THE REAL TICHBORNE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 321, 12 January 1909, Page 4

THE REAL TICHBORNE.

STORY OP HJS FATE. From amongst many curious stories and incidents recorded by Mr. Henry ■W. Lucy in "Sixty Years in the Wilderness " in the Cornhill Magazine for November, the following may be quoted. Tt describes the death of the real Roger Tichborne, Mr. Luck telling us how a Captain Dates, one of the last men to sec Tichborne alive, gave him the particulars in the course of a drive from Dover to Dungeness:— ''l was at the time," Captain Dates said, " in charge, of the John Bibby, lying at Rio, waiting for a cargo. The Bella lay alongside, and as her owners and mine were connected in business arrangements. Captain Birkett and I wee often together, and used to talk our affairs over. One day he came to me and said, 'Dales, there is a young fellow been over to see me about taking a passage in the Bella to New York.' 'Well,' I said., 'you have a berth, and may as well make a dollar or two for the ship.' "Xactly,' said he; 'but the fact is, the young fellow has got no money: he says lie is well connected, has plenty of rich friends in England, and that'a letter of credit is waiting for him in New York. But he has run through all his money here, is heavily in debt, and wants to get quietly awav.' 'Well,' I said, 'that's another'sort of thing, Birkett. You know well enough what the passage money to be paid at the -itlier end usually conies to. Hernever, bring the young fellow over i« breakfast in the morning, and we'll have a look at him.' So next morning Birkett and the young fellow came over to breakfast with me, and he told his story. It was impossible to be in his company five minutes without knowing that he was of gentleman stock, and after he was gone 1 sai.l to Birkett, ' Led him have the passage, [f he pays 'I will be all right, and if he don't it will lie only another plate of sole on the I table during the voyage, and the owners ' need not know anything about it.' Birkett took my word and let the young fellow come aboard. The authorities at Rio were very strict at tile time, and it vva< necessary for everyone leaving the ■ il.v to have a passport. Tichborne. owing money all about, could not. of course, get his passport, and we had to simiguli' him alioard. He came oil' in a boat 'the nisrht before, and when the Custom-house officers were within sight next dav. for the last look round, we put him in a hole in the cabin Hour, underneath the table. The Customhouse officer came aboard, mustered the crew, and found them all right. 'Anyone else aboard. Captain Birkett ?' savs he. ' No.' savs Birkett: ' but com,- down in the cabin and lake a cup of coffee t.eforc vou go.' The officer came down and sat at the table with bis feet on the plank which covered young Tichborne. When he had finished his coffee he and I put off. The Bella made sail, and I never saw or heard anything about the ship till a few days later a bit of stem and a portion of the uoop floated ashore, and told us she had foundered."