JEAN LUIE AND THE CLAIMANT.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2364, 14 October 1880, Page 2

JEAN LUIE AND THE CLAIMANT.

The following letter has been addressed from Jean Luie to Mr M. E. Kenealy “London, Aug. 19,1880.” “ I was released from Millbank Prison yesterday, at 9.30 a.m., after a suffering of six years and eight months’ severe punishment, which punishment I consider myself not to have deserved. My statement on oath respecting the barque Osprey, in which I was steward at the time the Bella men were picked up, is true to the very letter, and lam able to prove it by facts, if I am by Providence spared yet a little time. You will understand that it is against my every interest to uphold and maintain the case of Sir Roger Tichborne, whose friends are total strangers to me, and not even my own countrymen, lam now going into my 60th year of age, and your own common sense and that of others would be right in calling me a fool were I to maintain a false cause ; but my own consciousness supports me in my misfortunes, and also my true belief that Sir Roger, although his word may not be taken, will not deny me as the man I have sworn to be. I was powerless to substantiate my own evidence on my own trial. Monsters of the worst description were hired with glittering gold to state on oath facts of my nationality and facts about periods of my life which were not correct in honest truth. I tell you they are false, with very few exceptions. I must tell you that the conditions laid down in the cruel licence system are nealy impossible for me to comply with, and I really wish I had remained in bondage for the remaining eight months, rather than be in constant fear and trouble. I wish tore-assert that my evidence as to the rescue on board the Osprey was correct. The Osprey in December 1853, was bound from New York to Melbourne, and in April, 1854, picked up a boat in which were six men, and among these was the Claimant, who went by the name of Roger, and who was landed at Melbourne. It has been supposed that some of the agents for the prosecution in the Tichborne case had previous knowledge of me, and asked me to give false evidence, but this is not true. I may state that it was in the first interview with the Claimant that he said some minutes after I came into his presence, ‘ Como esta, Luie.’ I was only at Bessborough street once in my life before giving my evidence at the Court of Queen’s Bench. During my stay-in Portland Prison Mr Justice Hawkins came there on a visit, and evidently recognised me. Many other noted and distinguished visitors also came to see me. I fully believe that some of the crew of the Bella and Osprey, some eighteen in number are still in existence. I hear that Captain Bennett, the captain of the Osprey, was shot in 1866. Mr Lewis has advised me that the sentence passed on me at Cardiff in 1867 for feloniously obtaining £2O was illegal, and that the utmost that could be inflicted by law was five years. I shall therefore make every effort to bring an action for false imprisonment against the chairman presiding who sentenced me. I believe that the log-book of the Osprey is m existence, and I shall, as soon as 1 c £ d j leave this Christian country, but not before you and all Sir friends are in possession of such material evidence as will put all your enemies to flight.-—! am, sir, your obedient servant Jean Luie.”