Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-01-09
EARL OF ABERDEEN.
The TFIs St0ry Of the Nsbleman's Lie and
Adventures,

Boston, January "A writer in
The Sunday IIl1es-Charles +. PAYNE
gives what purp0rrs to be a true
and authorized statement of all the
circumstances in connection with the
remarkable career and early death of
the late Earl of Aberdeen The WTi-
ter assisted I'm taking evidence in re-
gard ta the Earl In this country, and
Iuasmuch as the accounts heretofore
published are in q large degree purely
sensational and false, and calculated
to OWOund the feelings Of the EsrIs
surviving relatives, he deems it his
duty 10 give to the public "the true
account OF this wonderful c8se.n He
denies that a commission was sent to
this country, which employed detec-
tlyes to discover the young Earl'5
Wherea 00aJs, The Earl, he says, gave
minute and interesting accounts. Un-
der an assumed name, TO his mother,
of almost every voyage he made, and
il was entirely from the clue which
the letters gave that an intimate pri-
vate friend of the family followed him
step by step in America. The Earl
was of age when, with the full
knowledge and consent Of his
family, he left home, after
all efforts 20 dissuMle him failed.
IJ was also well known to his mother
and bis dearest friends that he meant
to assume a strict incOgnitO, and it
was only when an unusual silence OF
several months alarmed his mother,
that the intimate friend came by her
request 10 America, and traced him
step by step by the light of his own
letters alone. The very silence was
but too well explained. He was no
longer alive, having been washed
overheard from d Boston vessel three
days out of port, on the ZLst Of Janu-
arY last. Mr.. Payne states that the
Earl was very fond Of children,
but there was no evidence that he had
shown particular attention to any
young American lady, and hence
could not have been ',iiited % by ca
pricigUs "air 0ne." The Earl left
home without an attendant in 1866.
and shipped as landsmsu on board a
vessel bound for America, assuming
{be name of George R. Osborne. Ia
the spring Of that year he visited his
uncle at Fredericton, n. B., but was
quite restless during the visit, appar-
emily dlsllklng company and the
dei9rence paid 10 his rank. His uncle,
the Hon. Arthur Hamilton Gordon,
G. N. G., was ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS of
New Brunswick at the time.
lie next came TO this city and
shipped before the mast in a New
Brunswick bark, bound for Cardenas. |
IL IS rot known whether he really
performed the voyage, bUtiti5 known
that he sailed several voyages ia the
cud5tiug and West India trade. and
thus acquired an intimate knowledge
OF working schO0ueTs His career
has been traced along the coast frOm
Maine 70 Pensacola. Becoming init
mate with a ashipmate, SeWeII Small. |
he accompanied him to his home iu /
Richmond, Maine, and for several
year, when on shore, made SeWelPs
home ms abiding place. Whileiving
ia Richmond he, iI company with
Small, purchased boat aud supported
himself by fishing. His excellent
character, great strength, aud we'll
known ability as q seaman and uavi-
gator soon led to promotion, and be
finally became captain Of the schooner
owned in Richmond. He
.oiBed a Masonic Lodge while there, /
and also became a Good Templar. lie
was regular in his attendance At
church, and strictly temperate. He
was a very skilful marksHan,
and wonderful stories are told |
by his Maine friends Of his 1
performances with gun and 1
pistol. He played the piano-forte |
we'll, and spoke several languages !
iueDtly. His knowledge of naviga- /
ion was something wonderful in one /
70 young, and he was always willing /
10 impart it TO others when desired; /
and, indeed, for some time taught the /
science in New York and Boston. He /
was very fond Of the writings Of Ar /
.emus Ward, and could repeat whole I
chapters from the great Snowman.
All his shipmates testify that his dis /
position was gentle and generous, his
irrepTOacbable, and his abil- 4
tiles, mental and physical, eXtraOrdi- /
1ary. At one time be applied to Mr. /
Alpheus Hardy, Of this city, for the /
position Of hrst officer on the mis-