One false accusation changed the course of David Roche’s life.
Born in Dublin about 1739, his father, a barrister, died when he was young; his mother remarried and settled in Kent in England. At 16, Roche approached the Irish lord lieutenant, who offered him an army commission. But Roche failed to take this up and was involved with a gang of youths in the murder of a watchman, and fled to America.
He joined the Anglo-French wars, first on the French side and then on the English. Initially highly regarded, he was made officer, but when he was accused of stealing from a fellow officer, he was court-martialled and dismissed. Roche challenged his accuser to a duel and, when this was refused, sprang at him and fastened on his throat with his teeth, dragging away flesh which he declared the “sweetest morsel he had ever tasted”, which led to his nickname “Tiger”.
Roche continued as a foot soldier and was present at the battle of Ticonderoga, but, finding it impossible to regain his former rank, returned to England. His reputation followed him however, and he vowed to fight any who doubted his innocence. At last his name was cleared through a deathbed confession from a corporal in the regiment. Roche returned to Dublin vindicated, and his rescue of a family from criminals improved his reputation further; he formed a group of vigilantes and for a time patrolled the streets.
Having run through his wife's fortune, he enlisted as a captain in the East India service
Returning to London, he eloped with a Miss Pitt, and embezzled most of her fortune. He was arrested as a bankrupt and thrown in jail which deeply affected him until an inheritance secured his release. This revived his spirits, which were to win him many friends and admirers. Some even proposed him as parliamentary candidate for Middlesex in 1769, though Roche disappointed them by withdrawing before the poll.
He married heiress Elizabeth Jefferson, fought further duels, and one night saw off two attackers at once. Having run through his wife’s fortune, he enlisted as a captain in the East India service, and boarded the Vansittart with Elizabeth in May 1773. However, he offended a group of passengers and was challenged to a duel by a Capt John Ferguson, who was found dead two days after they arrived in Cape Town, with nine sword wounds to his side. Suspicion fixed on Roche, who was tried quickly and acquitted, without the knowledge of Ferguson’s family.
Roche made his way through three different boats and one shipwreck to Bombay on April 3rd, 1774, where he was arrested for murder. He called in all his connections (including his sister’s husband, who was judge to the East Indies) and argued his case with skill, but was shipped back to London. His trial was heard at the Old Bailey on December 9th, 1775. The jury, directed to acquit or condemn for murder, took 45 minutes to return a verdict of not guilty, to loud cheers from the gallery.
The Tiger did not reform his ways. In early winter 1776 he was involved in a duel with notorious Tipperary duellist Alexander English … both missed. He died in Westminster in 1779, aged 40, after a lingering illness, while busy trying to claim the title “Viscount Fermoy”.
Based on Bridget Hourican’s biography of David Roche (edited for this Extraordinary Emigrants series for Irish Times Abroad by Clare McCarthy) in the Royal Irish Academy’s Dictionary of Irish Biography.
