The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-07-07
The Tichbornc Gaze.

This remarkable trial which for weeks
past has attracted large and distinguished
audiences in the Sessions Court of Lon
don, before the Lord Chief Justice, is des-
tined to hold its position for some time to come
A despatch from London, which we publish
this morning. announces that the jury in the
case had privately informed the judge that they
were convinced that the claimant was an i'm
poster and were willing to render verdict to
that effect. The judge refused to entertain the
idea, and so the case will proceed in its,regu-
lar course to the close. In romantic interest the
Tichborne case will hold conspicuous place
among the most celebrated trials on record.
Whether true or false the plaintiff story is
one Of intense interest. Going back through
long years, he who claims to be Sir
Roger Tichborne, the rightful heir
to long and noble inheritance, tells the
story of life of adventure which even the
pages of fiction seldom afford parallel. Fol-
lowing the evidence of the claimant when
placed in the witness box, he describes his
boyhOod days at home in England in the
Tichborne manor; then his school days in
France: his travels in Spain home again in
England; his entry into the army; his meeting
with Miss Kate Doughty; his resignation from
the army and his departure for South America;
his adventures in that country again on ship
board, and shortly after, his disaster by being
cast away at sea; his subsequent adventures
in Australia, living wild life among the
Nd hafo loax IN Enn
land, taking to his heart low born maid for
his welded wife. This is the man who now
claims to be the rightful heir of a noble
Inheritance and the descendant Of one of the
most ancient of English families.
In the early days of the trial it was declared
that witnesses would be forthcoming who
would testify that the reputed Sir Roger Itch
borne was known to them in years gone by as
a butcher. This evidence, no doubt, if it can
be produced, will be brought up by the de-
fence. 1t is undenisble, however, that 80 far
the claimant has q very strong case; and sus-
tanned as it is by such an adjunct as that of
the affidavit of Lady Tichborne herself in
which she most positively affirmed her belief
that the man who now claims to be Sir Roger
Tichborne was her son, and consequently the
person he claimed to be, renders it still
stronger. The testimony of Thomas Car
ter, the bsdy servant of Sir Roger in 1852,
who swore che had no more doubt that the
claimant is the Roger Tichborne Of 1862
than he has that he, Carter, is himself,
is also of considerable importance. A
former butler in the Tichborne family
was quite as strong in his testimony as to the
identity of the claimant. And these are not
all who might be named whose testimony lie
strong in proof that the rough, uncouth,
burly, uncultivated looking individual who
now occupies most prominent place in
the minds of the people Of England,
and especially Of English aristocracy, is
the rightful heir to an ancient baronetcy,
the rent roll of which reaches over one hun
dred and fifty thousand dollars year. Thirty
three Witnesses we're placed on the stand before
the claimant himself took his place, and though
in some respects the evidence was contra
dictory, still there was on the whole q remark
able unanimity in the stories which each of
them had to tell in this strange eventful his
tory. The case is still in progress in
London, and until it is concluded the Court
in which it il conducted will continue to be
the resort of members of the British nobility,
who feel intensely interested as to the final
result.