THE CLAIMANT.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XII, Issue 43, 13 February 1885, Page 27

THE CLAIMANT.

(From Michael Davitt's " Prison Diary.") His arrival, says Mr. Davitt, in Dartmoor, after completing the usual probationary in Millbaok Penitentiary, created unusual excitement among both warders and prisoners, but particularly among the latter. •• Sir Roger " soon became the lion of the place. To fall into exercising file with him on Sunday was esteemed an event to be talked of for a week afterwards by the fortunate convict, who had, for ouce in his life rubbed his skirts against one of England's proud aristocracy. To settle an argument upon any topic — legal, political, or disciplinary -—required but the assertion, " Sir Roger Ticbborne says so," and an immediate acquiescence in tbe conclusiveness of the facts or opinions advanced was ihe constquence. In fact, '• Sir Roger " soon became the recognised authority upon every matter of moment to the one thousand citizens of Dartmoor's criminal population, from the merits of the skilly to the evils of trial by jury, or from the partisanship of judges to the quality- of the shin-of-beef soup ; and the acquisition to that secluded and unique society of such a man was put down among the list of great events in the history of Dartmoor. He remained the standard authority upon juries, judges, money, and victims of circumstantial evidence, to the whole chorus of gossiping magsmen, until he was finally removed to another prison. Unlike the ordinary bogus aristocrat, •« Bir Roger " never " flashed his rank " — that is, when he walked or talked with other prisoners, be did not " put on airs," or adopt the patronising manners that both outside, as well as in prison usually denote alike the parvenue and the impostor. He maintained bis position, though, as the real " Sir Roger Tichborne " whenever brought before govornor or visiting director, or when the fact might be questioned by other prisoners, and in his letters to outside friends while in Dartmoor. Whatever the man really is, victim or fraud, Tichborne or Castro, he exhibited, while under my observation, an individuality and a bearing in marked contrast to the ordinary impostors and criminals with whom he was associated. On the other hand, Sir Roger's intellectual training and extent of general knowledge, as far as could be gathered from his prison conversation, appeared to me to be far too limited for a man that was reputed to have received a good college education, and who had, in addition, travelled so much and mixed with so many men the world over, and who had also the advantage of having passed his forty-fifth year. Having accidentally heard the result of the general election of 1874, I communicated to " Roger " the triumph of the Tories and the fact of Mr. Disraeli becoming Prime Minister ; whereupon he remarked, "Then you see if he does not make himself First Lord of the Treasury also." On another occasion he informed me that Dr Kenealy had introduced a bill into the House of Commons the week previously regai ding bis(" .Roger's ") treatment in Dartmoor, when Dr Kenealy had simply asked a question of the Home Secretary in reference thereto. His political knowledge appeared to be exactly on a level with that of the ordinary mag.sman.