TICHBORNE APPLICATION.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1167, 11 July 1884, Page 3

TICHBORNE APPLICATION.

In reference to the lanatio Creswell, alleged to be Arthur Or-on, an application for release was on Friday, the 6th Jnne, before Mr Juatico Manning, New South Wales, in his lunacy jurisdiction. Mr Bari ( ton, instructed by Mr R. B. Smith, apoeared ' for the applicants, Charles and Edmond Orton, who were in court, as was also Jean Luie. the notorious witness who was convicted of perjury daring the bearing of that great suit at Westminster. There were also present a number of witnesses in support ot.tho application. Several affidavits had been sworn by several of these witnesses, who stated that they recognised in the lunatic Cresswell the missing Arthur. Orton.Amongst those who have sworn to , Cresswell’s identity is Mr Gordon Duncan, of Benalla, who has sworn that ha recognises in Cresswell Arthur Orton by the soar of a deep wound which he himself inflicted with a big knife while playing with Orton at Wapping in the butcher’s shop. He. remembers the circumstance of the accident quite well. Orton had his hand resting on the block, while his head was turned another way, and Duncan in order to frighten him drew what he thought to bo the back of the knife across the back of Orton’s hand ; hnt unfortunately it was the edge o f the knife, the consequence being that he inflicted a very deep gash between the thumb an 1 forefinger, which left a very plain scar and which he says he recognise r on Cresswell’a hand. James Peebles, the second mate of the ship Middleton,, in which Arthur Orton is said to have let . England for Hobart Town is equally oonfi lent that Creswell is Orton. .Ha says that on the voyage Arthur Orton had charue of two Shetland ponies and several ferrets Every day he used to change the cage of the ferrets for cleanliness. One day while doing so a large black ferret fastened on to one of his Angers, and Peebles says he pulled the animal nff. The bite left a very peculiar scar .which Peebles has r cogn sed on Greswell’s finder and Oaswell is said to have recalled Peebles and the ferret incident without any difficulty. Captain W. 1. Barry, of Otago, a Government lecturer oi iminiur.it on, anil author of a book entitled “Fifty Years’ Experience in Australia,’ is another witness who is equa ly confident as to Cresswell’s identity with A rthur Orton Captain Barry was in business as a_ butcher at the Ballarat diggings, Victoria, ip 1837, and he engaged Orton, but had to diacharge him in two days for drunkenness. He saw him again in 1858, at Creawiek’s Creek, Victoria, when Orton introduced a friend of his to Barry aa “ Thomas Castro.” lie next saw him with the said Thomas Castro at Castlemaine, where they had both just been acquitted of a'charge of horsestealing. When Barry was sent to England as a lecby the New Zealand Government he heard a great talk about the “claimant” in prison being Arthur Orton. He got an order to visit the prisoner, who nr he. recognised as Thomas Castro, who in his turn recognised Barry, and requested him to let Ortou kiiuw where he was. Captain Barry has visited Parramatta Asylum, and is confident that he has recognised in the lunatic Creswell his old acquaintance. Arthur Orton. Mr J. J. Wright, a well-known resi 'ent of Q aeanheyan, on the New Smith. Wales and Viet rian border, and an ex me nner of Parliament, distinctly recollects haying seen \rthur Orton at Qneanbeyan, ar Commercial Bank, where lie went to cash a cheque of George Campbell, of Ounttrom, for LlO ; and saw him sign the name “ Cresswel,” on the back of it. He jocniaily asked Orton if he wag a member of the great Oecswell family i i England. He re; lied that “there were, cor am people in England who would be; u'nrt to know what he knew ’’ A. Dukson Erq., a well-known pu l lie man, who has occupied a positron of j.ratine of the peace for ten verrsin Victoria, and has acted as j C'omnii sinner in rhe Inter, ational ExhiH- I tions of Sydn-y and Melbourne, and is now. j resident • f Paddington, near Sydney, says that he knew Arthur Orton at Wapping They were c unp.iui ins, and played together, and he has recognised not only Cresswell as ids old playmate Arthur Orton, but has also recognised Charles and 15 Imund Ortou aa oil acquaintances, all three of whom be identified as the sons of John and Mary Orton, of Wapping. He swears that the alleged Creswell is Arthur Ur'on. This, with a mass of similar testimony, had been embodied in a formidable series of affidavits which were presented in snpoort of the ap p icaiion ot Charles and Einnnnd Orton. Char les and Elmun.il r on wereeaohcalled, and p- ofe-sert to have identified the lunati-’ as their brother Arthur. Their expenses had been paid, they a dd, by a wealthy lady in England Other witnesses were called, and the judge t en ordered 'he production of the lunatic in court on the follow! g Friday.