The Hillsborough recorder., 1874-03-25
END OF THE TIGHB0RNE CASE-
REVIEW OF THE TRIAL.

- o 4 81.
The trial Of the claimant to the 1ichborne
estate in England, on charges Of perjury
committed during the trial for the posses
sion Of the estate, has been concluded with
verdict Of guilty and sentence 70 four
teen years Of penal seryitude. The trial
has been lopg one. having lasted one hun
dred aud eighty days, and its result etfsc-
tually extinguishes tbe pretensions of the
claimant to the Iichbome estate. The
case will live as one Of the most celebrated
in law records, and popular interest will
.bs long attached to the man himself, who
has had the audacity to assume title that
did not belong 70 him in order to get pos
session OF i vast property. Whether he be
William Orton, the butcher. or some other
person, it has been. il appears, well settled
that he is not Iichborne. The follow
ing is resume of the extraordinary case:
Roger Iichborne. oldest son Of Sir james
Tichborne, after being educated in France
aud at Stonyhurst, and serving for while
ia the army as an officer Of carbineers. set
sail for South America, in 1851. after
which be was never seen again in England.
His travels aud his life ended or were sup
posed to have ended, When toe ship Bella,
on which be set sail at Rio de Jahciro for
New York, foundered at sea. His mpthsf
refused to believe him dead, and adyertis-
ed for him for several years. At last she
was rewarded by hearing from Australia
that her son was alive and we'll, aud she got
letters purporting to be from him, in which
be stated that be had been picked up at
sea and carried 90 Melbourpe.u In 1866
the would be Sir Roger, in the person of
the claimant, reached England. Roberts
father was dead !; the claimant was recogniz-
ed By Lady Tichborns as her son. In a
year or two she died. before the case came
to ial; meanwhile almost every other
member OF the family denied his identity.
The suit instituted by him for the possession
Of the title aud estate. commenced on the
10th Of May, 1871. aud continued, with
little interruption, until July z, when ~
adjournment for some months was Lad.
The case was resumed ia November, and
the claimants case completed on January
Is. 1872. Sir John Duke Coleridge, then
Attorney General, on that day began bis
opening address for the defence. occupying
Eve weeks in It's delivery. On March 4th
the jury having just listened to the testi-
mony of Lard Bellew. to the effect that he
had tattooed the real Sir Roger when he
was at school, and the claimant being una
bic 70 show any tattoo marks. were induced
to state 10 the court that they had heard
enough testimony. Two days afterwards
the claimants case was withdrawn from be-
fore the court. Lord Chief Justice Bosille
who had presided at the irst trial, therefore
issued warrant for the urrest Of the clai-
mant on the charge Of perjury. and bis lail
was fixed at ESQ, 600. but be was soon bail
81 cut BY bis enthusiastic partisans. On
April 2S. 1873. lie was put on trial before
LOsd Chief Justice Cockburn. Mr.. Haw-,
kins conducting the prosecution, and Dr..
Kenealy the defence. Tie testimony for
the prosecution vas closed on the 2nd Of
December last The defence was then
opened, and concluded on lac l4th Of JAN
uary. The summing up for the prosecn-
tiou was flushed on january 2S, and on the
ensuing day Chief Justice Cockblrn began
the charge 70 the jury. which has proved
almost as tedious as the speeches Of coun-
sell, The yerdic. Of guilty was an uBex-
pected one. for there we're two men on the
jury who were regarded with great suspi
cion. The two trials Of the case have cost
the governments slone fully 81. 500. 900. the
counsel receiving enormous fees. and Wit
nesscs being brought from Australia and
this ccuutry Al great expense. Altogeth-
er the ease has been marvellous one.
>-s...s.s.-s~->~~----~
PArRoxs or BrspASpaY.-Th Pa