The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1903-07-28
old ENClAND'S
new ROMANCE
bruce Of Australia Claims the Port
land Dukedom.
Romantic Story Of the Fifth Duke Of
Portland - Castles, Estates and
Much Ready Cash All Now at
Stake in London.

London. July 2S.-Unless the duke
of Portland is blessed with more
than ordinary sang froid, he must be
at present more than little ill at
ease regarding the safety of his his
toric title, his millions and his estate
of 1920 acres, including the famous
Weibeck abbey-all of which are
claimed by George Hollamby bruce,
hhe Australian who believes himself
to be the real duke.
Perhaps, in the beginning the pres
emit lord of Welbeck felt convinced
that there was foundation for the
queer Jeykell-Hyde story by which
Drude expects to prove that his
grandfather, Thomas Charles bruce,
and the fifth duke of Portland were
one and the same person, and that
consequently he is entitled to the
Dukelom and the estates. But later
Developments have supported this
new claimants assertions in such a
startling way that it would not be
surprising if his grace of Portland
himself felt his title and fortune to
be in danger. At all events. the
struggle for their possession PROM
Uses to be one of the most dramatic
ever fought out in the English courts.
Fresh evidence gathered by George
bruce and his lawyers throws new
light on the romantic story Of the
fifth duke of Portland's alleged mas
uuerade as Thomas Charles bruce.
The contention is, of course, that for
some reason of his own, this eccen-
trio nobleman, who, however. had
not come into his dukedom, but was
known as Lord Charles Ben'tinck,
made himself a NEW identity as
bruce, ran variety show in Baker
street under that name, and, still as
bruce. was married twice. The Mrs.
bruce, whose suit in behalf OF her
son against THE duke of Portland,
was one of the sensational cases OF
the last century, was the heir OF the
so-called Druce's second wife, Annie
Berkeley, and at the time when she
the owner of Welbeck abbey, it was
not known in England that the sup
posedly noble shop keeper had been
married more than once. But this
new claimant, George bruce, declares
that Thomas Charles bruce (whom
he claims to have been the duke)
was united previously to a woman
named Crickmer. The son OF this
marriage, George bruce, went to
Australia, and the present claimant
is his heir.
The fifth duke of Portland, as such,
never married. Neither of the two
women he espoused as bruce, &C.
cording Ito the claimants theory,
knew him to be nobleman, conse-
uuently, when he died in 1879, no OBJ
lection was made to the dukedom
passing to it's present holder, who is
a direct descendant of the third duke
of Portland's third son. The present
duke inherited, besides the title and
accompanying fortune of several
millions sterling, the Portland town
house in Grosvenor square, London;
Welbeck abbey. Fullerton house, in
Ayrshire; Castle Cessnock, and the
estate of Langwell, in Caithnesshire.
But there was mighty important
part of the fifth dukes estate which
his successor did not inherit. for the
reason that he was not that noble
mans direct descendant. This was
the great domain of the Portland fam
lily in London, now held by Lord
Howard de Walden. It includes such
fashionable parts of the city as Cav
endish square, Portland place, Hart
ley street, Welbeck street and Great
Portland street, and the rent roll
proceeding from them averages 49,
100000 a year. These estates also,
bruce of Australia means to claim
as the real duke of Portland, and
should he be able to prove that the
fifth duke and his grandfather, nhos.
bruce, were THE same, he may be
able to turn Lord de Walden, one of
whose ancestors married a daughter
of the fourth duke of Portland, out
of house and home also.
It must be admitted that day by
day George bruce seems to be
the fifth duke of Portland's double
identify. Aside from the facts that
persons who knew THE duke mistake
portraits of Thomas bruce as ones
of the nobleman, that at such times
as it is possible to trace the move
ments of bruce the duke disappears
and that both men exhibited similar
peculiarities in dress, a whole chain
of other resemblances have been
brought to light which will be amaz-
ing if proved only condolences. The
duke had a peculiar skin disease.
bruce had it also, and it appears
even now in some branches of the
bruce family. The duke was the
highest Of eaters and would touch no
flesh save chicken, and a former en-