The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-08-25
TICHB0RNE NO. 2.
4 BRIEF SKETCH OF A POSSIBLY
GENUINE SIR ROGER.

.aiI, AristocratIc in Bearing. and Eccen-
trio in Manner-Possessor of India Ink
Marks Referred to III the Trial-Knew
Family Secrets.
Sir Roger T;chborne No. 9, who has just
Sone to England, missed the opportunity he
had seven years ago. Roger Tichborne Noi 1;
otherwise Arthur Orion, was then in Mill
hank prison. The latter is now in this
country preparing; to lecture Sir Roger
Tichborne No is, however, worthy Of
consideration, if only for investigation. The
writer met this edition Of tho Tichbcrne
claimants in San Francisco seven years
ago He had come up from San Diego on
the invitation of Frank NJ Pixley, Gen.
Barnes, Senator Sharon and others, and
there was so deep an underlying idea that
he might b1 the genuine article that these
gentlemen paid all his expenses. He came
then reluctantly. He is a man quite tall, aris-
tocratic in bearing, but eccentric in manner.
WITH A BORN DIGNITY.
When be arrived from his 'bee ranch" be-
was taken to Gen. Barnes Office, and there,
with all shrewd lawyers tact and skill, he
was questioned Sharon and PiNley were
there. The lawyer had q full report Of the
Tichborne trial in England, with all the evil
dence In full Step by step they led him
along. The San Diego man needed no
coaching or prompting. He answered every
question promptly, and with a kind of born
dignity. In the first place his stature, com-
plexion, every thing exactly comported with
the description of Sir Roger. This was a
hol narn
for years He was brown, unkempt and
careless One point in the Tichborne trial,
and which helped to send Arthur Orton to
the penitentiary, was that hs could not
speak word OF French The original Sir
Hoser was, like all educated Englishmen, a
French proficient Gen. Barnes called the
San Diego mans attention, to this, and
without further ado began to speak. to him.
In French. The. stranger smiled ord Gn.
swered BARNES in a way that made the lat
ter hunt his Ollendorf. ..-
Then he called attention to the re- orts in
the testimony where India ink marks on
the original Sir Roger were sworn to, but
which Arthur Orton did not have. The
San Diego man simply smiled and re-.
marked: "Gentlemen, those marks l can
show you" =! and, after some hesitation and
delicacy on the part Of al, tho man went
into private office and disrobed. There
was every India ink mark referred to in tho
Tichborne trial, and yet others known to
the Tichborne family, but not brought out
in evidence The marks were Of India ink
made years and years before They bore
unmistakable evidence of age. These facts,
coupled with the San Diego mans inditrer-
ence, simplicity and eccentricity, and his
perfect knowledge Of everything connected
with the name of Tichborne, convinced
Frank Pixley that they had the genuine AL
tscle
BE FAYS HIS OWN WAY.
Gen. Barnes wrote to England, explained
one or two private marks that se had OBJ
strength Of this received check. for 100
pounds sterling to paJ the San Diego
mans way to England Then came an"
other strange phase. The San Diego bee
raiser refused to go. He wrote Con.
Barnes that he was sorry he had listened at
all TO- any body. He was Sir Roger Itch
borne, but he had wife and two or
three children; he had q good ranch in
San Diego, and he knew what an effort
to establish bis identity In England
would moan. He would not
60. Then Gen Barnes and PIx!ey
dropped the subject and half confessed to
themselves that they had boon fooled But
the refusal of the San Diego man to take
the 100 pound draft has always kept Gen.
Barnes interest alive He passed through
Chicago some months ago, and the subject
came up in conversation with friend. ~
have nc doubt" he said, "that that fellow
is a member Of the Tichborne family. But
he's crazy-hes got q wife that he's at
tached to, three or four children and
good farm. He's independent, he never
ssSed aLy cf us for a cent, and when the
family sent him $40 through me TO come
home and be looked ut he wouldn't take It
But he knows all about the TichGorne
family and has told me things in secret that
know nobody could know unless he was q
member Of the family"
To people who remember the rise and de-
velopment Of this man seven years ago his
reception in England will be looked fer
with interest His wife is now dead, and
his children in school in Los Angeles. 1t is
possible that the man in his loneliness has
resolved to go to England and assert his
claims He pays his own way. seven
years ago Senator Sharon alone was so i'm
pressed with the truth Of tho man and his
IDENTIFY that he offered to back him for q
trip homo at least He refused as be re-
fused the l00.pound draft sent by the
Tichborno family through Gen. Barnes
Cor. Chicago Herald