Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-05-05
n TICHEBORNE CASE.
Another Pretended Inside His
tory by a Reliable English
Tramp.

New YORK, April 30.-William
Stapleford, of Manchester, England,
who at the time of the great Itch
horne estate case was wanted by the
Engligh authorities, is at present pay
ing a visit to this country, and was
seen to day by a reporter. Stapleford
was for many years a prominent So
%licitor and attorney in Sydney, New
South Wales, and first made the &C.
o~uaintance of Sir Roger Tichborne in
1854, when the young nan was max
ing a tour through South America.
Tichborue and he Don became
friends, and after less than a weeks
acquaintance the latter told Staple
ford all about his home at Iichborne,
England, and even copfessing that an
unfortunate attachment for his cousin
Laura, had been the cause of his leav-
ing for South America. Besides the
information he had received from
young Tichborne, he had received a
photograph from him as a parting gift,
and they had arranged to correspond
with one another before parting.
TIoHBoRNE LOST AT SEA.
In the summer of 1854, Roger, who
had been travelling through the coun-
try, returned to Rio de Janeiro, and
Stapleford received from him a letter
in June to the effect that he was 60
ing to New York by the Bella. Soon
after that he heard that the Bella had
been lost at sea. and, of course, con-
cluded that bis friend was drowned in
her. In 1856 his partner at Sidney,
William Gibbes, went to Europe, and
Stapleford gave him a portrait Of Sir
Roger, asking him to see Lady Itch
borne in Paris, and break to her the
news of her sons death, telling him at
the same time what he knew about the
young heir. In 1859, before Gibbes
returned to Sidney, erd Stapleford
came to New York on business for one
of his clients, and while there receiv-
ed a letter from Gibbes stating his in
tention of settling in London. This
decided him to give up business at
Sidney, and accordingly he sold it in
1853 and went to Europe. When he
arrived at London he could not fiud
Gibbes, and consequently he started in
business for himself at No. % Queen
street, London, Il. c., where he re-
manned till 1870.
THE DISCOVERY OF SIR ROGER.
Tn that year he first heard of the
discovery of Sir Roger Tichborne and
was much pleased at the news. Hav-
ing a suspicion in the matter, however,
he went to see the claimant, whom he
saw in London. When he saw him at
first he did not think he was the real
Sir Roger, but afterward changed his
opinion, and in 1872 he was among the
witnesses who identified him. In
1872 he again saw him while out on
bail at Manchester, where StapleIord
had gone meanwhile to live, and at a
pigeon shooting match at Bellevue
Gardens he accused him Of fraud and
threatened to expose him. The claim
ant thea informed him ma he was
not Sir Roger T~ichborne, but Arthur
Orion, of Wagga Wagga, and that he
had been induced to ~personate Itch
borne by Staplelord's own partner
Gibbes, of Sydney, who had first con-
ceived the fraud. Taking advantage
of the information Piven him by Sta
pleford, Gibbes had, instead Of re-
turning the papers to Lady Tichborne,
written to her hat her 0 was alive
and we'll at Wagga Wagga, intending
to get money from her to send him
home. After a great deal of CORE
spondence Lady Tichborne had sent
instructions for her son to 60 to Sgd
ney to be identified by an attorney
named Cubbett there, whom she had
employed as her agent. As Gibbes
was known to Cubbett, he got Orion
into the scheme, promising him a
share of the spoils, and Orion went to
| Sydney and brought Cubbett over,
who, sending a favorable reply to Lady
Tichborne, received a large sum o.
money from her, of which they all re-
ceived a share.
A MAD SCHEME.
At this point Orion and Cubbett
formed the mad project that Orion
should really 60 to England to person.
ate the young baronet, and he ae-
knowlsdged that Glbbes was opposed
to it as ~foolhardy, he did go there aud
was i'd entitled by Lady Tichborne. In
1870 he sent G:Dbes some more money.
on receiving which they lett Sydney.
| Orion promised Stapleford to give up
the estate as soon as the trial was over,
but for fear Of being imprisoned for
pejury he did not care to withdraw
then. To save Gibbes and avoid be-
ing mixed up in thematter, Stapleford
kept his evidence back, and when the
fraud was discovered and Orion sen.
fenced, he did not think it necessary
to imculpate his partner, and he has
never, therefore, mentioned the matte
to any one since. Gibbes is, however
/ he believes, dead aud be feels no long
er any hesitation in giving to th,
public a true history Of the organi-
zation Of the famous Tichborne trial
Don't ruin your health, and besides
make yourself dislgreeable TO othe
people by your continued coughing
a E~wenty.fge cent bottle Of DR.. Bull