Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-12-31
DRUCE BODY EXHUMED
Coffin Contains Remains of a Human Being, but No Lead.
CALDWELL TALE DESTROYED.
Complete Collapse of Theory on Which Claimant of Portland Dukedom Re- lied and With It Goes Hope of Those Who Bought Shares.

Claimant of Portland Dukedom Re-
 lied and With It Goes Hope of Those
 Who Bought Shares.
 London, Dec. 31.-The Druce grave in Highgate cemetery has been opened and has told story disastrous to the man who claims the title and estates of the Duke of Portland.
 Precisely forty-three years to a day after its burial the coffin bearing the name of Thomas Charles Druce was exhumed. It was found to contain the remains of human being and not a weight of lead, as alleged in the TO- mantle tales told by Robert c. Cald- well of Staten Island and others dur ing the recent hearings of the Druce perjury case.
 In the face of this fact the charge of perjury made by the claimant of the Portland dukedom against Herbert Druce falls dead. for this charge of perjury was based upon the proposi- tion that there was lead in the Druce coffin and not human body--not the body of Herbert Druce's father, which the defendant swore he saw placed in the coffin.
 Lead Myth Disposed Of. In the public estimation the fact that body was found in the coffin practi- cally disposes of George Hollamby Druces claim that Thomas Charles Druce and the fifth duke of Portland were one and the same man and that he, being descendant of Thomas Charles Druce. must therefore be a de- scendant of tse fifth duke of Portland This claim disposed of, there is noth ing left of George Hollamby Druce's claim to the Portland dukedom that the public can discern, though it is possible the claim will continue to be pushed.
 The official statement given out by representatives of the home office and others who were officially present at the elimination not only definitely dis poses of the lead myth, but seems eff fectively to confirm that the body bur jed in 1864 was actually that of T. c. Druce. The authorized statement fol- lows:
 "The coffin was opened and found to contain the body of an aged. bearded man; the plate on the coffin bore the name Thomas Charles Druce."
 Claimant Barred From Cemetery.
 The scene at Highgate cemetery when the vault was opened was re- markable. COnstables seemed to spring from everywhere. Every bush and ev- cry tree apparently hid an officer of the law. All the entrances to the cem- etery were surrounded by cordons of police. Only those persons who had passes from the home office were ad- mitted to the grounds. George Hol- lamby Druce, who claims he is the rightful heir to the Portland dukedom and to its vast estate, tried twice to get into the cemetery, but was met with stern refusal.
 The operations began at daybreak with the removal of the topmost cof- fins in the vault, containing the bodies of the wife and son of T. c. Druce. It was nearly half past II before the coffin the contents of which have arous- ed the curiosity of the whole world was brought up ready for opening and inspection. The top was quickly un- screwed and the inner casing of lead cut open. There was no need for the dictum of the eminent surgeon, Au- gustus I. Pepper, who was appointed by the home office to carry out the ex- humatiOn. to assure all present that human remains lay in the coffin.
 The Druce vault has thus given up its secret after ten years of legal pro ceedings which have cost all told a considerable fortune A large part of this money was obtained from servant girls and other workers who were in duced to buy shares in q company formed to prosecute the claims of George Hollamby Druce against the estate of the Duke of Portland.