Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-12-04

mates the career of Sir Roger Tichborne so
tar as his identity Is urquestioned. The
longcoat OF the ship, bottom upward. was
found at sea few days after she sailed,
ana some wrcckage was also found. tend
ing to show that the vessel had gone TO
the bottom. The insurance upon her was
paid and the Bella joined the great fleet of
noble ships that have left port and sailed
INTO the shadowy confines Of the unknown.
But now from farawny Australia comes
story as to the subsequent history of this
ship which surpasses anything in the fas-
clnating romance of the sea that has coNe
from the pen Of Robert Louis Stevenson
or W Clark Russell. The Bella, it seems,
was the victim OF piracy. and the already
astounding story OF Sir Roger Tichborne
Is enriched with another marvellous chap.
ter of adventure
Jean Luie, one of the crew of the Bella,
now says that ship was 20 leave Rio in
March, 1854. with general cargo, for
New YORK. She was a full rugged ship.
painted buff. Aboar two weeks before
sailing plot was arranged between the
captain, Mate John Birke,t. Steward Jean
Luie and one or two Others who agreed to
steal the ship and take her to Australia,
where the gold fever was then raging 4
motley crew. hone of whom was in the
conspiracy, Were engaged, and they knew
nothing OF the vessels destination and
probably did not care
When the vessel was about 500 miles of
the American coast. the longboat was cut
adrlft as part Of the programme of piracy.
1t was decided To paint the ship black. and
when in calm water stagings were slung
over the side and coat of black paint was
put over the buff. The yards were taken
on the mizzenmaSt, the topmast was cut
down. gaff and boom were rugged and,
with other necessary alterations to the rig,
i trim bark was made of the ship. and
none but practiccd nautical eye to which
the Bella was familiar would have discov-
cred in the black American bark Osprey
the full rugged ship Bella.
Luie says that when Tichborne learned
OF his destination he was delighted and
said nothing would please him better than
TO roam about Australia
The Osprey arrived at Melbourne about
three months after having set sail rs the
Bella from Rio. The Osprey was anchored
in Hobson's bay, and Tichbornc went
ashore with the caI;t,in. Within n hours
after her arrival at Melbourne most of the
crew We're attacked with the gold fever
and cleared out for the digginGs. Itch
borne Was not seen again on the vessel,
and soon aftcrward all but Luic and the
captain and one other followed the men tc
the diegings.
The Osprey, it appears, was sold, and
then she was put into the intcrcolonial
trade for time, after which she was used
as 4 hulk around Sandridge. Australia
With three other vessels she was ultimate
ly ballasted and sunk to E,ake foundations
for the cambridge pier
When the men left the bark in Victoria,
they all changed their names, and this,
together with fear of discovery of TIE
crime, effcctuilly prevented any of the
true facts of the case from becoming
known.
1t is alleged that Orion, who so long and
impudcntly maintained his prctensions TO
the Tichborne title and estates. knew
Creswell intimately in Australia, and
when the real Sir Roger went insane he
took advantage of the opportunity to i'm
personate him.