The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-11-09
DUKE OF PORTLAND.
PROPRIETOR OF
A BAZAAR
American Physician Testifies as
to Identity.
ARRANGED MOCK FUNERAL.
Or. Caldwell Declares Coffin Was
Weighted With Lead To Rep.
resent Corpse.

LONDON, Nov 0-Hundreds Of peo-
pie vainly fought for admittance to the
Marylebone police court when the hear
ing of the famous bruce mystery case
was resumed. The case centers on the
old question whether Thomas Charles
bruce. at one time the owner of the
famous Baker Street bazaar who was
said to have died forty-three years
ago, was or was not the same person
as the eccentric fifth Duke of Port
land, who died in 1879.
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 outcome,
are legally represented.
Robert Caldwell of Richmond. n. Y,
testified that he knew the late Duke
of Portland both as the duke and as
L. c. Druce at Welbeck abbey and ut
the Baker Street bazaar. Mr. Cald.
well added that he treated the duke
Mt both places for disease of the
nose.
There was buzz of excitement
when Mr. Caldwell swore that In con.
junction with the duke he arranged
the death and mock funeral of bruce
so that his dual personality could final
ly be buried
Mr. Caldwell further declared that at
the dukes request he employed n car.
penter to make coffin, purchased 200
pounds of lead and PUT IL In the coffin
himself. The funeral occurred the fol
lowing day
The witness. Mr. Caldwell. further
testified that he saw the duke on the
morning of the funeral at the Baker
street bazaar.
When shown two photographs. Mr..
Caldwell declared that they were pho
tographs of the Duke of Portland In
the character of Z. c. bruce.
The witness was then asked to ac-
count for the beard shown in one of
the photographs, and he replied that
he had seen the duke wear false
beard and had even seen him take 1t
Off A day or two later he asked the
Duke of Portland il 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 made,
Mr.. Caldwell. whose home is on Jay
street. Richmond. Staten Island, \. Y,
then gave detailed account of his In
PRODUCTION to the Duke of Portland In
1864 by the famous physician. Sir Mo
rell Mackenzie, who died In London
early in 1892 and who attended the
then crown prince of Germany. after
ward Emperor Frederick ILL.,, who was
attacked with a malady which eventu-
ally proved to be cancer of the throat
and which caused his maiestys death
in 1883. Mr.. Caldwell referred to his
intimacy with the duke. to his numer
GUS visits to the duke both at Welbeck
abbey and the Baker street bazaar and
to his cure of the dukes nasal trouble.
for which, Mr.. Caldwell said, he receiv-
ed $4,000.
One of the strangest features Of the
case Is that about the middle of June,
1906. wOrkmen who were tearing down
Harcourt House. on Cavendsh square,
London, previously one of the resi-
dences of the Duke of Portland, dis
covered an underground passage lead
ing from the house to the Baker street
structure in which the famous bazaar
had previously been and which was
conducted by Thomas Charles bruce.
The claimant declares that the duke
while living his double life used the
underground passage referred to for
the purpose Of getting from Harcourt
House to the place of business Of
Druce.
The suit of the claimant is being
pressed by q limited liability company
formed for the purpose.