The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-12-13
SENTERED AS sECONDk
kCLA6S MAIL NATTER

was brought into court to establish that
point. He said he was Sir Rogers shoe
maker, and produced Sir Rogers last on
which all his boots and shoes were made.
This last was padded with leather TO enlarge
and lengthen it. The shoemaker had done
this himself expressly for Sir Roger. This
seemed TO establish the point that Sir
Rogers foot was as large as that of
the claimant. The last was passed
to the Court and counsel, and then
to the jury, one of whom arose and said:
My Lord Ito the judge this padding is put
on with peculiar French nails which were
never made until three years ago. l am
last and shoe manufacturer and am agent
tor the sale of these nails to the trade"
That little speech put the last out of court.
The faith of the Claimant party was not
in the least shaken that the three hundred
and twenty-five pound claimant was really
the one hundred and twenty-five pound Sir
Roger, nor did his broad shoulders and his
mighty chest, like that of a gorilla, resound-
ing like bass drum when struck, suggest Q
doubt to 'his party that all this was really
the true Sir Roger, with the narrow shout
ders, the fat chest, the narrow hips, the
slender arms and legs, and small, narrow
feet of that young Frenchman
Two French teachers of Sir Rogers were
produced as witnesses; he had been their pu-
pill for several years; they knew him and the
family well. The claimant knew nothing of
the life of Sir Roger in Paris, nor of his
school days; the teachers said, bah! this
mar Sir Roger-nop' The claimant had
learned something, however, of Sir Rogers
life, among other things that he had been in
the army; so he claimed to have been in the
army.
"In what branch of the service were
youp'
'What do you mean by thatp''
"Were you in the Engineer Corps, the Ar
tiery, the Cavalry or the InfantryP''
II was in the Infantry"
But Sir Roger was in the Cavalryl
A carpenter was produced as witness for
the claimant He said when Sir Roger was
young man he-the carpenter-was at
work on the roof of the house Sir Roger
came up there, and with Ratchet, in the at.
tempt to help, had done some injury. He
said the claimant when he went to see him.
asked him if he remembered that circum-
stance. On the cross examination the coun-
sci said:
''Now, Mr.. Witness, want to know ex-
actly what passed between you and the
claimant. You were taken to see him for
the purpose of recognizing him as Sir Rog-
err?
Yes, sir, was.
He didn't look like Sir Roger, but knew
could find out if he was really Sir Roger,
and SO asked him if he did not remember
coming up on the roof when 1 was at work
there and doing some damage. And he said
he did.
You asked him that question?
Yes, sir, did.
Tue claimant, then, remembered?
Yes, sir, instantly.
l.. 4 Il -
ton?
Yes, sir, sure. I asked him, and he re-
membered it instantly.
That's all, Mr.. Witness, step down!
Some of the most intelligent people in the
Kingdom really sbelieved in the claimant"
as the phrase was and party feelings with
them were very high. "Tichborne Bonds''
were put upon the market for sale. CoIec-
tons and subscriptions for him were solic-
tied. One day in railway carriage big,
burly farmer said to me that he had been
solicited to subscribe, which he refused.
"Whatp' they said, won't you help him to
I knew him to I 9 no impostor 1 would not
give penny, because by his own confess
sion he's great rascal. The title and es-
tate are now in possession of real son of
the family, while beyond any possible doubt
this claimant is shameless fraud"
This case was the constant topic of con-
versation throughout the kingdom during
the hundred days that the trial lasted, in
which many witnesses were detected in the
grossest perjury and punished for it, but for
all that the faith of the claimant party" in
the justice of his case, and their zeal in his
service aud devotion to his interest were not
in the least diminished. He was convicted
and sent enced to prison for fourteen years.
Not long after / was the guest of a vicar
of the church, an admirable man, with
most accomplished lady for his wife. One
day at table the talk turned on 'the claim
ant" The vicar said nothing; his wife
said, "When he was convicted went to bed
sick. 1t was shocking injustice" said,
"You surprise me, madam. l cannot un-
dersIand how you can possibly sympathize
in any way with such a scoundrel as the
claimant by his own confession is"
N. D.