SIR ROGER CASEMENT.

Clutha Leader, Volume XLII, Issue 90, 19 May 1916, Page 7

SIR ROGER CASEMENT.

♦♦♦ One who has known Sir Roger Casement since childhood and has watched hii> every move is firmly convinced that for the pa.-i live or six years ''poor old Rod," as lii. affectionately calls him. is suffering Irom a warping of the brain (writes a .Melbourne correspondent of the Sydney 'Sun'). "Thio impression has not gained a hold on mi in the light ot recent event!)," he said. "It lias been with me for lully live year* now, and the unfortunate happening* that have attracted the whole world in the last few days are merely the climax. I don't say that Hod has been insane for all that tunc, but he has been drifting that way, until he has lost his mental balance within the last two years. In other words, Hud has been a fool for two years, hut a brilliant man for the preceding 20. It i.s a great blow to his friends. "Six year.s ago ho told mo in a letter that he was a very sick man, and when Hoyer Casement said he was ill you may take my word that it was not a slight mutter. He had complained of Mvern headaches, and after all he had Rone through in the service of the British Empire, 1 am not surprised that ho needed a long holiday. He said that he would visit his brother in South Africa, ami 1 believe that he did. From that tiino he was a different man 1 ; indeed, he was not. the Roger Casement whom the English papers had daily lauded I'm- his great service of loyalty.'' The Casement family is composed of three brothers. Their father was in the hragooiis, and saw much service in India. He left the British Army on account uf a sunstroke, and from the time of his retirement he devoted almost till his time to tile study of spiritualism. Ho *pent a small fortune in experimenting with mediums. Roger *ai> educated in Ireland, and on one occasion', w hen his elder' brother paid * visit to the schoolmaster to inquire •s to Roger's learning, the master expressed himself thus: "I am sure I don't know what to do with the lad. « is no use lor me to try, to teach fun any n M e. H e knows it all—at least, all that he will be taught. His time U always taken up with reading We classics and any bit of romance that Je win lay his hands on has his atten"on until the last word is devoured." , «om e of ih e letters that his friends 'i Australia have received from Sir «<*«• have been the most fanciful documents. He was always a great man 'or his, fairies and his goblins, and the greatest pain was caused him by anv wrence to business affairs of the WW while he was engaged in his "'&«* of fancy. Above all. his heart Ms.been ever for the land of his birth. 11 h hun it was "Ireland first and wand alu-aus!" although his most '"ii'Mti. friends never at anv time n <i. He is ,s|n,i ioM <( f . IS mos i i, llinani , ">« and a keenly religious one. _ Ihi i i o ' llk ' i>evt fitting descriptions i, at ' »ave over read of him through ' , B » years of public life," his friend Ui * ; l s "' nttoll b y Mr Morel ™ the «»*>n ■P.-Mly X,™.* 'Sir Roger Case ,*, 11 'is tall, very lithe, and iinuT it"'" 11 a s,vin 8 ol ' thp twso mA {,(,"*• His chest is well thrown out. li» hS r , l , hiah "P t0 s "gS est that «P*£ wi lons yvArii ln vas t.«P«> cow , has I**- W»ek l> il 'r al 'd beard t , < 'l's cheek, that are hollowed bv Dron T'"" 1 ""' <)atU - a "d a <*m that is iv n r U , i '" d la, 'e- He has strongtfatin ' ieatu -res, a dark blue penet,lnt is » littl(1 Ruuken in 'rpe of r aml a lon ' g ' ,eail, swart^y *it' a i la,f ' graven with power and irr >„,?'?"' o ,l iitleuess—an extraordin''TW • °< and arresting face.' luce." ls the R °d of my acquaint-