The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-03-11
The CIR. at TIchborne Case.

J.
The famous case OF Tichborne We. Tich
borne, which for more than year had beer
on trial in England, has come to sudden
end. As the main evidence for the defence
was brought forward the claimant saw that
his cause was lost, and when the jury an
nounced that they we're ready to render
verdict, the claimant, by his counsel, asked
time for consideration and withdrew from
court. Immediately afterward he was ar
rested for perjury and lodged in Newgate,
where he lies. The history of the case is
one OF the most romantic and remarkable
on record; the principal facts, as given by
the New York Tribune, being as follows
The claimant pretended to be Roger
Tichborne, son and heir OF the late Sir
James Francis Doughty Tichborne The
real Roger Tichborne, who, il living,
would be the eleventh baronet OF that
name, sailed from England to South
America in 1858, on pleasure journey IN
the latter country. After short stay in
South America, he left on the ship Bella
from Rio to New York; that ship was never
heard oil, and in due time the insurance
offices gave her up as lost, and settled their
risks accordingly. In 1868 the father Of
Roger Tichborne died, and the title and
estates descended to posthumous son OF
the younger brother Of the absent Sir Roger,
then given up for dead. Lady Tichborne,
mother OF the missing maD, never could be
brought to believe that the ship Bella and
all on board had perished, and she offered
large rewards to those who might find her
son, or give any Information concerning
his existence. Advertisements to this end
we're widely circulated, and one, announc-
ing the death OF Sir James, and Offering
reward for the discovery Of his Oldest son,
was sent TO the journals Of Australia and
New South Wales. No tidings reached this
faithful, mother until 1866, when she re-
ceived letter from person, writing from
Australia, who professed 10 be her son.
The writer OF this letter arrived in Paris,
where lady Tichborne was then sojourning,
January 10, 1867. This was the claimant
In the late case. Lady Tichborne recog.
nized him as her son in the most positive
manner, and made him an allowance OF five
thousand pounds year. This man imme-
diately commenced proceedings in the
English courts to recover the Tichborne
estates from the trustees, by whom they
| were held for the infant heir. In March,
1868, Lady Tichborne, then sixty-four
years old, died, and thus the claimant lost
most important witness, whose death he
ascribed to foul play by his antagonists in
the case. His story was, that being
wrecked at sea on the Bella ia 1854, he had
been picked up, the sole survivor OF the
ships company, by a vessel bound to Aus
tralia, where he had, for private reasons,
passed as Thomas Castro. Seeing the death
OF his father, Gas he called him. Sir James,
noted in the Australian papers, he had re-
turned to Epgland to claim"his own; and
30 his troubles began. The trial. finally,
after many delays, commenced about o
year ago before Lord Chief Justice Bovill.
and, with brief vacations, has been con-
tinued ever since. Mr.. Sergeant Ballan-
tine and others appeared for the claimant,
and the attorney general, With other coun-
sci, for the trustees of the estate. The
evidence was at first contradictory and
battling, the question OF identity being con-
fused by witnesses; come OF whom positive
ly identified the claimant as Sir Roger,
while others, equally competent and equally
certain, slowed that he could not, by any
possibility, be the genuine Tichborne.
The most damaging testimony was that Of
the claimant, who failed to give clear
and connected account OF his wanderings,
wreck and rescue. No evidence concerning
his rescuers was introduced, except bis own
word, and he was especially confused on
this particular, and several times changed
the name and nationality OF the ship which
picked him up at sea. Worse than this,
when cross-examined, he showed, by his
ignorance OF languages anG literature,
with which the missing Sir Roger, we'll
educated gentleman, was familiar, that he
was All untaught, illiterate person. He
defined quadrangle to be "a staircase"
and translated Laus Dec seneper ''the laws
of God forever or permanently" and made
similar comical blunders."
The world was ransacked By both parties
for evidence bearing upon the case. Com.
missioners were sent to Australia and South
America, and the records OF the United
States were ransacked for tidings of the Os-
prey by which vessel the claimant pretend
ed to have been picked up when wrecked at
sea. The expenses were enormous, and the
Tichbornes will feel for half century the
effects Of the great trial which they have
Won. To the claimant it was neck or moth
ing A Joint stock company was formed for
the prosecution OF his claims. The associa.
ton issued bonds made payable upon the
successful termination OF the suit. In this
way Orton's expenses were met. 1t cannot
be said, however, that there was necessarily