The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-01-13
W|TNESsINFAMOUS
DIVORCE CASE DEAD
Robert Caldwell, KnowA as "Great
American Affidavit Maker" Ex-
pires in Asylum.

NEW YORK. Jan. 13.-Robert Cald-
well, who figured as the principal
witness In the famous bruce will case
and who gained the title OF 1.-The
Great American affidavit maker"
through his connection with that case
and other fabrications which made
him famous throughout the world, Is
dead after an illness OF more than two
years. He died In the city insane asy-
lum on Wards Island, where he was
committed In 1909, shortly after his
spectacular entry into the bruce case
He was pronounced at that time to
be suffering from an underlined men
tai and physical disease which made
him a complete wreck without hope
OF recovery.
Caldwell is the second Of the prin-
cipal figures In the famous English
case TO die within two weeks. Mrs.
Anna Marie bruce, the original
claimant of the estate OF the duke
OF Portland. passed away in London
on Jan. 1.
Caldwell will go down in history as
one OF the most remarkable figures
In one OF the greatest legal fights ever
waged In the English courts, but his
ly upon his connection with the bruce
case. Caldwell was born In Ireland in
1894, Of parentage which he declined
to discuss. He went TO London when
he was 10 years old, and, according to
his own story, was for a time In the
service OF the duke OF Portland, an
eccentric nobleman. He came to New
York In 1871. and obtained employ
~ hn
dry goods merchant. He first came
into the public eye when he made I'll
davits setting forth that the body OF
Snouls and also charging that Mr..
Stewards will had been forged for the
benefit of~certain persons.
According to the alienists who have
been studying Caldwells mental &C.
oentricities at Wards island for the
last two years, he was affected with
"a twist" OF the brain which made him
vertically second Baron Munchausen.
differing only from that celebrated
character In that he believed all the
fctions Of his brain, strange and i'm
possible though they were. He was
(, queer in many respects, but painfully
punctilious and truthful In the ordi-
nary matters Of life
Caldwell's last appearance in public
was in December. 1907. He had just
been completely discredited at the last
renewal Of the bruce litigation In Eng
LAND. While the British authorities
were arguing among themselves as to
what steps to take against him. Cald-
we'll slipped away from London and
arrived unexpectedly In New York city
on Dec. %.
He was arrested Immediately on a
warrant sworn out by the British con-
sui, charging him with wilful perjury
In the bruce case, but on account OF
his broken physical condition the au-
thorities here declined to allow his
extradition, and after various vicissi-
tudes, he was committed to the Wards
Island asylum.
The story of the last bruce trial is
still fresh In the public mind. George
Hollamby bruce, a grandson of Thorn
F., as Charles bruce, formerly owner OF
a bazaar In Baker-st., London, started
the ball rolling. He claimed that his
father really was the duke OF Port
land, an eccentric nobleman who mas
cueraded In dual roie after the
JekyllHyde manner. He began an
action to Gust Lord Howard de Wal
den from the Portland estates which
de Walden had Inherited through the
supposed failure OF the direct line.
He failed to prove IFS case
The duke died in 1864, when Cald-
well was In London, and this fact. IL
appears, was responsible for the APP
I, pearance of Caldwell ia tho suit rs
witness.
In this action, Herbert bruce. a
relative u the claimant, testified that
he was present at the funeral of Mr..
Druce and that he saw the body in
the coffin. George Hollamby bruce
thereupon caused the arrest of his
; kinsman for perjury and 1t was at the
trial OF this case In London, in No
vember. 1907, that Caldwell re-entered
the arena with as remarkable story
as was ever told on the witness stand.
Caldwell testified that he knew
both the duke and bruce, and that
they were one and the same person.
He supplemented this startling state
ment with another. to the effect that
when bruce was supposed to have