The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-02-27
ANOTHER FAIRY STORY
Concerning That Rare Old Chestnut, the
TichbOrne Claimant.

TichbOrne Claimant.
New York, Feb. 2l.-A bronzed and
weather beaten sailor entered the World
office the other day and announced that he
had yarn to spin. This yarn, if true, eff
fectually settles all claims to the Itch
borne estate in England, over which there
has been so much controversy. The old
sailor said he was VIM. Edwards, and that
he had sailed the seas, man and boy, for
forty years and more. In the SOS. so goes
his yarn, he found himself on one of the
South Sea Islands, from which he shipped
on the Bella Rutfin, bound from Tahiti
with a cargo for Beach La Mari.
Two days out they picked up boat con-
tanning six men who were apparently dead.
One OF them however revived. He was a
handsome young fellow and was apparently
a gentlemen. He gave his name as Roger
Tichborne and when years after Edwards
heard the story he knew he was the real
Sir Roger. Finally the Bella Ruffin
sighted Mari Island and Edwards and a
sailor were sent ashore while the vessel re-
turned for laborers. The young man was
very weak and he also went ashore, hoping
the change would brace him up The
sailor finished his yarn in his own words:
The Bella Rutfin never cum back, an
nary an eye have | clapped on her from
that day to this. The first day on the
island Tichborne was took with spell
and grew worse; 50 we built hut of cocoa
nut leaves and put him in it. and took care
of him ez fine ez we kud. Meantime Itch
borne got sicker. | was very much init
mated wild i'm, an finer gentleman Their
never wuZ. He told me that if we could
only git to China there wuz plenty o.
money. waiting for him at Jardine
and Waddington's, bankers, in Hong
Kong. Then he used to talk about his
Hampshire, England which place he said
was lively. He had had great many
misfortunes, he said, but some day the
storm would blow over, but he didn't live
to see it, for he died eighteen days after we
landed, leavin me ring an cross with
precious stone in it TO take to his people.
Tommy and me buried him as honor
able as we kud. an he's layin' in the
sand there today. We lived along on
cocoanuts an fish an eggs, never thinkin'
to leave the mis'able place, but all the
time plannin' foolish WAYS o. gettin' off.
| came near a-stayin' ANYHOW. One day
was huntin' among the rocks for oysters
when cutie fish grabbed me and if |
hadn't known the tricks of the beast it
would bin the end O. William Edwards,
but capslzed his bonnet and that ended
him. His bonnet is the little cap over his
eyes, and when you knock it back
he's paralyzed and done for. At last
down comes a Honolulu cutter and
takes us off, and we went without much
grieyin', can tell you. lost the jewels,
but didn't forget young Tichborne, so
when l was in Liverpool five years ago,
and when they pointed out big fat man
an told me he wuz Sir Roger / told 'em
they lied. Are you Sir Roger TichboineY
SEES |, maxim bold to step up to him. L
am, sir ses he, and who the devil are
your Ifyou're Sir Roger SEES l, dash me
if l amt Lord Beaconsfield.' Then he
neither"
Edwards has just returned from the dia-
mond fields of South Africa.