The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-01-01
The Tichborne Claimant in Prison.

The 'Claimant" had left Dartmoor |
for Portsmouth before my arrival at the
former place. I heard good deal
about him, of course. He seems to have
given an in6nity of trouble. His ap,
plications to address the Home Secre-
tary, and to have interviews with Di-
rectors, Governor, doctor and priest,
were incessant. He got admitted to the
church choir for reasons-he obtained a
more comfortable seat, and he was ex-
cused from labor on Saturday mornings
that he might attend practice. The
organist assured me that he had no
,tion of singing, and that the noise he
made was something between the chirp
of crow and the croak of raven. 1t
was generally admitted by the more in
telligent prisoners who came in contact
with him that his habits and manners
were vulgar He was doing his best, by
the aid of French schoo!-books furnished
him by the priest, to master the French
language; and he made all sorts of
promises to a prisoner who was in the
next cell to him, and who could speak
French, if he would aid him, but this
man told me that he was very stupid at
it.zaHd that his progress was very slow. 4
sDartmoor he seems to have had good
friend in the gentleman who was at that
time Governor of the prison. He was
extremely troublesome, constantly
breaking prison rules, and constantly
being reported for doing so; but so
long as the Major remained in command
he was never punished, and when he
received visits from his friends, Dr.,
Kenealy and others, the visits took place,
contrary to regulations, in the Gov
ernor's Office, and extra time was allowed
him. The advent of Captain Harris as
Governor was misfortune for Castro,
or Orton, or whoever he may be may
here take the opportunity of doing an
act of simple justice to Captain Harris.
l am quite sure that if the son or brother
of the Secretary of State were prisoner
under his control, he would be treated
with the same indulgence as every other
prisoner, and no more. The "Claimant"
when next he received visit did so
behind the bars, and within the time
specified by the rules. s...... 4.
When reported for insolence he was
sentenced to two days bread and water,
and he got a second punishment for the
same offense and some others. By the
doctors orders he had eight ounces of
additional bread per day and eight
ounces of potato and on meat and
soup days he had increased rations. l
presume his friend, Mr.. WhalIey, wor-
ried the Home Secretary into having
him transferred TO Portsmouth, where,
| am told, he is fetching a tolerably
easy bagging." Perhaps the air there
is not SO bracing, but at Dartmoor his
appetite was enormous. [ know men
| employed in the tailor's shop who did
not need all their food, and who gave
him some constantly; and the orderlies
who carried round the bread were in
the habit of yielding to his entreaties
to shy him a Loaf, if good screw"
happened to be on duty. By the way,
a "good screw" among the prisoners,
means a man who does not do his duty.
l knew little Irishman who told me
that one day he was able to give the
Clainant" six six-ounce loaves, and
that he came very near getting three
days for his good natures The big man
was very unpopular with some Of mis-
neighbors, who say that he was a bad
sleeper, and used to puff, and blow, and
grunt and groan all through the small
hours. He was unpopular with the
warders, because it was with the
greatest difficulty he could be got to
scrub.his cell, or keep his cell furniture
clean. But / won't say any more about
the fellow 1 should think the world
has had enough Of him in all conscience.