The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-28
ANOTHER TICHBoRNE.
The California Claimant and the Action He
PrODOses tn Take.

The California Claimant and the Action He
Proposes to Take.
Washington Special TO New York Herald.
II shall go over to England, merely call the
Tichborne family together and say, Here am.
What are you going to do about itg shall es-
tablish my identity by ways and means entirely
outside of courts of law. Indeed, feel neither
anxiety great deal of interest in the mat
ter"
1t was the California claimant to the title and
inheritance of the Tchborne estates who spoke.
He had risen to his feet and stood five feet ten
inches, straight as the side of house. He
spoke with the utmost composure and evinced
neither arrogance nor an inclination to voluhility.
The face was striking and commanded
respect at once. His forehead was high and
bullying and heavily furrowed. The nose was
prominent and had decided convexity on the
line from the forehead to it's tip. A heavy mus
tache and small, we'll trimmed goatee of sandy
hair, streaked with gray, enveloped his mouth.
His cold, steelblue eyes looked into those Of the
people about him with an air of candor that
made friends in the group. The fingers of his
right hand were entirely gone. He says he lost
them at Fredericksburg, and he is telling the
truth in that respect, for the Pension Bureau
has just awarded him arrears amounting to over
So, 600. The story of this man, who called him
self Charles Ogden Ferris for so many years,
and was twice married under that name, has
been told at great length in San Francisco let
ter to the Herald as long ago as June %, 1881.
The scene that followed the rising of this man
from his chair was however, one of the most
curious and interesting I ever witnessed. The
circumstances were these: A journal Of the CAPT
tai published on last Sunday long account of
this mans history, substantially similar to that
printed nearly five years ago. 1t also announced
his presence IL Washington. The narrative was
read by Mrs. Kate Howard, member of the
family of Mr.. Kidwel, o druggist of Georgetown,
and, to the establishment OF her friends, she ex-
claimed: II lived in the Tichborne family at
Upton House. Dorset, for five years, between
1857 and 1862. I knew Lady Doughty three
years before went to live at Upton, and was
with her as lady's maid in London. Why,
have picture of the family in group. / won
der il he would recognize any OF them"
What could be more natural than to confront
the two individuals and to put the latest Itch
borne claimant to the picture test2 1t was done
at o'clock this afternoon at Mr. Browns office
on Seventh street. corner of Louisiana avenue
The alleged baronet rose to his feet, because
neatly dressed woman of middle age entered the
room, and he was presented to her.
Mrs. Catherine Howard, born Ivers, says she
left the Tichborne family twenty three years
ago. Miss Kate Doughty had married Sir Jo-
seph Percival Radcliffe. she avers before she
went to live with Lady Doughty. The photo
graphic group, she asserts, was taken by Sir
Percival. who was amateur in the art, about
1860. The lady was short, stout and quite self
possessed. She was an excel ent type of the En-
glish woman of her station. and in the cross-ex-
q
played the shrewdness of a chancery court 30
lictor.
When all were seated the crumpled photo
graphic proof was laid in front of the claimant
He took the crump!ed picture in both hands, the
clutch OF his right being taken by his thumb
against the stumps of his fingers After a mo-
ment he laid it down and drew out his eye
glasses. AS be raised the picture again the cuff
OF his sleeve exposed circle of ivy leaves tat
tooed in pale blue about the wrist. Gazing in
tently at the face few moments, a smile grad
ually spread from the corners of his mouth 10
the upper confines OF his face, and he said in q
low voice. as il to himself
There's old Aunt Kate, sure as the world" z
He indicated the dowager accurately according
to Mrs. Howard. Another figure in the group
brother of Sir Perciyal-he also selected with
some hesitation. His old sweetheart, Kate
Doughty that was, he had great difficulty in
naming He did point her out, however, at last,
though not with tho positiveness that had been
expected. The condition Of the picture and the
crudity of the art ought to be mentioned in fair
ness to everybody.
The claimant corrected Mrs. Howard on sew
eral minor points of relationship and impressed
her SO greatly that she left for her home con-
WINGED that the family resemblance of the
stranger was marked. He mentioned the names
of many people about the houses At Dorset and
at Hants that she said she recognized.
As an epilogue q visit was made to Sydney
Wills, the steward Of the Cosmopolitan Club,