The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-01-01
DID DRUCE CASE
INSPIRE ROMANCE?

PARIS. December 14-The remark
able bruce case, which is occupying
some of the English courts and is fas-
cinating two continents, has also
caused greas interest in France, where
mystery is always welcomed.
Camille Mauclair has written a letter
to the press in which he throws a new
and curious light upon the affair. No
body has noticed the coincidence which
the distinguished author points out:
Villiers de L'Isle-Adam, in one of his
''Contes Cruels,' which was published
more than twenty-five years ago, re-
lates the history of a Duke of Portland,
who, having been attacked with leprosN
through having during journey in
Asia shaken beggar by the hand, died
after remaining obstinately invisible to
his friends.
The story, the title of which is 1.-THE
Duke of Portland" further alludes to a
secret message sent by the duke to
Queen Victoria, who burned it. In the
reports of the history of the present at
feIis we are rofd OF d guarded comment.
cation from the queen with regard to
the rights of the family, which are now
disputed.
Did Villiers de L'Isle-Adam know any
thing of this mysterious affair and
WOULD his story confirm the contention
of bruce?
II. Mauclair, alluding to the we'll
known tradition that the Duke of Port
land made underground passages and
toJ Eo,,t1fo fo, r;
on account of the misanthropical char
acter he had acquired through his dis
ease (Which one Of the Druces claims to
have inherited from him), adds that the
great French writer whom he quotes
and who evidently knew something of
this case. showed in many circum-
stances a remarkable provision of con-
temporary events.
A French lady living in Paris, named
Nine. Valette, has turned up claiming
TO be the granddaughter of the late
Duke of Portland. She says that about
the middle of the last century Mr..
bruce, who was known as a wealthy
London merchant. with a large bust
ness in Baker street, visited Paris and
stayed at a pension in the Avenue des
Champs EIysees.
The establishment was kept by lady
with whom, it is alleged. bruce fell in
love. Intimate relations followed and
a son was born, who was given his
fathers name. Mr.. bruce paid a large
sum of money for the boys education.
When the son grew up he married and
the daughter born OF this union is the
present claimant, Nine. .Valette. This
lady in turn married and for years kept
a tobacco shop in the Boulevard Mont
parnasse.
Mr.. bruce Is stated to have paid fire.
quent visits to Paris to see his son and
On one occasion he had
a long conversation with the former
and instructed him to go to Australia
and find the whereabouts of another
son by another woman. Mime. Valette
believes this son is George Hollanby
bruce, the present claimant to the
Portland estates.
Nine. Valette's father, on his return
to Paris, was murdered by ruffians in
the street and his pocketbook, contain
ing important papers, stolen. After
the Franco-German war Nine. Valette
news that her grandfather
vas dead. Yet she was greatly aston
ished some months later to see MIR.
Druce" walk into her shop. 81 thought
you were dead2" she said. Yes" he
replied, "DFuce is dead. but Portland
IS alive" She never, however, saw
him again. Nine. VaIette is now 81
years Of age and says she has papers
n rr0ya her statement