The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-03-25
Was there q Conspiracy !-The Itch.
borne Bonds-The Appearance or the
Claimant.

SUNS varying NOm tHo 1uoueono wv
lars to forty thousand dollars; and the
manner in which he carried him
self when placed under arrest, and, during
the whole period of revulslon, shows conclu-
sive!y that he is, though shameless impos-
tor, man of true 'sgrlt" and nerve. On en-
tering the prison, he was asked in the usual
torn to give up anything he might have upon
him, and at once handed over quantity OF
,ewelry which he was wearing, Including
handsome watch and chain, and snuff.box, all
engraved with the Tichborne coat-of-arms.
It appears that the morsel of evidence which
proved the feather In the balance Of the jury's
mind was that relating to the tattoo marks.
The claimant had previously sworn that ne
had never been tattooed, but Lord Bellew
swore that he himself had tattooed Roger Itch.
borne's arm when fellow.student with him,
aud he was followed In corroboratlon by Mrs.
Radcliffe, Messrs. A. and II. Seymour, Lady
Doughty aud Mrs. Nangle. Such succession
of concurrent witnesses proved too much for
even the long suffering. Tichborne jury, and
the denouement followed forthwith. The Lon-
don correspondent OF the New York Tribune
writes:
The collapse of the Tlchborne trial ls under
stood to be due really to the claimants failure
to raise the money needed to go on with II.
His solicitors, 1t Is said, notified him some
time since that they were out OF iu9as, ana
ceed with the cross-examipatlon OF the wit
Ilesses for the defence unless more money
we're forthcoming. Therenpon the claimant
called together his friends and bondholders
and explained to them that all the money
they had heretofore contributed was likely 10
he lost for want Of o little more. It ia possible
more might have been had bnt tor the sur
prisIng line the Jury took. What carried: tne
iury was the evidence Of Lord Bellew that the
real Sir Roger was tattooed, and the admitted
fact that the claimant has no corresponding
marks. But hear that LORD beleW.s 5esu,
mony would not have passed unchallenged. An
officer in Sir Roger'si0d regiment is alleged
to have written letter declaring that Lord
Beliew is entirely mistaken, and that on the
occasion of the tattooing,. Sir Roger, so far
from submitting to the operation, was one Oh
tho officers who positively retlsea % nave
anything TO do with 1t. Nobody oouots s tnas
Lord Bellows statement was made IN good
faith, but his mistake. II 1t be mistake, mas
had very damaging effect. 1t Is obvious that
the claimants solicitor and counsel, with euch
evidence In their possession, would not nave
Yielded to the suggestions OF the jury II tne
continue. But the best evidence and tue pest
case are worthless without money to make
them heard.
am of course far from saying that think
the claimants case was Of the best, or taat IL
could have been saved. am one OF the very
few who had no opinion at any time about II.
The verdict OF the Jury will not at once change
mems minds. Those who have stuck to the
claimant from the beginning stick to him now,
and Ihelr number Is large. II the man 1s an
impostor, he is one Of the cleyerest scoundrels
who ever lived. He puzzled his own counsei.
Sergeant Ballantine said months ago taat ne
could moi make him out, and thai the only
thing he was sure OF was tnat ne e9alo a. aot
he Arthur OrtoD. His solicitors, Mr. BOSS ex-
cepted. seem to have had unshaEen con1-
dence In the genuineness Of his claims. Socl-
etylS which might naturally be expected 10
take sides with the family and against "tne
butcher" has always been divided. Tue legal
profession Itself has furnished some stous
partlsans for him, and I think good
many who did not believe the claim
AMI to be the lost Sir Roger Tlchborne
thoroughly enjoyed The skill with which ne
baffied The cross-examination Of the attorney.
general: II Sir John Colerldge had not re-
deemed his examination by his speech, his po-
.sllion at the bar would have been not httle
compromised. Only yesterday lawyer OF
high rank being asked what he thought OF the
case, answered: "If were on the jury, and
had TO make up my mind before dinner, am
afraid I should have to fastl long lime"
Three days ago the claimant was visited oy
Journalist whose name everybody IN america
would recognize If gave II, one Oh tne best
known and one of the most cynical and scep-
tIcal writer's on the London press. Alter
free conversation Of some two hours, TINS
writer came away avowing his conviction taat
tha man he had lust seen was the true Sir
Roger. I know others just as little likely 10
be carried away by sympathy, or imposed upon
by mere shrewdness. who sco1 at tne Verulcc
subjected the man to more searching tests
than any he has undergone In court, ana tnat
he has come out of them triumphanlly.
On the other hand, there are whispers Oh
some evidence held in reserve that Wouia
have convinced, or ought 10 have convinced:
the most inereduous. Such Is tne accOdnT d hG1 81
the quarrel between the claimant and Dis
wife. (which should rather be excused from
going into,) and her reported readiness to 60
on the stand and swear that ne was uot Tlcn.
borne but Castro. Aud such is the story OF
the quarrel between the claimant and MS
brother, who had at first been party 10 the
conspiracy, but who thought he did not get
his proper share of the good things going, and
40. in a flt of virtuous disgust, made clean
breast of the whole matter to the solicitor Tor
the defence. OF one thing we may be pretty
sure. that, If there has been conspiracy,
some one OF the parties to It VIII speeoiy
tssplit" upon his confederates. Inc fortunes
of the chief actor In 1t are at their eoo. ana,
as there is nothing more to be got oy lying,
those who sbetted him will forsake him readl'
ly enough under the menace OF prosecutor
for perjury. c,,oc r,,-
tIce Bovill used in directing the arrest OF tne
plaintiff for wllful and corrupt perjury is only
what might have been expected from his de-
meanor throughout the trial. Whoever else
doubted, the judge who presided did not
doubt. He early made up his mind that the
claimant and good many Of his witnesses
were living. and he took small palms to COR
ceal his belief. His prepossessions were OF
great help TO the defence, and could not but
have. had q very great effect upon the jury.
That theory of English law which preserioes
to Judge an altitude OF rigid impartalty as
between the parties to cause was very I'M
perfectly observed during the great fichborne
trial Over and over again Sergeant Ballad
fine internosed between the lord chieijus
tice and some witness whom he was cross.
examining from the bench. Once Sergeant
RalIanline went 30 far as to Intimate that ne
thonght II hard he should have to contend moi
only with the counsel for the defence, oul
with the courr as we'll. ! d MT wish TO make
:any criticism ON Lord Chief Justice Boviil
BE has done what he thought his duty; out he
has done 1t in q way somewhat unlike tnal
which has given the English bench higf
rspute for holding The scales with an even
hand.
AS the claimant must have known for some
days that he would probably be Unable 70 g
on with the trial, and known also lor ions
time that, In the event Of verdict agalns