Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-06-11

STRANGE STORY OF EDWIN CHURCH.
ILL DRucE or SCRANTON.

STRANGE STORY OF EDWIN CHURCH.
ILL DRUcE OF SCRANTON.
Taken when . Tot From His Home In
Lsnca~hire-Has Como TO England to Re-.
cover = Fortune Left by His Real Fs-
'hsr' ,4ma
Edwin Churchill Druce OF Scranton
sailed TO England recently In hope Of es-
tablishing bis claim TO the estate of the
late Baron Churchill OF Lancashire. The
estate IL worth 81, 900, 600, and Druce says
ne Is the son Of the baron and was kid
naped about 40 years ago. His story IL
this:
Thomas Druce and Frederick Hill,
young men OF Mosley Lancashire, were
arrested 48 years ago at the instance OF
Baron Churchill who charged them with
stealing cattle from him. They were trans
ported to Australia, Druce for 12 years
and Hill for 90 years. Druce always said
he was innocent, and revenge was the on
ly thing he thought of during his Danish
ment When at the end of ten years he re-
turned to Mosley, ne learned that the baron
had married and had boy years old
The former convict determined to strike
at the father through the child. He per-
suaded two women to assist him, and one
day while the boy was playing In his ia
ther's park the women led him away and
gave him to Druce, who hid him until the
hue and cry raised over his disappearance
had In q measure subsidized.
Then young Churchill was taken to the
home of James Druce, Toms brother
some distance away In the village of Troy,
and was thereafter known rs Edwin Druce
and was raised like the other children of
the neighborhood.
Baron Churchill and his wife were un-
remitting In their efforts to find their
child, but failing to discover any clew of
him became convinced that he was dead.
Soon after the heartbroken mother died.
Before Edwin had reached the age of 15
he was sent to the mills by James Druce,
and when he reached his majority James
Druce told him he wanted him to marry
one of two girls he had always looked on
as his sisters. just Mt this time letter ar
rived for Edwin, which contained informa-
tion as to his birth. 1t had been sent by
some one acquainted with the facts and
who desired to see justice done to the
young man. The letter was intercepted by
James Druce, but the girl the father had
inten ded the young man to marry learned
that It contained facts concerning her
adopted brothers birth and acquainted
him with the information in her posses
sion Edwin demanded to know the names
of his parents, but James Druce declared
that he was his son, and Edwin left the
Druce homestead, obtained employment
as mail carrier, afterward went to Can
ada and moved to Scranton five years ago.
He had been in Scranton only short
time when James Druce arrived A truce
was patched up, and Edwin and the man
ne once thought was his father lived to-
gether.
James Druce became very Ill two years
ago and told Edwin that the latter had
been stolen when youth and gave par
tial description Of the estate his father
owned In England and the family coat of
arms. Then no suddenly stopped, and
nothing could induce him to continue the
story. Presently he recovered, but never
disclosed the secret to Edwin.
With the assistance Of George Hicks, q
friend, Edwin got some money and sailed
for his native land. A letter from Edwin
was received by Hicks recently, which de-
scribed the progress Of his search for in
formation. In his letter he said he was in
possession Of the story Of his life. One of
the women who assisted in his kidnapping
had died while he was in America, but
had confessed her part in the transaction.
Edwin's object now is to find Thomas
Druce. Cincinnati Enquirer.