The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-01-16
FIGHT FOR A

The Famous Claimant of the Title anil
Property of Duke Of Portland Push
ing His Case-It is Soon to be TrietI
An Estate Worth Five Hundred Mill
lion Dollars Involved.
In a few weeks England will be
stirred by a gigantic fight for a duke
dom. The famous bruce claim TO the
estates and title Of the Duke of Port
land, which involves property TO the
value of $500. 900, 900, will soon be tried
in England's highest courts.
The contention is that the fifth Duke
Of Portland and Thomas bruce are one
and the same man. In the event lC be
true, as the courts will decide, then the
tremendous properties, including nor
only the dukedom, but the rent roll OF
We.5eck and Portland estates, as we'll
as blocks OF London's most fashiona-
bic section, will make the owner one
OF the richest men in the world.
The story in itself puts TO shame the
weird imaginings of the latter day
~ NAAoAo ~ LII ASdLV 40 L. II GlEt 10,
so complicated the thread of its solu-
ton.
Mr.. George Hollanby bruce, The
grandson and oldest legal descendant
OF Thomas bruce, is the present claim
ant. He bases his claim on the conten-
ton hat the fifth Duke of Portland
and Thomas Charles bruce. proprietor
Of the Baker Street Bazaar, were iden-
[ rinnl Tho rnnrn-+ h0IIa~ 80 ~I1 :+1a
is a counsin of the late duke, whom
he succeeded.
A claim was made some years ago
by Mrs. Anna Maria bruce, who puC
in the claim for her son, a resident o.
Australia. Her story was fraught with
vivid situations and romantic incl
dents, though the present claimant is
an older branch Of Thomas Charles
was the elder Druce's first wife, while
Mrs. Anna Druce's claim is based OF
the kinship of a second wife.
HISTORY OF TWO PERSONALITIES
The tale Of how the two personali-
ties are one, as told by the present
claimant, is as follows: When a very
young man the fifth Duke of Portland.
for reasons of his own, began to lean
" ooOi L LIZ IA IN
was the Marquis of Titchfield, his prop
er title, again he was bruce. He had
quite a versatility of names and titles,
but generally stuck to he name OF
bruce. He went to Bury st. Edmunds,
opened a draper shop, and bruce was
the name that appeared over his door,
He had not been there long before he
married Miss Elizabeth Crickmer. OF
this 11ni0n cnupro1 children ware hllsH
the eldest of whom was George bruce,
father of the present claimant. Some
years later he left her, and, giving up
his business left Bury st. Edmunds-
In 1851, on hearing of his first wifes
death, he married again. This time
his bride was Miss Annie May Belke-
ley. Three years later he succeeded
to the Dukedom of Portland, though
still keeping his dual identity. After
ten years he decided that he had led
a double life long enough, and resolv-
ed to live as the Duke of Portland and
to kill and bury his other self, which
he accordingly did in a vault in High
gate cemetery. The story Of the Du-
rial was told by Mrs. Hamilton, a sod
daughter of the fourth Duke of Port
land. 1t follows:
Before December, 1864, "Druce' be-
came filled with a desire to sink his
identity as "Druce," and suggested a
mock burial for himself. My father
besought him not to adopt such q
course but unavailingly. When the
sham burial took place my father was
present. On his return my father saio
to me. It's one off better than
expected, though l don't know how
they took the coffin without any certif-
cate.
g" tried to prevent Portland, but he
would do it. There will be a terrible
expose some day. and if ever they get
the coffin up they will, of course, be
foored; but, anyhow, | prevented min
putting the corpse Of another person
in the coffin. 1t is better to put Lead
in or anything rather than the corpse
of another person." l replied, "Ch
how could you do such a thing?' MY
father answered, I'D do anything fol
Portland"
It is in this coffin hat the clalmanI
have their hope. It's disinterment vii
offer startling evidence, and to TIL!
end they are looking with interest.
CHARACTERISTICS WE'RE SIM!
i. LAR.
That the two men were the SAME il
almost unquestionably proven by tn
very extraordinary condolences II
their lives. The fifth duke was know
to have suffered from an acute ski
disease. 1t is remarkable that TIL
same disease manifested itself in tn
family of the claimant. Other eccen
tricities were dominant in the charac
tiers of both the fifth duke and Thoma
Charles bruce.
Many and various were the duke
peculiarities. For eighteen years n
converted Walbeck into a giganti
workshop. Eighteen hundred men wer
employed to build the famous tables
tan gallop, riding school, undergroun'
gallery, and apartments, besides SUI
terranean kennels, all Of which honey
coined Walbeck like a rabbit warreI
r, +boca oiobfao0 yaarC If iS' estimate