THE TICHBORNE APPLICATION IN SYDNEY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1204, 15 July 1884, Page 3

THE TICHBORNE APPLICATION IN SYDNEY.

In reference to the lunatic Cresswell, alleged to be Arthur Orton, an application for release was made on Friday, the 6th inst., before Mr Justice Manning in his lunacy jurisdiction. Mr Barton, instructed by Mr B. B. Smith, appeared for the applicants, Charles and Edmund Orton, who were in Court, as was also Jean Luie, the notorious witness who was convicted of perjury daring the hearing of the great suit at Westminister. There were also present a number of witnesses in support of the application. Several affidavits had been sworn by several of these witnesses, who stated that they recognised in the lunatic Cresswall the missing Arthur Orton. Amongst those who have sworn to Cresswell’s identity is Mr Gordon Duncan, of Benalla, who has sworn that he recognises Cresswell as Arthur Orton by the scar of a deep wound which lie himself inflicted with a big knife while playing with Orton at Wapping in the butcher’s shop. Ho remembers the cir= curastances of the accident quite well, Orton had his hand resting on the block, while his head was turned another way, and Duncan, in order to frighten him, drew what he thought to be the back of the knife across the back of Orton’s hand; but unfortunately it was the edge of the knife, the consequence being that he inflicted a very deep gash between the thumb and forefinger, which left a very plain scar, and which he recognise* on Oresawell’a hand, James Peebles, the second male of the slap Middleton, in which Arthur Orton is said, to have left England for Hobart Town, is equally confident that Cresswell is Orton. Ho nays that on the ; voyage Arthur Orton had charge of two Shetland ponies and several ferrets. Every day he used to change the cage of the ferrets for c’eanline**. One day while doing so a large black I ferret fastened on to one of his fingers, and Peebles says he pulled the animal off. The bite left a very peculiar scar, which Peebles has recognised on Cresswell’s finger, and Cressweii is said to have repalled Peebles and the ferret incident without any difficulty, Captain W, J. Barrg, of Otago, a Government lecturer on immigration, and author of a book 'entitled “ Fifty Years’ Experience in Australia,” is another witness who is equally confident as to Cresswell’* identity with Arthur Orton. Capt, Barry was in business as a butcher at the Ballarat diggings, Victoria, in 1857; and he engaged Orton, but bad to discharge him in two days for drunkenness. He saw him again in 1858, at Cresswipk’s Creek, Victoria, wheq Orton introduced a friend of his to Barry as “Thomas Castro.” He next saw

him with the said Thomas Castro at Castlemaine, where they had both just been acquitted of a charge of horse-steal-ing, When Barry was sent to England as a lecturer, by the New Zealand Government he heard a great talk about the “claimant” in prison being Arthur Orton. He got an order to visit the prisoner, whom he recognised as Thomas Castro, who in his turn recognised Barry, and requested him to let Orton know where he was. Captain Barry has visited Paramatta Asylum, and is confident that he has lecognised in the lunatic Cross well, his old acquaintance, Arthur Orton.