Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-12-02
THE T7CHBoRNE CASE.


The famous case of Tichborne VS. Lushington
has been resumed in London and II is thought
win soon be enlivened by important discoveries.
May 10, and continued almost from day to day.
until July7. Judge, jury and counsel were by
that time 80 exhausted that an adjournment
became indispensable. Both sides were willing
sin, e each hoped In the interval to secure con,
elusive testimony. public excitement ran high
at the time of the trial. has abated but little
since, and is nov at greater pitch than ever.
specting the chief matter in dispute, the point
blank oaths of Trustworthy witnesses in con-
frmstion of the alleged Sir Roger Tichbor mes
identity, and the directly contrary oaths of wit
nesses against hins-the INCIDENTALLY suspicious
circumstance that the plaintiff failed to remem-
Der in the slightest degree studies with which
the veritable Roger was known to have been
familiar, and on the other hand, his minute ac-
quaintance with the incidents, places and indi.
viduals equally familiar TO the true Roger at the
with remarkable interest
The belief of many and the theory of his an-
tagonists has been firm that the plaintiff is in
fact Arthur Orion, man once a butcher at
Wrapping. In truth. nearly all opinions concur
that II he Is not Tiehborne , must be Orton.
The - bsronet or butcher alternative is sus-
tanned by plausible circumstances. On the
night OF his arrival in London the claimant was
known to have gone to Wrapping and to have
correspondent aiterward with Orton's sisters
The awkward conjecture Is supported by other
cireumstantial evidence. There have been sew
eral times when it has seemed that the identi-
fication of the plaintiff with orion must be
c;9nclusively established. But now it is
thought his counsel will play crushing trump.
This is nothing less than the production of the
real Orton himself, who 1t is predicted, will be
brought forward at the proper moment to over
throw opposition. Yet the adverse LAWYERS are
not unprepared even for this. Suppose an al
legged OrtOn appears, why should he be a real
Orion? There may be difficulty in establishing
his identity. If the alleged Tichborne is an i'm
poster, 1t is not impossible to conceive of his
claims being backed up by another imposter. 1t
is known that agents have been working with
great energy in Australia in the int rest OF both
sides in this action, and we ST all doubtless
speedily get decisive accounts Of he result.
PENDING this II may be useful to give brief
outline OF the situation. The case for the
claimant Is substantially as follows He is
asserted to be the eldest son of Sir j. +. D. Itch
borse, tenth baronet Of Tichborne. The latter
was youngest of three brothers, and the others
died before him. He subsequently, married in
1877. Roger was born January 8, 1929. A
second son, Alfred, was born, who married i'm
1861, and died In 1866. Alfred left posthumous
son, and 1t is in his interest that the present suit
is defended. Roger, the true elder son, had
rather eccentric tastes and habits. He fell i'm
love with his cousin, and was refused by her.
Then be got drunk and swore to leave home for
ever. He did go off to South America, and wan
dered about there in a reckless fashion, CORES
pondng at spasmodic intervals with friends in
England AT last he made his way to Rio
he went on board an outward bound ship called
the Bella. The Bella went dewn, As was
supposed, with every soul on board. But the
claimant says that whoever else went down. he
did not. He alleges that he escaped in a boat.
and was picked up by an American vessel
which took him to Melbourne. His opponents
say this Is sheer fabrication. If it Is, what the
claimant knows of the drowned man he person
ates has been gained and worked up with aston
ishfng skill. 1t is true that he could not on the
former cross-examination name one book that
he had read with his tutor, Chatillon, and that
he knew no more of the Greek and Latin OF
which the true Roger had at least a smattering
than he does of quadratic equations. But the
true Roger when he went away left sealed
package with Mr.. Gosford, the family steward,
which was not to be opened unless certain events
occurred; and the claimant named the con-
tents OF that package-never having had any
chance whatever of access to it-in detail
Besides this, the affidavlts of his mother, Lady
Iichb0rne, OF Mr.. Hopkins, the family solicitor
and OF two other persons, all attesting under
oath the identity of the claimant with the long
absent Roger, come in for due share of weight
These witnesses arc dead, but James McCann
Sir Rogers servant when he was in the car
bineers, Colonel NOrbury, the commander OF the
regiment, and a number OF other officers pri-
Yates, and tradesmen who supplied uniforms,
helmets, &c, are alive, and their testimony il
The same as that OF the others. To rebut this
powerful array Of proof in addition to the claim.
ants astounding ignorance of various matters
with which he should be familiar, other wit
nesses as positive as those who swear to his iden-
tity make oath against it.
Such Is substantially the condition of this
strange trial. The attention it attracts is uuiver-
sal, and 1t Is said there never has been law
suit on the issue of which 80 much money was
at stake in the form of bets. The main prizes
at issue are splendid ones. Not only an ancient
baronetcy and an exalted social position 90 to
the winner, but noble estates in Hampshire and
elsewhere, and magnificent rent-rOll will give
the means to support those distinctions. In
short time we shall probably be able to record
the end OF struggle the singularity OF which,
and the desperation and ability with which it
has been contested, will combine to make it
memorable. ...t