The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-12-31
NO MYSTERY IN GRAVE
bruce Coffin is Opened and
Human Remains Are
Found.

London. Dec. 31-The Druce family
vault at Highgate cemetery was opened
yesterday. The coffin. which Robert C.
Caldwell of Staten island testifying tho
other day In behalf Of George HoIlam-
by bruce. said contained not the body
of Thomas {. Druce. but roll of
lead. was found TO contain human re-
mains.
The reopening Of the bruce grave
was undertaken as final effort OF
the government to prove their charge
that Caldwens testimony was "willful
and corrupt perjury"
In substance CaldwelIa story upon
which the claim Of the Druce heirs for
the great fortune and the title OF the
duke OF Portland was based. was 10
the effect that the duke Of Portland
and T. c. Druee. a London storekeeper
were one and the same He had known
/ the duke Of Portland under both names.
he said, and at the request OF tho duke
/ had arranged a prentended death and
mock funeral of bruce so that his dual
personality could be buried.
solves Part of the Mystery.
The fact that the coffin contains hu-
man remains solves the part OF the
mystery most interesting To the gem
eraI public but the actual effect IL viii
have upon the strange drama cannot
+ now be determined.
The coffin has been little affected by
/ time. despite the fact that the inter-
ment was made forty-three years ago.
The original cloth covering Of tho
outer she'll was almost intact II was
necessary to wash the name plate in
order to read the inscription. The lid
| easily was unscrewed. The inner leaden
coffin was inscribed like the outer shell
with the name Thomas Chonley
bruce" The leaden lid was cut through
all around the edgs. Then the lid was
raised bringing with ii the top OF the
innermost wooden she'll displaying a
shrouded figure. which proved to be
the body of an aged bearded man.
! Newspaper representatives were al
lowed to see the corpse and then were
excluded, while the government and
other authorized representatives made
a detailed examination.
Various photographs were taken Of
the interior vaults and the position OF
the different collins as Wen OF r.
c. Druce's coffin and corpse The cof-
fin then was resealed and replaced.
Claimant VIII Continue Fight.
Mr.. Kimber the claimants solicitor.
! says the intention IS 10 continue the
case as If nothing had happened, be-
cause it yet must be proved conclusive
, ly that the body found in the coffin was
, that OF T. G. Druee
A special meeting Of the claimant and
, his friends and supporters win be held
soon 70 consider the situation in its
new aspect
Every step leading up TO the de-
:, nouement has been accomplished with
the appropriate air OF mystery and
melodrama. Sunday thousands vis-
tied the cemetery and stared in wonder.
= Within everything had been prepared
for the final act All through the
, night strict watch was kept among
the tombs At o'clock yesterday
morning. in the pitchy darkness. 200
tpoIicemen arrived and surrounded the
" cemetery walls. a patrol of mounted
police was concealed within the walls.
: George II. Duce. the claimant. twice
made vain efforts to gain an entrance
= to the Enclosure. but was forced to con-
. tent himself with the presence inside
n Of his representatives..