman.
In New Brunswick the Earl fell In with two
young Englishmen, Gosford and Petachin, who
were making the tour of .be country, and
mutual arrangement was made to travel IN COM
pauy. The party visited Boston and New
York together, when the Earl ciVilly Wilhdrew
from the other two, and returned to Boston,
when he assumed the incognito Of Osborne.
While in Boston, and between his voyages, he
studied seamanship In the Boston Nautical
Club and graduated from that Institution with
certificate of competency as q navigator.
When the Rev. Mr.. Alexander arrived in this
country, eighteen months ago, to prosecute
the search for the wandering Earl, he had no
clue to guide him bntthe Earl's letters home.
or these, the last was written from Pensacola,
and, therefore, that was the starting point OF
the jealous clergyman's labors. But he was
met with ON obstacle that for long time
thwarted all his efforts. The Earls incoGnito
was unknown, as well as the names OF vessels
in which he had sailed at various times, but
the affectionate old tutor persevered, despite
oil obstacles, and at last was rewarded by a
reasonable Identification Of the Earl With O
sailor named George Il. Osborne.
Having satisfied himself that Osborne was
the man he wanted, Mr.. Alexander made In
auiries for that person. and succeeded IN
tracing him on board Eorthern-bound coast
Ing vessel. The hunt now became exciting
and interesting. leading up and down the
coast from Florida to Nova Scotia, and from
st. Johns through the different coast cities to
Baltimore. Thus every step of the young
mans wanderings was faithfully followed, the
laborlous undertaking consuming nine months
of unremtting labor, Varied by alternate en-
couragements and discour1gements. For a
long Time It seemed to the searcher that he
was on the young mans heels, and would nat
ter himself that when he should find certain
vessel he would surely be brought into
brilliant prospect would be disspated
BY the finding the vessel and the dis
covery that Osborne had left on the conclu-
sion of former voyage, and nobody would
know his whereabouts. Then the laboriously
searching for another trail was commenced,
and continued till last February, when Alexan.
der traced the Earl aboard the Heora, bound
tor Australia. These tIdings were duly com.
munlcated to the Earl in Scotland, and the
tutor sat down in Boston to wait the receipt Of
tidlngs of the Hebra, meantime arranging
plans for sending her to England OF bringing
her back 10 this country. Letters addressed
to the Earl in his incognilo were also dis
patched to the care of the consigneSs Of the
Hebra, in Melbourne, fully explaining the Sit
uatlon Of affairs, and urging hls Immediate
return home. After several months of walt.
Ing, Gle ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS VI tlc oelS aAhhf @i
of the Hebra out was received, but
with it came the death blow to all the
hopes that centred In tho recovery OF the
sailor Earl, for the news was accompanied
with the announcement that the mate was
washed overheard and drowned on the fourth
day out. One of the sailors OF the Rebra, VINO
has returned to this country, has been exam.
ined by the commission. Hs fully recognized
Osborne, the mate of the vessel, in the photo
graphs of the Earl that were placed before
him. He also gave minute account OF Os
borne's death as heretofore related. The cap
tain's testimony and the ships log, detailing
the casualty at the time of Its alleged occur.
renee, will complete the necessary evidence
Osborne or the Earl shipped on the Hebra al,
most by accident, and sailed in her evidently
against his own impulses. He went aboard
while she was lying at Boston. He wanted to
inspect large three-masted schooner. Cap
tain Kent met him on deck, was struck by hi!
general appearance, and Immediately engaged
! hiu as mate.
"HOWI TOTES.'' -