Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1872-06-27
Helena, Montana, Thursday, June II, 1872.
Tichborne Aagain ,n Favor.

Tichbornc Aagain In Favor. -f.
1t is strange how willing the world is to be
humbugged. The extraordinary person who
claims to be Sir Roger Tichborne is again the
subject of active discussion. He managed
to get bail, it will be remembered, and then,
finding himself rather short of money, made
direct appeal to the English public to sub
scribe to enable him to carry on the war.
This appeal-which to many seemed to reach
the very sublimity of impudence--has been
literally responded to. Thousands of pounds
have been paid in by total strangers to enable
a man who has been proved, after an elabor-
ate and extended trial, to be an impostor and
a cheat, to defend himself, if not to reassert
his original claims. The claimant" more
over, has been making what looks very much
like triumphal tour through the country.
He is lionized, toasted and feted; he receives
addresses of respect and coincidence, and he
makes speeches which are received with en-
thusiasm by assembled multitudes. On the
14th of May remarkable demonstration of
this sort took place at Alresford, in Hamp-
shire. This is lovely little village about two
miles from Tichborne Hall. 1t appears that
the claimant has been the guest of Mr.. Onslow
the Member of Parliament for Guilford-
another circumstance likelyto cause surprise
The claimant and Mr.. Onslow, with some
other well-known gentlemen, dashed into
Alresford, on the afternoon of the day named
in wagonette, drawn by four beautiful greys,
and created lively sensation there. ''Sir
Roger" was loudly cheered as he drove along
the streets, and an immense throng assembled
at ithe Swan Hotel to see the distinguished
party alight. AT the outskirts of the village
band had met the carriage, together with a
large body of respectable looking men wear
ing blue silk rosettes. A handsome banner
was likewise displayed, bearing the words:
''Welcome Sir Roger Tchborne." 1t is de-
clared that the country folk of the entire
neighborhood gather to do honor to the much
tried man, whose last and crowning misfor-
tune it was not to have been tattooed. Nor
were the demonstrations confined to the lower
orders. Villas and other handsome houses
along the roads were decorated, and ladies
appeared at the windows and gates waving
their handkerchiefs and casting flowers. 1t
seems only reasonable to suppose that the
popular adhesion to the claimant and his
cause is genuine, and that these expressions of
it arc but fitting parts of a story destined to
be consistently wonderful from beginning to
end. When ''Sir Roger and his friends
reached the Swan Hotel further notable pro-
ceedings ensued. MIR. Onslow made speech
in which he announced his absolute convic-
ton of the identity of the claimant with
the long-lost BarOnef, and his determination
to stick by him to the last. Mr.. Onslow said
that the people of the Tichborne estate-Sir
Rogers tenants and friends and servants
were equally sure thattne claimant was the
''Mr. Roger" of twenty years ago, and that
this was the reason for the enthusiasm they
all witnessed that day. The speaker then
urged continued subscriptions to enable Sir
Roger to make good his rights. The defense
fund.- was already a handsome sum, but more
would be wanted, and the peopleshould come
forward and supply it, Sir Roger had been.
invited to speak at various points in the neigh
borhoOd, and he, together with Mr. Onslow,
had accepted the invitations, and would next
address the public at Bristol. All this and
much more was heard by the people of Aires
Forthwith continued applause and this swelled
into torrent when the claimant" himself
arose, and with urhane dignity, proceeded to
was certainly very clever. He asserted with
great tirmness that he was what he professed
to be, and added that in time all would be
sure of the fact Immensely powerful in
fluences had been brought to bear against him
but the people, the working classes, were on
his side and believed in his integrity A large
fraction of the subscriptions were from the
laboring class, and he was proud of the fact.
Lord Bellows story of the tattooing was a
conspiracy got up at the last moment, under
fear of defeat. On that story alone he, Sir
he could and would prove it to be without
foundation in truth. He would prove in good
time, to the satisfaction of his hearers, of
England, and of the whole world, that he
was not ''the impostor, the forger, the villain
and the vagabond" he had been branded as
being by the Attorney General. Each sue
cessive phase of this strange business reads
like a chapter from sensation novel. > A few
weeks ago the claimant seemed likely to
bring up permanently in II house of correc-
ton; yet here he is, riding about the country
in triumph in carriage and four. escorted
by a Member of Parliament, and greeted
with almost royal honors by enraptured and
contiding multitudes. s Such an unlooked-for
change few surely could eXpect-not even the
claimant" himself-who, whatever else he
may be, is decidedly one of the coolest hands
of our own or any other generation.
-%&Nh - DE-.
ELI PERKINS tells this on Henry Clews, the
well known bald-headed banker of Wall
cfr which no,lA Anlc hn so1 4n IT q