AN ECHO OF A FAMOUS TRIAL.

Evening Star, Issue 12982, 19 June 1908, Page 8

AN ECHO OF A FAMOUS TRIAL.

A short obituary notitx: in the Home papers of April 29 announced the death oi Sir Percival Radcliffe, and recorded the fact that in 1854 he was mrrsied to Ratherine, only daughter of the late Sir Edvrun. Doughty. Hidden in this paragraph lies a reminiscence of a great and famous lawsuit. The lady ho married, and who pre deceased him a year ago, was the principal witness against the claimant to the Tich borne estates, and it was in respect to a wicked slander he invented couct-riiini/ he. that one of the assignments of perjurv wa; made upon which he was sentenced to seven years' penal servitude, half of his entire sentence. Miss Kate Doughty wae first cousin to Roger Tichborne, and before he started upon his ill-fated tour in South America in 1852 they exchanged vows o affection, which they arranged to say nothing about until his return. He never returned, and Miss Doughty two year: afterwards married Mr Radcliffe, who b\ the death of his father in 1872 became Sii Percival Radcliffe. When the Claimant came on the scene in 1870 and brought an action for ejectment against the Tichborne trustees, it was, of course, recognised that she was the one person beyond all others who could tell whether he was Roger Tichborne or an impostor. IJe avoided a meeting with her arranged by the solicitors, and in his evidence at the trial tried to destroy bcr forthcoming evidence by tnc atioek** statoaieat for which

.he was justly punished. Mr Radcliffe was in daily attendance with her at the trial ~ during the year it lasted, and when she : I was called as a witness he led her to the ; witness box and stood under it whilst she i! was giving evidence, a pathetic figure, . i overwrought by indignation. He was, I :' believe, the last survivor of those connected with the Tichborne family who gathered together at the trial in largo [ numbers, and the only surviving actors in , the great trial are Lord Halsburv, who l held the second brief for the Claimant, and | Lord Llandaff, who represented the. trus- • ties, but who had no locus standi to iater- • vene in the proceedings.—London corrc- , epondent 'Manchester Guardian.'