Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-01-23
TITLED BRITISH BRIDE
HEROINE OF THE WAR
Duke OF Portland's Daughter
Worked in Munitions Plant
rs Miss Bentick.

of the War adv Victoria is the only
daughter ~ the Duke of Portland, one "i
the wcplthicst peers 81 the Empire born
IN $500 Queen Victoria stood sponsor
IN person lor the ducal baby
Cncea ling her identity under u'e
name ol Miss Bcntinck, the paui",c
and helpful I ad, Nictona worked l"r
some time during the war IN an ar
craft factory m ondnn Nv Chance
k,nc Cc,rrs ,,sitcd the factory on
tour ot inspection, and unme'ha'ciN re-
npftginc adv Victoria. who Is tavoute
with the roval family. spoke Ia her,
comphmcntlnp her upon her devotion
a. her country Nj uutll then did her
fellow, worker imagine for n moment that
tho democratic Miss RcntIncA WAS
Dukes daughter. SiN of the factory girls
were among the wedding guests
>rrprw oP ~ ADMIRAL
Can't Wemvss who owns Wemy
Castlr which ovcrlcoks the Firth OF
Forth is the descendant nf an ancient
scotch tamiV. the nephew ot Admiral
Nrp,Ss with whom many American
rl,aI officers of highest rank were as-
s.siatsd IN duty during the war (apt
IA srnyss vas wounded HIS finC coueuct
ii the face 81 the enemy hndlcd Lady
Ntctoras admiration for lam INTO love
Among the many bridal presents were
gnlt4 from The King and Qucru Queen
AlcNandra and Princess Nlctona IN"
tenants au the NcWyS~ estate sent =
check TOR 1000 guucas e nd 'aIt-
N,tu>., In hi- prnIrct for founding homes
far war widows and orphans lnrNN
partIari wedding penny gwen when
the Dukr marIri and presented T. adN
\,,t,rf4 ,ta- hung on the motor car IN
,,l,eb tho rcwlN Wcd led pafr started on
thcr honeymoon trip
The wedding ceremony was per-
forncd n p o'.in,k ~ the morning IN
A., undcrr,uud chapel ~ the famous
Wrlbeck Abhr, NdtUChamSMrc, the
Duke of Portiani country residence
an the sunterrsneau marvIs ~ Ncihcck
were created rt thefth DuNcd Portland,
who WAS consumed With passion Tor
prtvaev For Is succceslon ~ the tlilc
and estatsp IA 1881 q hls death IN 1879
~ eVrenard S25 600 100. It ~ sald, m
making tunnel passages and wonderful
,lrdcrrrDtTnd structures ~ Wclhc Ahber
0f these he most celebrated ave
The uct,lrc rrllcr, and hallrncOm They
Ar enttrclN below gr,a3ud cxcavatcd trom
.Soli slav. leo foot long 80 fcCt wido and
% fect high ST night uGhfccn exquisite
cla.S chandchcr rNcai the purcies
Old masters that cover the walls
Ms~EuoNs RFLOw GROUND.
The Cat roof is level with tho gar
den above and one can walk on The
soft green turf without sugpcctng
IN, eusfsnce ii tho beauties below
Resldss there arr ro=e corridor 100
wards long and cthrr apartments.
suns "A which arr As,, as storerooms
When LADY yictoriat brother the
Nassr,ris ~ Titchfald, heir to the duke
dom. came ~ age IN ApnL 1914. his father
entertained 600 guests - wonderful
LalI Underground 400 Persnns sat down to
.por az ume
Aaother tunnel. much more mystic
mons. existed between this fifth Duke
81 Portlands : town house ia London
and the shop ~ Thomas Drlcc m baker
str>rt. not far way The discovery oi this
ta1nncl--,~,u pied with those which, II was
known. the Duke had built az Nelbcck -
formed the foundation ~ one 81 the most
remarkable TRIALS oi law in history. H
the most astounding tales Of man
Leading a double lie and % the attempt
~ pr,ve that the old Duke and the shop
kasr.nr Dr1icc were one and the same man.
When the ffth Duke died rumors
b.San "a circulate that as Duke OF Port
and ne hsd raised one family. while,
At the same time he WAS living As
4
another wife, by whom he had several
children. The stories set atioat had II that
the Duke was an eccentric, and IN proof
Of twas pointed out the elaborate under
ground work. costing millions. he had
done AZ Melbeck Abbey. There was a
tunnel running not only from hls ducal
manson 10 the store Of Thomas Druce,
hut TO house near he shop.
There. Il was alleged. the Duke WAS
wont 10 retire and live the life 81 a shop
man and when he grew tired OF y 70 re-
turn 10 his real residence and resume ms
noble life. The rumors gained WIDE
credence and soon Thomas Druco
children made definite claims IN the court
that they were entitled 70 the Duke
name and fortune.
CLAIMS oF DRUCE CHILDREN.
The mysterious tunnel was found
and tho claims OF the Druce children
began 10 look dangerous. hey con
tended that when the Duke grew weary
81 ms double life and decided % Go away
with Thomas Drlce, he held mock
flneral for that parsonage large pieces Of
lead lending weight 70 the coihn
After twenty years litigation the
coffin IN which Thomas Drucc was
buried was opened and the Druce children
contention found 70 be false. al least 50
far ~ tAe lead weight n the coffin was
concerned Thomas Druce, or al that was
left II him WAS 10 the coffin
The case ended and some Of the WIT
nesses who had told the most clrcumsian-
tial stories about having been m the
Duke confidence were dlsCredltcd But
the mvsterl Ra- never cleared ~ hat
besides ms passion lar secrecy and privacy
induced the fftl Duke Of Portland 10
have "A tunuc hli bet tween his London
residence an3 Thomas Druce homc2
Ii y interesting to recall az the moment
that the Dlk. u Port land whose aTls-
tocrauc daughter worked ii an aircraft
factory. I. descended from the same
stock a. Count yal Eeu'luck the rather
unwilling ho-' q Nt.Lu llohcu1oliern at
Amerungeu Ho'isi4 lH, English titles
hcDukc inhcrts W,r rnnfercd upon Hans
" ilham Bentnet .onhdrutnl adviser Of
Nilham, Prince 81 Orange whom he ac-
3cpmpanled - this country. afterWard
commanding tic Duuh Regiment of
Horse Guard. ~ tAs Baf.c ~ the oync.
Ills ancestors bad hecn Baflhs Beutiuck
L. Bcnting. III Holland
The thlrd Duk, III Portland assumed ~
Icensc the additional name vcndish.
,hilc the name oi the fourth ami fnh
ukes wa Caycndlsh-Bcntlnk-Se the
Y,nal surname beng assumed when thc
kgourth duae married the daupGtcr and
80 (..,