Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-11-15
New Yorker startles Court by Testi.
flying That He Arranged Death and
Mock Funeral in Order to Bury the
Dukes Dual Personality.

bruce claim to the estate OF the duke
of Portland, and dates back to 1893.
At every step the case has been vigor-
ously contested by the present duke
Of Portland.
Identity of Duke in Question.
The history of this remarkable case
centers about the old question wheth-
er Thomas Charles bruce, at one time
the owner of the famous Baker Street
bazaar, who was said to have died AZ
years ago, was or was not the same
person as the eccentric fifth duke of
Portland, who died in 1879.
Alleged Theft of Diary.
Interest in the proceedings was
heightened by the alleged theft since
the previous session of the diary Of
Miss Robinson, the daughter of a
southern tobacco planter, who was en-
ployed as an amanuensis in the Baker
Street bazaar and who says she fire.
Quently went to Welbeck Abbey, the
Portland seat, where she saw the late
T. c. bruce, father of the late George
bruce, who in turn was father of
George Hollamby bruce, the claimant to
the estates as the duke of Portland,
whose identity with T. c. bruce she
claimed to be able to establish.
Many Titles Present.
Many titled persons occupied seats
on the bench besides the magistrate,
including Princess Won Hatzfeldt and
Ladies Lytton, Grey and Galway
Eminent counsel have been engaged
on both sides, and the duke of Port
land and Lord Howard De Walden,
the occupant of the estates, who are
SO intimately concerned in the out
come, are legally represented.
The proceedings opened with tilt
between Horace Avery, X. c., counsel
for the defense, and L. Atherley-J Jones,
X. c., counsel for the prosecutor Mr..
Avery repudiated suggestion con-
tanned in letter of the plaintiff
counsel to the effect that the defend
ants were In some way connected
with the theft of the diary which Miss
Robinson ayerred was stolen from her
in the street.
Counsel for the plaintiff eventually
expressed regret that the letter had
been written. Robert Caldwell of
Richmond, Staten Island, New York,
testified that he knew the late duke
of Portland both as the duke and az
T. G. bruce at Welbeck Abbey and
at the Baker Street bazaar. Mr.. Cald-
we'll added that he treated the duke
at both places for a disease of the
nose.
Arranged Mock Funeral.
There was buzz of excitement
when Mr.. Caldwell swore that in con-
junction with the duke he arranged
the death and mock funeral of
Druce'" SO that his dual personality
could finally be buried.
Mr.. Caldwell further declared that
at the dukes request he employed a
carpenter to make a coffin, purchased
200 pounds of lead and put it in the
coffin himself. The funeral occurred
the following day.
The witness, Mr.. Caldwell, further
testified that he saw the duke on the
morning of the funeral at the Baker
Street bazar.
When shown two photographs, Mr..
Caldwell declared that they were pho.
tographs Of the duke Of Portland in
the character of T. G. bruce.
Says Duke Wore False Beard.
The witness was then asked to
account for the beard shown in one
OF the photographs, and he replied
that he had seen the duke wear q
false beard and had even seen him
take it off.
A day or two later he asked the
duke of Portland if the so-called
bruce" had left a will. The duke
thanked Mr.. Caldwell for reminding
him of such an important point and
said he must have one.
Caldwell then gave detailed ac.
count of his introduction to the duke
OF Portland in 1854 by the famous
physician, Sir Morell Mackenzie, who
died in London early In 1892 and who
attended the then crown prince OF
Germany. afterward Emperor Frederick
Ill, who was attacked with malady
which eventually proved to be cancer
of the throat and which caused his
majesty's death in 1888. Caldwell re
ferred to his intimacy with the duke
to his numerous visits to the duke
both at Welbeck Abbey and the Baker
Street bazaar, and to his cure of the
dukes nasal trouble for which Cald
well said he received $4,000.
invade State Senator's Home.
Chicago. Nov. 6.-Detectives from
Tho Warren avenue station ara inune