The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1902-04-29
TITLE TO MILLIONS HIS
DUKE OF PORTLAND GETS RICHEST
ESTATE IN GREAT BRITAIN.

Alleged IllecitimntC son. a Sailor Boy
In Australia, Repudiated by the Cour
old Duke Had Many EccentricItics.
If William John Arthur Charles
James Cavendish- Bentinck sleeps more
soundly than formerly there is good
reason. His right to the title and prop
arty of the Duke of Portland has been
confirmed by Il British tribunal
The claim of Mrs Anna Maria Druce
that her son. Sidney George Druce. a
sailor boy in Australia. is the rlghtful
duke, has been repudlated. William
John and so forth retains famous Wei
beck Abbey and the title OF Marquis OF
Tichtield. Earl of Portland. Viscount
Woodstock, Baron Cirencester. Knight
of the Garter, etc. not to mention a
uihing ID ONE OF 100000 a ycai.
from the dukedom.
The dukedcm is one OF the proudest
in Great Britain: its estate among the
richest The present duke succeeded
to the title on the death OF the fifth
duke in 1879. and his right was not
questioned until Mrs. Druce appeared
ON the scene. Mrs bruce is the widow
of legitimate son OF Thomas Charles
bruce. a merchant on Baker street
London. The elder Druce is supposed
to have died in 1864, leaving will
bequeathing his property 10 Herbert
bruce. an illegitimatc son. Mrs. bruce
brought n suit to have Thomas c.
Druce's estate awarded TO her son as
the legitimate heir. but she has Just
been defeated in the Probate Court
T..
set up the remarkable claim that
Thomas G. bruce was really the fifth
Duke Of Portland. who did not die
until 1879. She asserted that the al
legged burial of Druce in 1864 was
fraudulent affair, and that the coffin
was loaded with lead pipe instead OF
a corpse. Her explanation OF this
double life was as follows:
The marriage on October 80. 1851.
Mt New Windsor, Berkshire. between
my late husbands father and mother.
in which the names were recorded as
Thomas Charles bruce and Annie MAY.
was in reality between the MARQUIS OF
Titchheld, afterward the NTH Duke OF
Portland, and the illegltimate daughter
of the fifth Earl of Berkeley.
THE marquis and his brother. Lord
George Bentinck, were both in love
with the same woman. but while the
younger's suit received the approba-
ton of her father the latter not ONLY
discouraged the desire of the eldest
son. but treated him with insult and
referred In very gross terms to n skin
disease from which he suffered The
climax to the quarrel between the two
brothers was reached September 81
1S4S, when Lord George was found
dead near Welbeck Abbey-it was
stated from a spasm OF the heart.
whether this was the true cause of
his death will never he known. but II
Is certain that from that time my
husbands father suffered the keenest
remorse and abject fear.
He took various courses for his pro.
lection, and, adopting the name OF
Thomas Charles bruce. transferred
10 himself rs bruce an immense prop
erty from himself as Duke of Port.
land. You know the manner i'm which
he undermined Welbeck Abbey with
subterranean apartments. He did pre.
cisely the same thing with the Baker
street bazaar, his desire in each case
being that he might always have ready
n place of refuge
d Realizing the risk of exposure to
which he was subjecting himself bv
his double existence. he determined TO
end his life as bruce and caused q
coffin to be buried with his supposed
remains. Even after this his fears
were not quieted. AT last he deter
mined TO assume madness. that. should
ne ever be accused Of crime he might
have the plea of insanity to fall bacl,
upon. Taking the name Of Hammer
ana conducting himself in the most
e&raVagant manner he caused himself
TO be placed upder the care of DR.
FORBES Winslow and succeeded entirely
In convincing that gentleman of his
madness. But after about n yeor NJ
incarceration he was permitted to
leave"
There were many peculiar circum.
stances to lend FEASIBILITY to this re-.
markable tale. 1t is well known that
the nfth Duke of Portland was an OK
ceedingiy eccentric character. ana that
ne did honeycomb the grounds about
"eIoeek Abbey with great chambers
and long passages The building in
London occupied by the bazaar Of tho
elder Druce was also undermined with
n labyrinth Of tunnels. whose purpoye
was not apparent on casual observa.
ton.
lie had q mansion I'm London. sur
rounded by a high wall. which shut out
prying eyes, and Il was supposed he
went to his town house. but Mrs. Drucc
oHered another theory. She declared
that when the Duke disappeared from
the splendid abbey he made his way
into the Baker street bazaar through
one OF its hidden tunnels and became
transformed for the time being into
tint tradesman. Thomas Charles Drucc
After attending 10 business for tjno
the merchant would disappear by way
OF his labyrinth, be gone for several
weeks. and then return To- resume tbe
conduct of his affairs. as though ba
bad been absent only n few hours.
Mrs bruce made desperate efforts
TO have the coffin of The elder Drucc
unearthed for examination. stalking her
case on the belief that it would bo
found to contain % quantity of lead
%