New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-03

A MYSTERY OF TIE PINEAGE, WITH
Bt'KLESQVE BtElALS SEQUEL TO
TIE TALE or THE QUICK AND
TIE DEAD" - Scrub



What IS known as ~, "ycuny-droadfu" has
been disp!;~cd ly Tie ordinary penny press. With
It's rccit,.ls Of the mysteries # thu pcc'agc and
burlesquo Luriais Of lcalcn corrsca TIC :;ranS"
application Of a woman ramcd Mrs. 3rucc 70
have the vaui; Of hor fath"g in law. ~ Hat
gate Cemetery. opened for liz purposo of aso'r-
taininS wi,thcr the coffin contained hon"s or
lead has been followed 10y the publication g
columns Of such literature in tie daily pres
Mrs. Druce has allowed herself e. lc drawn into
interviews with "IIoyd's News" and other jour
nails. and tine scii MS attention of The English
public has been invited To as incr' lihle a cock
and-bull story at the expense Of the pcorage as
has ever been invented. the Tichborne case not
excepted.
The main theme OF this choice Bit Of fiction IS
triple il nifty Mrs. Drucc's contention is that
the fifth Duke of Portland, Thomas Charles
bruce Ghc claimants fathcr-in-law). and Or.
Robert liarmcr. an insane Iationt. were one
and the same person. Notwithstanding three
alleged deaths ana burials under as many
names. The explanation Il these strange i'm
presentations is ono which outrivals the most
imaeinativc penny dreadful in inventive vagary.
The fifth Duke Of Portland and his brother
Lord George Bentinck. are alleged II have been
IN love with the same woman. and TO have quar-
relied. Lord George Bontinok was found dead
near Wolhock Abbey from a srasm If the heart
Whether that was the true cause II death or
not Mrs. bruce anirms that the elder brother
suffered during thu remainder Of his ifc-or 10
I've moro accurate. his three Nv,s-lrom the
Eoonest rciuorsc and the most ahj"ct fear.
Being in a state Of terror he al pied the
name Of Thomas Charles Drucc engaged in
business as an upholst,r,r. and as Duke II
Portland transferred immense property
TO himself under this alias. liz married a
daughter of The fifth Earl of Berkeley under
this na,o. and his son i,camc in due time the
husband Of the rs.nt claimant lie under
mined Ncih,,k Abbey AID an upholst,ror's house
in Bakcr-st with suAtcrrancan PASSAGES. 50 as
to have secure hidins-placc. Finding himself
IN peril Of cXl osurc, he decided to nd his career
as Drucc 10y ha,ing coffin nll,d with lead
from a house roof and inferred with his sup
posed remains. subsequently, he assumed mad
ness in order to have a convenient plea II he
should be- accused Of murder. and he was com
mittcd to an insane asylum for year under he
name Of Harmcr.
Mrs. Druce apparently has employed sole
ior In applying for The rcoporing 4 the Drucc
vault but otherwise she is her own lawyer.
with the usual result far as her clients inter
csts are concerned. Hcr main proofs seem TO
be % an ALLEGED res rmbltrcc between hor son.
who is row in Australia. and the nnh Duke ~
Portland: CD thc fact that her daughter suffers
from Z scrofulous disease. with which the Duke
IS said t. have been afflicted. 90 the assertion
Of barristors Wig-rnaker that there was
sccrct tunnel in Eatrr-st.: - mysterious r.
marks made 10y her husband respecting his
father: C) various ccccutridtics Of tho NTH
Duke Of Portland. and 90 the circumstance that
after the death Of her father LAW. bruce.
man named Ednoy. previously employed by him.
suddenly became rich ana drove about in ear
riaGc drawn by two ma, chestnut horses. If she
can secure the rocpcnng Of the bruce vault she
confidently expects to find the lead and TO
establish her case.
This astonishing tale which is seriously dis
than a weeks run 1t rcfut,s itself as soon as
the burial records are examined. Thomas
Charles bruce was born il l79; and died in
1864. after marrying twice and leaving a hand
some property. acquired in trade. to his widow
ard children. The nfih Duke II Portland was
born III 800 and di' unmarried in 1879. being
succeeded Is his cousin. a great andson Of the
third Duk- If Portland. who was twice Prime
Minister. Dr Hammer was born in 1879 and
died in 1892 %: Gigoae. If the brain. and his
widow is still living. The Identification Of these
three III as one and the same eccentric per
son. who accusing himself Of the murder
of Lord George Ecntirck. H. absolutely pr"pos-
ferrous The marvel is that Mrs Drucc should
have found any one ready to listen to her. and
to repeat her wild and incredible statements
my ,lr,laH I'm ~ hay c.f,,p