The Washington herald., 1907-12-31

London. Dec So-The Druce family
vault IN Hishgate emetery was opened
to-day. and the coffin which Robert c
Caldwell, Of Staten Island. testifying the
other day on behalf Of George Hollamby
Druce. said contained not the body Of
Thomas C. Druce. but a roll of lead, was
found 10 contain human remains.
The representative OF the news agency
who was present says: when the coffin
was opened. it was found to contain the
body OF an aged. bearded man. The plate
bore the name: Thomas Charles Druce.' %
The fact that the coffin contains human
remains solves the part OF the mystery
most interesting 10 the general public
but the actual effect Il will have upon the
strange drama cannot now be determined
Mr.. Kimber. the claimants solicitor
says the intention is to continue the case
as if nothing had happened because it
must yet be proved conclusiveIy that the
body found in the coffin is that Of T. c.
Druce.
A special meeting OF the claimant and
his friends and supporters will be held
soon to consider the situation in its new
aspect.
The home Office does not intend to issue
any official report OF the exhumation.
Scene Was Dramatic.
The point so hotly debated for years
/ past IN the fight for the Portland estates
was settled at I2a5 p. m. Every step
/ leading up 70 the denouement has been
/ accompanied with an appropriate air OF
/ mystery and meIodra.n ma Yesterday thou
sands visited the cen etery and stared IN
wonder Within. everything had been
/ prepared for the final act to-day. All
I through the night "a strict watch was
I kept among the tomts. At o'clock this
morning. in pitchy darkness. 200 police
arrived and surrouaded the cemetery
walls.
a patrol Of mounted police was ron
( -osled NJ .lliu rne Naiis- These precau-
/ tons were unnecessary. as few Of the
| public came 10 stand. unable TO see any
/ thing. IN the bitter cold. BY II o'clock
all who were 20 be allowed TO witness the
| exhumation had assembled. They in
! cluded Prof Pepper. representing the
( home office; representatives o. Herbert
/ and George II. Druce. the Duke Of Port
land. and Lord Howard de Walden, re-
! porters for two news agencies and de-
| tectives from Scotland Yard
! George II. Druce. the claimant. twice
made vain efforts TO gain an entrance TO
the inclosure. but was forced TO content
/ himself with the presence inside OF his
representatives.
Mans Body Disclosed.
The coffin had been little affected by
/ time The original cloth covering Of the
outer shell was almost intact II was
necessary TO wash the name plate in or
der to read the inscription The Ia was
easily unscrewed. The inner lesden cof-
fin was inscribed like the outer shell. The
Ieaden lid was cut through all around the
edge
/ Then the lid was raised. bringing with
il the top OF the innermOst wooden shell.
displaying a shrouded human figure.
which proved TO be the body of an aged
bearded man. The newspaper representa-
tives were allowed TO see the corpse and
were then excluded. while the govern
ment and the other authorized represent
atives made detailed examination.
Various photographs were taken of the
/ interior of the vault and the positions Of
the different collins. as well as of T. c.
Druce's. and Of the corpse. The coffin was
then resealed and replaced.
Mr. Coburn. the Australian barrister,
who is associated with George II. Druce,
! says that the mystery is still a mystery.
| Nothing but complete and full civil ac-
ton to establish the direct descent Of
George II. DTuce from the fifth Duke Of
Portland will determine IT, That action.
said Mr.. Coburn. would not be affected
| by the fact whether the duke was in
volved in one mock burial or fifty. Mr.
Coburn admitted that he was disap
pointed at the result of the exhumation.
Body Well Preserved.
The body was remarkably we'll pre-
served The skin was yellow and COM
paratively urblemished. The eyes had
disappeared Outside Of these appear
! ances, death might have been recent
The aquiline nose was entirely undecayed
The upper lip and chin were shaved
There were bushy whiskeys about four
/ inches long on each side of the face.
The hearing in the perjury case will be
resumed on January 6. Inasmuch as this
/ and other Druce litigations are under
advisement. independent legal opinion as
to the result of the exhumation thereon
can be obtained.
| The point on which the present prose-
cUtors lawyers have seized is that it
| lies on the defendant to prove that the
body exhumed at Hlghgate Cemetery is
actually that OF T. G Druce. From the
point of view Of the general public, the
exhumation has knocked the bottom out
Of the whole question.
| This is plainly shown by its effect upon
the shares Of the company promoted un-
der the name Of c. II. DrUce Limited. to
/ establish the claim to the Portland es-
tates. with capital Of e11.O00, mostly in
pound shares. They sold at a premium Of
per cent in October
| Immediately the coffin was opened, they
| became unsalable G. H. Druce, while
admitting he is bitterly disappointed by
the discovery of the body. does not admit
it is that of his grandfather. He pro-
fesses to believe that the issue Of the
pending civil action will not be affected
| by the discovery.
/ The claim OF George Hollamby Drucs
to the title and estates Of the Duke Of
Continued on Page 3, Column 4.
Start the New Year by Opening
A. occounf With T-rion T~,,sf Co ~ fi,air