THE CLAIMANT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LI, Issue 5589, 23 January 1879, Page 5

THE CLAIMANT.

The following letter has been addressed to Mr G. Onslow, dated Portsmouth, Not. 1, 1878 :—“ Dear Onslow, —Many thanks for your kind letter, received on the 7th ult.; but I am sorry to hear you were so unwell, and sincerely hope you have recovered from your indisposition long ere this. How unfortunate Mrs Cresswell’s dying; as I looked upon her as being the only person who could have demanded him from the asylum. I fear you will not succeed in getting him over now. Not that I believe it would avail me anything if he were here. My opponents are so'wealthy and influential that they would be sure to do as before—drown all truth with their money and influence. But I believe the Bristol, Salisbury, and Isle of Wight meetings have taken up the right cue at last, and if carried out, will ultimately succeed. I wrote my petition on August 17, begging of the Bight Honourable the Home Secretary to allow mo to be arraigned and tried on the charge of forgery—a charge which they themselves preferred against mo (it was only to prevent me getting bail, it is true, but it was made), and thus give me an opportunity of proving my innocence; or otherwise to allow the two sentences to bo concurrent, and so enable me to leave prison when I have completed one sentence, which would be about nest August. I received an answer ou Sept. 11, which was to tell the prisoner named in the margin, Arthur Orton that there was not sufficient ground. I also asked him to lend his influence to my friends in getting Orton to England. You say in your letter that a general election is near. 1 sincerely hope so, for I expect no justice from the present powers that be, nor mercy either, so far as that goes. I am truly sorry at losing so many friends by death. I hope soon to see you and Mr E. —| — Arrange for whom you please to come with you. 1 wish you to’tell me all about my dear children in your next. I hope their education is being attended to. 8o please write to mv wite, ami tell her 1 am quite well, and hope they are the same, in your nest. Do please let mo know ail particulars about thorn when you write again, or when I see you. I remember O’Brien in the Carabineers, and, if I remember right, he was trumpeter. If ho has said aught to injure mo, depend on it, ho lias beeu misled by Bowker, for he was a God-fearing man, and not likely to injure any one intentionally. I was not aware teat ho’ was in Australia. 1 fancy I recognised ouo carabineer in Australia, but I did not gj Oik to him, because I feared ho would retognise me. His name was McDonald ; ho deserted whilst we were in Dublin. Ho was a very bad character. Please remember mo to all kind friends, and especially those who have boon so kind to my little ones, as also to (base near you, but whom I have too much respect for than to mention their names on such a vile sheet of paper as this is. I should have liked the doctor to have seen my petition, but I suppose it is no use for him to do so- You forgot to tell mo about the meeting last Easter when I saw yon last, so I suppose it was a failure. Do not forget to thank that energetic friend of . . - forme. I hope to have the pleasure of doing so myself some day. Again begging you to give kind remembrances'and thanks to all my many friends and supporters, and kind regards to yourself and family, hoping soon to see you and see you quite recovered from your illness, believe me. vours. Bonn* Tnnwia f!*srno