Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-12-30

NOT. THE DUKE OF PORTLAND
The Exhum alton Also Seems to Effec-
lively Prove That the Body Buried
in 1864 Was Actually That of I. G.
Druee-case Has Been Of Unusual
Interest.

London, Dec. 30--The body OF NUN
as Charles Druce, in Highgate cefie-
tery. was exhurned this morning, JUS
! forty-threes years to the day a1ter Aes
burial. The coffin was found to con-
4 stain the remains of an aged, bearded
man. thus exploding the romantic talS
told by Robert c. Caldwell and others
who swore at the recent trial OF the
perjury case that it contained ron
! of lead. The plate on the coffin bore
the name, ..Thomas Charles Druce.
According to an official statement CIV
\ en- ont by representatives Of the nome
office and others who were officially
present, the exhumation not only denn-
itely disposes of the lead myth, but
seems to effectively prove that the
body buried in 1854 was actually that
of T. c. Druce.
Remarkable Scene at Cemetery.
The scene at Highgate cemetery this
morning, when the vault was opened,
was remarkable. Constables seemed to
spring from everywhere and all en-
frances to the cemetery were sur
rounded by cordons of police. Only
those persons Who had passes from the
home office were admitted to the
grounds. George Hollamby Druce, who
I claims to be the rightful heir to the
Portland dukedome and to its vast es-
tate, tried twice to set into the ceme-
tery. but was met with stern refusal.
4. az oxh
the removal Of the topmost coffins OF
the vault, containing the bodies OF the
wife and son Of 7. c. Drqce 1t was
nearly half past eleven before the cor
fin, the contents of which have aroused
the curiosity Of the whole world, was
brought up ready for opening. The
top. was quickly unscreWed, and the
inner casing Of lead was cut open.
There was mo need for the dlctum OF
/ an eminent surgeon, appointed by the
home office.t to carry out the exhuma-
ton, to assure all present that human
remains lay in the coffin.
The Vault Gives Up Secret.
The Druce vault has thus given up
It's secret after ten years legal pro-
ceedings, which have cost, all told, a
considerable fortune. a large part OF
this money was obtained from servant
girls and othel. workers who were in
duced to buy shares in the company
formed to prosecute the claims OF
George Hollan1by Druce against the
estate of the duke of Portland The
charge Of perjury against Herbert
Druce is effectively disposed of.
Claims Vast Estate.
Herbert Dru,e, the defendant In the
now famous case is charged with
committing perjury by swearing that
his father; Thomas Charles Druce, OF
the Baker street Bazaar, died, Dec. 2S,
1854, and that he saw the dead body
placed in coffin and buried in High
gate cemetery. His nephew, George
sHollamby Druce, declared that this
must be untrue, because I. G. Druce
was in fact the fifth duke of Portland,
who lived until 1879. That being SO,
George Hollalnby Druce claims that
he himself, being the senior descend
ant in the male line, is now the right
5ful heir of the Portland dukedom, and
to certain rich estates, the income OF
which is placed at s1,500,00O year,
now held by Lord Howard de Walden.
sThe opening Of the grave. however,
will not give conclusive proof OF the
claim Of George. Hollamby Druce.
The fifth Duke of Portland and
man known as Thomas c. Druce, have
been declared to be one and the same
person by a dozen witnesses, and par
ticularly by Robert c. Caldwell, of
New York, who testified at length and
in detail to this effect during the pres
ent trial Caldwell left London for
New York the middle of December.
Upon his arrival he was arrested at
the request of the British authorities
on q charge Of perjury. He is now
iii at his home on Staten Island.
Should he be brought to trial, the
evidence obtained from opening the
coffin will do much to convict him.