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

extensive and valuable property with
well-established patronage among
the wealthy residents of the West End
A. the present time II belongs 10 a
wealthy politician Of some prominence
Since the litigation began. which now
threatens the title and esiatof " the
present duke Of Portland On cXamlna-
ton has been made u tha underground
regions Of the Baker street bazaar.
This has disclosed the extraordinary
fact that the place is honeycombed
with tunnels and trap doors and mys-
terlous passages Here have been
found every means 20 enable a man
having control " the premises 10 leave
and enter without anybody knowing
H.
One former assistant manager az the
Baker street bazaar has told how
Druce rarely entered the shop during
the busy hours Of the day when fash
lonable people were likely 10 be pres
ent Ne kept himself fecreied In
room NJ the back. having double doors
with a passage leading into the cellar
No employe Of the shop was allowed
10 enter this room unless invited 10 DO
70 by bruce. Nobody In the shop could
tell whether Druce was 10 the room or
not. and had no means Of finding out
and would have been dismissed Tor
knocking A. the door or disturbing
him. These rules were vigorously en-
forced. But In order that business
matters should be settled authoritative
ly Druce would from time 10 time
notify his chief managers o. the hours
and days when be- might be expected.
and they had 20 wait Tor him In an
outside room.
The coffin 10 the rlighgate cemetery.
which will probably be opened In a
few weeks 10 see whether Il contains a
roll " lead or a skeleton, Is that Of
Druoe the shopkeeper who lived at
Mil Hlll. Hendon and died Dec %
1864 as the coffin plate says. in his
seventy year" Among the proofs
which Mrs Druce will produce In court
IN order 10 support her claims. are
documents going TO show that Druce.
when preparing Tor his alleged death.
turned over 10 himself M the duke ~
Portland a certain piece Of property
valued at 100000 II was rs a result
Of years Of labor on the part Of Mrs.
bruce 10 penetrate the mystery OF the
disappearance Of this property that
she discovered as she claimed that her
husbands father was the duke Of Port
/ land.
A period n fifteen years interviewed
between the alleged death u Drucc. the
shopkeoper and the genuine death "
the NTH duke Of Portland. During
this time Mrs Druce h prepared to
show that Druce the shopkeeper. was
several times seen and Identified by his
former employees
II Is Just here that Tho remarkable
story told by this woman meets with
several startling proofs which have
already made q decided impression up
on the judicial mind In England II IL
well known that one Of the most dif-
ncult things 10 secure In the United
Kingdom is authorization from court
10 open q grave or coffin Upon the
mere statement Of Mrs Druce that the
coffin IN the Highgate cemetery did
not enclose the body II was alleged 10
contain she never could have secured
the authorization which was granted
last week by the chancellor Of the
diocese Of London 10 open H.
Mrs Drucc applied through her at
torneys to the bishop Of London for
permission 10 open this coffin, alleging
that II ava not contain the body Of
bruce, but instead a roll Of lead. The
bishop Of London turned the matter
over 10 DR. Tristan, the chancellor Of
the diocese, who sitting In the consis-
tory court In the Wellington chapel Of
st. Paul's cathedral. heard the argu.
ment
Dr Tristan stated that permission I,
open the coffin could not be granted
without tho written consent Of IN,
owner Of the tomb This Mrs. Druee'l
attornsys admitted had not been Ne
cured. rA@se attorneys. however