Washington sentinel., 1898-06-04


purport, with the exception of the pas.
sage referring to Albania.
FRESH DISCLoUREs IN THE DRUcR-
PORTLAND MYSTERY.
LlOyd'S WeekG NeYSbaper.
While the secret of the alleged sham
burial might be set at rest in a few min.
utes by opeaing the grave, there prom
ises to be much further litigation before
the requisite order can be finally OBJ
tanned. Meanwhile, much remarkable
evidence continues to be furnished to
the petitioners legal advisers. The
lady, whose statement as to Druce's
intimacy with a Madame Elise was
printed a few weeks ego, has since
looked over a number of old papers,
which she says confirm her belief She
adds the following:
My father Mr., - (the name is in
our possession, but the lady does not
wish it published al presently, was the
factotum. and indeed intimate friend, OF
the man whom both he and knew to
be the Duke Of Portland, and who, to
the knowledge OF us both, passed under
the name of Thomas Charles Druce, ,
of the Baker Street Bazaar. My father
was present at the marriage between
Thomas Charles Druce' and Annie
May who was in reality the illeSitimate
daughter OF the Earl OF Berkeley. It is
a remarkable fact, and one often COM
mented on by my father, that whereas
before their connection was made legal
the duke had always been most loving
and affectiOnate to Annie May after
she was his wife he used to treat her
with great unkindness, and constantly
taunt her with her illegitimacy. AS to
the sham burial of Thomas Charles
Druce'-tor sham it undoubtedly was
my father knew all about IT, and did his
best to prevent it. He was unable to do
so, however, but well recoIIect his
remark on coming back from Highgate
cemetery in 1864. He said, "Well, he
would do IL, though I tried to prevent
him. There will. OF course, be a terrible
exposure some day, and If ever they get
the coffin up he will be hoored; but
anyhow, l have prevented him from
putting the body of some other person
in the coffin. 1t is much better to have
put lead-or ANYTHING else-than to put
a dead body After 1864 I did not see
the duke-that is T c. Druce-ior two
years. Then he visited our house in a
great passion. | laughingly said, oh,
l thought you'd buried yourself" and
he at once answered-though very con-
fusedlY-'We will sayno more about that
please He then turned to my father.
and, producing a dozen handkerchiefs
from his pocket, SAID, Look, see what
my wife has done, pointing to a coronet
worked in the corner OF each. My father
said, We'll, why not' she's a right to a
coronet; but the duke answered.-and
have never seen him more angered-
When ! m ade her my wife she promised
she would never use my coronet, and
never come to Welbeck, and by God
she never SHALL He then, in my pres.
ence, cut the corners where the coronet
was worked of each handkerchief, and
threw on to the FIRE. One. however, was
not burned, and this l picked up, and
have most carefully preserved in tissue
paper until this time. On the occasion
Of this visit he had altered his appear
ance great deal in a variety of small
details, and altogether looked smarter,
One thing / wish to add, which, TO my
mind, explains many of his apparently
eccentric habits, and that is that, IN my
opinion, he was constantly filed with
remorse for his behavior to his brother
Lord George Bentinck. They were
both in love with the same girl (Annis
May), and 1t was about her that the fina
quarrel between them took place. NJ,
father was present at the scene, and ha.
often described It to me. Lord Georg,
showered torrent Of abuse upon hi
brother, and struck hIm again and agai,
without retaliation, until at last the iRl
Duke-then, of course. the Marquis o
Titchheld-turned and struck back
once. Hours later Lord George wa
found dead, and though, OF course
strictly speaking, no blame could attacl
to the marquis, am sure that the latte
never really forgave himself, and tha
his constant fear Of discovery prompted
many OF his strange and mysteriou
actions.
Stripped of all ferhnicalitias tb. ,rs,