The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-11-09
MOCK FUNERAL ENDS
DUAL LIFE Of DUKE
Opening Hearing of Latest
bruce Claim of Portland
Estate Draws Crowd.
STORY OF BOGUS BURIAL
Witness Tells Court That Lead Was
Landed in Casket and Inferred to
Kill Earl's Dual Personality.

London, Nov. 9.-The famous Druce
claim for the dukedom of Portland. the
greatest romance and mystery in the
history Of the British peerage, is once
more in the courts. Before a fash
ionable crowd that packed the dingy
little Marylebone police court room it
was formally disinterred yesterday,
this time wearing a new and more
amazing aspect.
The feature of the present trial is
charge of perjury brought by George
HoIlamby bruce against Herbert
bruce. his uncle, a son Of Thomas
Charles bruce, proprietor of the Baker
street bazaar, VINO is supposed to have
died in 1854.
Some years ago Herbert bruce swore
in an affidavit that he saw his father
dead in his coffin. This affidavit, ac-
cording to George Honamby Druce, was
perjured He contends that Thomas
Charles bruce and the fifth duke of
Portland, who died in 1879, were one
man and that the coffin in which
bruce was supposed to have been
buried contained nothing but lead.
Man Who Saw Bogus Funeral.
He contends that the funeral of
bruce in 1864 was an elaborate hoax
arranged by the duke of Portland to
destroy the dual personality he had as
sumed for many years. He has pro-
duced one man as a witness who Is
ready to swear that he helped the duke
to arrange the bogus funeral and pro-
cured and placed the lead in the cof-
fin.
OF all the facts concerning the al
legged dual existence led by the eccen-
trio duke of Portland George Hol-
lamby bruce contends Herbert bruce
was and is cognizant and that in
swearing that he saw his father.
Thomas Charles bruce, dead he COM
United perjury.
To support this charge counsel for
George Hollamby bruce put upon the
witness stand today the man who de-
clares he assisted at the bogus funeral
of Thomas Charles bruce This wit
ness was Robert Caldwell, aged II
years, who until he came to England
to testify in this case had lived for
thirty-six years in New York
Lead, Not bruce, in Coffin.
Caldwell testified that in 1855 he was
suffering from an unpleasant complaint
and he consulted an army medical Of
ficer in India. He was successfully
treated and came over to this country.
He was here introduced to the late Sir
McreI Mackenzie, who introduced him
to the duke Of Portland, who was suf-
feiing from a similar complaint He
said he was instrumental in effecting
a cure Of the duke of Portland. He
was introduced to the duke at We'll
beck abbey and accompanied him from
time to time to the Baker street
bazaar An intimacy arose between
them and the duke disclosed to him,
Caldwell said, the fact that he had a
dual personality. He manifested him
self in London as the proprietor of the
bazaar and at Welbecl1 as the duke Of
Portland. About 1864 the duke de-
termined to destroy his dual person
atty and communicated to Mr. Cald-
we'll his desire to do so.
Tells of Gifts from Duke.
Caldwell also testified that he re
ceived presents from the duke aggre-
eating about $4,000 besides a fee of
$4,000 He said he remained in Eng
land six years after the funeral. went
to America in 1871, saw the bruce case
mentioned in the New York papers in
February of that year. and communi-
Gated with Druce's lawyer
When shown two photographs Cald-
well declared that they were photo
graphs of the duke of Portland in the
character of T. c. bruce. 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 a false beard, and had even
seen him take it off
Cross examined by counsel for the
defendant, Caldwell admitted he had
been described as the great American
affidavit maker" but he added that it
was not justified. He was questioned
closely on the subject of his alleged
offer to sell a New York newspaper a
story about forged viii and the rob
berry of the body of A. T. Stewart
the dry goods merchant Of New York
City.
He admitted that he had offered the
story to New York newspaper.
Caldwell was still under examina-
ton when the case was adjourned for
week.