The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-01
The End OF tho Great Ttchborne
Casc-A Historic Verdict.


The most extraordinary trial in the history
of English Jurisprudence came to an end yes
terday. After one hundred and eighty days
of investigation of the most elaborate and
painful character the jury promptly rendered
a verdict that the claimant to the Tichborne
estates had been guilty of perjury in swearing
that he was Sir Roger Tichborne. The Court
Immediately passed upon the prisoner the
sentence of fourteen years OF penal SerViVuoe'
He was taken out of the Court and driven TO
Newonte. There was an immense but quiet
crowd in attendance in Palace Yard. The
prisoner was removed from the Court by all
unusual and unknown door OF exit, and his
friends had no opportunity OF making any
demonstration.
So ends trial the result of which will be
read with interest in every part of the globe
When we consider the romantic life of the real
| baronet, his quarrel with his family, his
separation from the lady of his love- his wan
behring's in South America his wild, madcap
land adventures and seafaring, his death at
sea and tho. long years Of mourpjng which
came-when we consider the life of the
prisoner as admitted to be true his adventures
in Australia, his final return to England as
claimant to one of the richest estates and most
ancient titles in England, his recognition by
Lady Tichborne his years of effort and con-
troversy, his final trial. and the interest he
excited, an interest SO intense and unbroken
that millions of Englishmen will see him enter
prison convinced that he is a prosecuted and
deeply wronged man--when we consider any
drama which has no parallel for continued
and perplexing interest in the history of fc-
ton or real life.
And, indeed, there were many reasons for
public opinion in favor of the claimant. Lady
Tichborne the admitted mother Of the real
Sir Roger, accepted and cherished him as her
son. This was an emphatic fact which ad-
dressed itself to the popular imagination; for
if mother cannot be believed when she rec
ognizes her son what probability is there in
human evidence? The tenderest and most
sacred tie in nature is that which binds the
child to the mother, and Lady Tichborne not
only welcomed this man as her son but so
treated him until the hour of her death. 1t
was averred and evidently believed by the
jury that Lady Tichborne was laboring under
hallucination, coming from grief over her
sons continued absence, her constant brood
ing over his memory, her persistent resolution
not to believe in his death, and her ill-feeling
toward the Tichborne family, and that this
grew into q memoranda which made her
anxious to discover her son, and thus prevent
the estates from passing to those whom she did
not love. If Lady Tichborne had been IN
supported in her recognition the hallucina-
tion theory might have been satisfactory to the
people. But there were others who accepted
him to be the heir, and who swore to that
belief. There were officers who had served with
Sir Roger in the army, soldiers who had been
under his command, servants in the house
hold of Tichborne, men and women of all
classes, from noblemen and members of
Parliament like Lord Rivers, Mr.. Whalley and
Mr.. Onslow down to humble tenants and
laborers on the ancient estates. The sincerity
Of this support no one can doubt, going, as
Mr.. Whalley did, to the extent of imprison-
ment in his behalf.
Public opinion was strengthened by an
other circumstance. The procedure of the
courts was 50 managed that the claimant was
compelled to pay the expenses Of the defence.
Had the ordinary course been taken-a hear
ing before q magistrate and commitment for
trial-the witnesses for the defence would
have been paid by the Crown; but it SO hap
pened that the claimant appeared before the
people as man in whom his mother believed
and who was yet compelled to fight the whole
power Of the British government. Although
the Court finally consented to allow certain
witnesses for the defence to be paid their ex-
penses, yet it was done so tardily, SO
ungraciously and with so much reluctance that
it irrtated rather than soothed the people, In
addition to this, the manner of Lord Chief
Justice Cockburn was unfortunate That
most eminent and gifted man has infrmities
of temper, which he showed at Geneva as one
of the arbitrators, and which have weakened
his moral influence as judge. We cannot
help thinking that there were speeches made
and decisions rendered by the Lord Chief
Justice which, when they come to be examined
by the cold and formal historians, will be re-
GREETED. His treatment of the press seems to
US to be inconsistent with the freedom of the
press. His language toward DIR. Kenealy,
time and again, would have justified
the utmost anger Of that talented
counsellor. When he interrupted the adj
dresses, as he did constantly, his
observations seemed to be in the nature of an
address Of the prosecuting attorney so that
the moral weight of the Court, which, under
ordinary circumstances, and more especially
with Judge as profound as Lord Cockburn,
would have gone far to crystalline and calm
the public opinion of England, was dead.
Lord Cockburn was denounced as an unjust
judge, who had made up his mind and ex-
pressed an opinion in advance. So in time