The sun., 1873-09-04
dN 1MERICdN TICHBORNE
Case In which Some of the Most Proini-
nrnt Nen In renuryIvRnin are Interested
The Woudrrfui Adventures OF n Ciain-
mi 10 SO. 200. 600.

nrnt Men In reHuryIvR nin are Interested
The Wonderful Adventures OF n Ciain-
ant TO SiO,OOO,nOO.
Corrcsr rondcnce of Tho sun
MACCH CHUNK, Pa, Sept. 1.-There Is
row pending In the state courts Of PenusN-
yanii one Of the most important lawsuits ON re-
crrl. It was In, ttutcd hy Mr.. q. II. Wheeler a
lawyer of this place. IT is for the recovery Of
loco acres Of valuable coal lands in I.uzcrne
county, Pa, said to bc worth $iO,0nCU. The
history of the rrourietorship Of the land II ful
Of romance
Some forty years ago there died in a hos.
TiiDl In Philadelphia man named James
Turnhull lie had been n man Of means, and
was one of the first to invest In land In this
region when the discovery of anthracite coal
was tardily followed hy mine developments lie
purchased the tract of iUO acres in Luzerne
county. liad speculations subsequently led him
into dissipation, and he died a. stated. dcclar-
iuc that he stiil had title to the coal land in
luzernc, although Others claimed 1t 10y virtue of
TAX purchase.
4 DIVORCE.
4 short time before hl death his wife was d.
vurccd from him, ard gwen charge of Their only
Cii'ld. son, nisJ named James. lie lived with
his mother M philadt lphia about ten years after
his fathers death, then, at the age OF sixteen,
went to sea.
Ia 49, the divorced widow, being In destitute
Circumstauccs, and bel leving that her son II liy-
tng-fur she had not heard of him for years
was the real owner of the coal lands In Luzcrne
county which her late HUSBAND had neglected.
came to MauCh Chunk and called on MIR. q. H.
Wheeler. lie had formerly been friend Of her
husbands, the two having had years before real
estate ttansactiuns together. To him she stated
the case OF the ownership ~ the land. and ex-
hlbtrd ccrtain papcrS in her possession that
=. Wheeler examined the paper. and searched
Young lurnbull had, through his father, n per-
feet title to the property lie at once set about
To- hnd II possible. the whereabouts Of the wan
a. IL.
the journals of all countries. In all languages.
Letters were written to every point where It was
avail Not word could be obtained that gave
any cue 10 his whereabouts. The land mean-
tim had fallen Into tie hands OF Asa Packer,
the IHrtlees. and other famous and powe. ful
capitalists. who still hold them.
1HE soS HEARD FROM.
one day. 10 the fall of ISL, James Turnbuls
mother received a letter posted In the Cty Of
Mexico. u proved 10 he from her son. He was
living in Maz,tlan, on the western coast Of Mex
leo, and would Ia all probability be home IN
another year. Thus, after ceaseless effort of
twenty wears, the lawyer and the mother were
at last rewarded with ncws Of the lost son.
Mr.. Wheeler employed a man to 60 AZ once to
Ma1itan and bring James to Amerira. This
was done and about year ago 1urnhull landed
In Philadelphia.
His career had been one Of peril hardsh hin.
and adventure. The vessel he left Phil ldcluhia
in Wa shpwrecked, and he and eight Others Of
the crew were the only ones saved. When the
tolt which they succeeded In launching was
picked up near the Island of -. Thomas, after
months IN ~. Thomas before he recovered from
the effects of the fearful voyage after the wreck.
and then embarked on a British trader Subsc-
qurntk tc went t. Central America. lie worked
On The hthmus u Panama until the stories ~
the dl- 'uNtrN r gold Ia California reached that
section. when. with hundreds oi others, he hast
onvd to the spot.
II, was = foriy-niner and made several for
tunes. which m turn ne lost ut the gaming table.
Tie tired ut the Reckless. lawless life Of the
mines Ia two years, and went to Mexico. nud
q ~ hen ttIt
IN capturing cattle for spectators ia New YORK
and fhiihdclIhif. The natives bec"nins too
hostile, itV td to fee H." Ilatns lie started to-
return g. Mexico. On the way to Maz ttlan he
wg-
BLowS UP
hy the explosion of the steamer he was on.
Hundreds cri,hcl, but he was again prov den
tiaIis saved. lie undly reached Mazatian. where
he went to work ON a canal that was b, ing dug.
lie was placed over gang II natives, and kept
a ranch where they obtained their supplies.
This was broken upcn several times and r16hcd
One nj ,ht he was attacked 10y a party of Mex
can soldiers, aLd left Tor dead with twelve d,l,-
ser WOUNDS in h.s person. Recovering from
these ue agalu became "a wandercr. He spent
wear among the silver mines of Peru, tting
lo-scsston ~ a piece Of land said to 6 ntiin
liver depu-its Failing to md them, he dis
posed q the properly for song. Ia less than
a o nih ri,h VEN - silver was opened upon IL.
tie then went to Chiie and worked under
Harry Nj. -gs,thc great south Ameri AN railroad
prince. liN s.t-Cuuiract under Mcl-s hc made
several Thousand dollars, and had lac possess cd
= lrs~ ROY H. disposition could have remained IN
Ctilc and accumulated a handsome fortune.
tunplt Ting his contract, he went To Brazil and
cudeaSurcd to get himself appointed as an over
seer ia tuC diamond mines and faile After
rowing through south America for several yc.rs,
leading a lite Of the widest adventure, he again
visited tie Western shore Of Mexico, aud then
drt ruiucI t. return home. lie wrote hlS
mother, not knowu: whether she was dead or
alive.
WI the agent arrived from America Turn
buII had chahGrd ms mind a, to returning home
and would soon have been ON his way t. the
diamond FIELD Of South Africa.
To cap thc climax of his eventual life, the boat
which ~ts conveying BIN tn the steamer whcn
WA tn bear him to Philadelphia capsiled. and he
barely escaped with his life, losing many yalua-
Lies.
THE SUIT.
tpon the arrival ~ Turnbul in this country
arrangement were ~ once perfected for COM
uIcnCiuE the Proceedings. The funds for CON
dUDtlul the sult arc furnished tN a stock cum-
pguy no HYcn,ure. II II is successful the mem-
bcrs will bc richly rewarded II not, they lose all
Some # the most prominent men In Pennsyl-
NauLt are interested in the case, and IL will he
lru-t 'uted to the fullest extent. Eminent law
ver- have been engaged ON both sides. II came
up at the la-t session Il the United States bis
iilct Court at NIililinspurt. but was POSTPONED
90 application II the defendants, ~ Judge
wood dwari. W. II. Armstrong. E-q., and other
ul their Cuul~cl were members II the Con- titu-
uuu.I Convention aud could not be present.