The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1898-06-24

Mons OF money INC tlfhN hhhNN"'"
OF rOuland, wi,h an IngYiie oi fl,1Vo'-
900 year. IL the subject Of dispute and
the allegations made by the plaintiff "
sustained. will reveal the most extra
ordinary Or. Jekyll and Mr.. Hyde eN-
istence that has ever come 20 light
The duke Of Portland whose alleged
double life is now 20 be Investigated.
was the second richest peer IN Eng
land. and II Is claimed that besides
his life ~ an eccentric unmarried no
bleman. be also had an existence as a
London shopkeoper With a wife and
family.
Thomas Charles Druce was the name
Of the shopkeeper who Is declared to
have been none other than the duke OF
Portland. and II II his daushter-in-law,
Mrs. Anna Maria Duce. vino has In
stigated the present action. Mrs
Drucc has made an application
10 exhume the alleged body OF
her late father-in-law from a vault
In Highgatc csmotfey. and this appli-
cation IL a FIRST step IN her attempt TO
prove that the said Thomas Charles
Druce. the well-known Baker street
furniture man. was no other than the
fifth duke Of Portland.
Mrs. Druccs story. n which she has
already produced a remarkable con
frmatlon. Is that the duke led double
llfe each part ~ which was strangely
and almos, incredibly distinct She
says he lived In London az a shopkeep-
or named Druce. and a married man.
lle lived on his vast estates ns duke
80 a bachelor. he pretended 10 die
a. bruce IN 1864 Ills daughier-in-
law alleges that only a roll of lead
will be- found In his coffin lie died A.
the duke In 1873 There is no doubt
that the duke died then. The result
Of proving that Charles Thomas Druce
was the nth duke " Portland would
BE- 10 transfer the dukedom and the
enormous estates 10 the son u Mrs.
Druce. sidney Geofge Druce. a poor
sailor OF p. now 10 Australia. The
present duke % Portland. who would
be- ousted from his position. IL one Of
the most conspicuous noblemen In
England he holds the Office Of mas
ter ~ the horse. the greatest In the
queens household We has won the
Derby twice he was a direct cousin
u the nth duke whom be- succeeded
Most extraordinary points % resem-
hlance have been proved between the
late Thomas Charles Druce and the
9th duke % Portland Druse had a
secret entrance 10 BIS shop. the Baker
street bazaar. and a system Of sub.
terranean passages under a. The late
duke undermined hla estate Welbeck
abbey. with miles Of fubterranean pas
sages, having many exits. by means Of
which be- could hide bis movements.
With vast wealth and great power and
no intlmates the late duke 81 Portland
was In a position 10 conceal biz move
ments and surround himself with mys.
terry. Nobody on the estate or In the
house was permitted 20 speak 10 him
without first being spoken TO- lie had
issued orders that nobody was 10 rec.
Ognlze his presence By a courtesy. a
salute or even Ny glance. 1.-THE duke
of Portland wer0 w tlng about the
country and he met one Of biz tenants
or employees the latter would be IN.
stantly dismissed from the neighbor.
hood II he manifested any knowiedg,
Of the presence Of the duke Since m,
opening Of the trial 10 has been dis
covered that the premises In Baker
street contain many Of the features
which the duke Of Portland lntroduc
ed into Welheck Abbey The duke
was chiefly known for what was calle,
bis ~nauta Underground tunnels
One or two members % hIsN,slig ha,
seen an enormous underground dinlnl
room which he had built NJ Wolbecl
Abbey. az we'll as a drawing room. slt
tins room. and huge art galleries. M
decoration Of which, be said. occup' q,
nearly an his time n has now beer
discovered that The duke % portlan,
had rule In hh household 10 th'
effect that when be disappeared under