The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-01-16

to England. But the Bella never came
TO port.
But Roger Tichborne's mother. like
Charley Ross's. would never believe
that he was dead. Even after her hus-
band had died and her younger son
had fallen heir to the estate she had
a strong presentiment' that Roger
would one day return. She continued
to advertise for him, and In 1866 an
Australian detective agency presented
to her a man claiming to be her long
missing son. His story was that he
had lived in Australia for thirteen
years under the assumed name of
Thomas Castro. Lady Tichborne ap-
peared TO recognize him at once. well
coined him as her son and advised
him to assert his rights. Relatives and
old family servants also identified the
claimant. Then Lady Tichborne died
in 1868. and the case later went to
trial
Alfred. the younger brother, now
holding the title. brought witnesses
to prove that the claimant was one
Orton. son of a London butcher, while
the alleged Roger put on the stand
sailors who declared that they had
taken him from the wreck of the
Bella. He also displayed a birthmark
and wound such as Roger had had, but
he lost his case. was arrested, tried
and sentenced to fourteen years for
perjury. but was set free after ten
years After q lecture tour in America
in 1856 he became penniless, and tried
TO sell a Confession" to New York
newspaper for 10000; This was at
terward disposed of In England, and
he died in 1898. many people still be-
lieying him to be the real Roger ITCH
borne who had devised the confess
sion" as a hoax to raise needed money.
His coffin plate was engraved. "Sir
Roger Charles Tichborne.' Then in
1907 an aged man. just before his
death in the Kings County Hospital,
Brooklyn. made a statement that he
was the rightful Roger Tichhorne: that
| he had returned to England from
South America In 1856. but had been
| spirited out of the country with the
threat that he would be assassinated
| if he ever returned to claim his title
and estates. And to this day there are
people here and in England who do
not believe that the puzzling Itch
| borne case has yet been Justly settled.
| Theodosin Burr's Disappearance.
1 Quite as conflicting have boon tho
4 clues offered to explain the fate Of
i Theodosia Burr Aston. who on jan
j uary 81. 1872. sailed from Charleston
on the ship Patriot bound for New
/ York. where she was to meet her
/ father. Aaron Burr, the former Vice
President of the United States.
Fer little son. Aaron Burr Aston.
had lust died, and she was Fastening
! to her father for consolation. But the
i Patriot. like the Bella, never came to
/ port, Whether she was wrecked by
the elements, sunk by the British or
.l,ooted by pirates, people speculated at
i the time. But tho most persistent
| rulnor was that she had been captured
1 by pirates and her crew and passen-
gers held in prison for ransom. This,
il3however. Aaron Burr stoutly denied.
"All the prisons in the world couldn't
keep Theodosia from her father" said
/ he. He maintained that the Patriot
1 had been wrecked. Yet not scrap OF
! her wreckage ever washed UP on shore.
nor did any passing ship ever observe
/ her in distress.
Forty wears after her disappearance
/ two men about to be executed In Nor
folk confessed that they and other
shore pirates had lured the Patriot
{. on 10 the rocks at Naghead. N. c., and
I. after blindfodine all on board. had
/ made them walk the plank" But
/ considered doubtful by many, who took
1 into account her wealth and her ability
Ito nav a heavy ransom to pirates
4 some. who believed that she was held
i captiye because OF her renowned
4 beauty. maintained that she was later
taken to Alexandria, where she died
al an lin and was buried In what has
i since become famous as the "Grave OF
the Female Stranger"
a few years ago a new clue was
Igpiyen Nv n portrait greatly resembling
i Mrs. Aston. which was found In a
4 North Carolina house, and which was
a ALLEGED to have been found during the
War Of 1879 In mysterious ship
4 which canao ashore, fully rugged. In a
4, Carolina inlet This vessel, SO the
4 STOW goes contained silks and other
yaluables, besides the portrait but not
human soul, II this. ship were the
patriot. both the pirate and shipwreck
4. hynothesos would seem toS he cliuni-
b mated as pirates would not leave sucl,
!. valuable loot as silks, while a storm
y would not destroy the passengers and
& leave the boat intact, ms
4 c.rip, Testimony OF Three skcletons 4.
4 IInon what has sbefaIlen some disap-
/; nearing personage s--though probably
nonn' 81 those mentioned abpyc---sey.
nraI cruesome discoveries Of recent
q times have thrown their light, Tho
x o c dsx. IN Richmond workmen de-