davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-09-14
LONDON.


rHE ECCENTRICITIES of the very eccen-
trio fifth Duke of Portland are having
important repercussions in the modern
world long after his death.
The Duke who was one Of the richest in
England planned an immense series of under
ground passages labyrnths cloisters and
halls beneath his great mansion, Welbeck
Abbey near Mnrk%aP- ifs- NettiHghamshire. In
doing this he made use OF much earlier under
ground constructions
Just why the Duke built all these passages
is a mystery Many plausible explanations
have been offered The Duke was an intell-
gent man, though eccentric, indeed what we
call today "goofy" and he certainly had an
intelligent purpose in view,
In any case the catacombs have lately
sheltered hundreds of Englshmen in danger
from air raids and at present they hous-
ing a war undertaking the exact nature of
which the British Government will not reveal.
The fifth Duke was strange recuse He
is never known to have married and his ex-
istence was wrapped in secrecy. He died in
1879 and his title passed 10 a distant cousin,
the present Duke, who had never seen the
secret passages under Welbeck Abbey
At this time reports of most astonishing
romance in the Dukes life came to light 1t
was alleged that ne had led double life-as
Duke OF Portland at WelbeCk, and as Thomas
Charles Druce owner Of a large department
store called the Baker Street Bazaar, in Lon
don. The Bazaar was on the Portland prop
crty.
II was reported that the Duke descended
into his secret passages every evening and
came up in London as Thomas Charles bruce!
There he had a wife and large family and
carried on business successfully II was not
said that he Travelled all the way from We'll
beck 20 Baker Street underground as that
would be about $50 miles, but it was said that
there was also a system of secret passages at
Baker Street by which he could enter unob-
served casting off the ducal role on the way.
Mrs. Anna Marie Druce widow OF Walter
bruce one Of the sons Of Thomas Charles
DrIce the Baker Street shopkeeper. sued on
behalf Of her son, Sidney Druce claiming the
Portland title and estates II was asserted
that when the Duke died Thomas Charles
Druce ceased 20 exist and that II the latter's
coffin IN London cemetery We're opened il
would be found 10 contain "a roll of lead
Sidney bruce asked for an order 10 open
the coffin. but Herbert bruce who had in
herited the bruce property opposed the apph-
cation because he did not believe IN the legend
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-09-14

building but ensuring that the work of the
monks of many centuries before would render
valuable service to Britain at some future
date, when it would be in the interests of the
country to have safe shelters from the black
angels Of DEATH"
It would seem, therefore that the Duke of
Portland had dreams Of future air raids neces-
stating deep underground shelters, although
whether those dreams were the result of pro-
phetic foresight or his bad indigestion is inn
possible to say.
II, however, by his prescience, the Duke
provided Britain with such useful Ravens of
refuge, what does 1t matter that he preferred
to wear four overcoats. six pairs of socks an
extremely high collar, and carry an umbrella
nine feet across?
And if he used such tunnels to satisfy his
exaggerated desire for privacy, he was not
to be blamed At all his houses he had huge
screens built to shield him from the gaze of
passers-by. When he Travelled he refused to
leave his carriage, but insisted on having it
placed with horses fully harnessed on a flat
car the train with it's green silk curtains
closely drawn.
The Duke had good material to work on.
For beneath Welbeck Abbey were dozens of
cloisters and tunnels leading to a vast riding
school in which an earlier Duke had secretly
prepared his horses for such famous races as
the Derby thereby winning several fortunes
the result of keeping the form of his horses
so dark.
This fifth Duke, although not racing man.
decided TO enlarge the riding school, making
1t 400 feet long, 120 feet wide, 60 feet high
enclosing an exercise track of 422. yards
II was lighted with 1000 gas jets, and was
the second largest in the world being sur
passed only by the one in Moscow in which
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-09-14

of the Dukes double life. Sidney bruce lost
his suit
Another bruce heir turned up and claimed
the Portland title and estates. He was George
Holamby Druce who said he was grandson
of Thomas Charles bruce by an earlier mar
riage. The coffin was opened at his demand
1t contained old mans skeleton He also
lost his suit
Welbeck Abbey was originally a famous
monastery which was disestablished by King
Henry VIII. Under the mammoth pile of mon
astic buildings the monks had made an amaz-
ing labyrinth of cloisters, partly for the sake
of protection in days when monasteries were
objects of envious eyes, and partly TO enable
the monks TO carry out devout celebrations
far away from the possibility of interruption
or distraction
When the monastery fell into ruins the
cloisters became buried beneath the rubble
For several centuries they remained forgotten
until the fifth Duke Of Portland succeeded TO
the title and the Bentinck family estates in
1854. AS young man he lived a more or less
normal life as a soldier and Member of Parla-
ment until he decided to make the most of his
vast inheritance.
From then on the Duke became familiar.
almost legendary, figure by reason of his
remarkable habits. not the least interesting
of which was his hobby of constructing, or
reconstructing, those extraordinary tunnels
and underground rooms at Welbeck. An enor-
nous mass Of stories has grown up around
his name Although many of them are the
inventions Of jealous companions or bitter enc
mics there is certainly an element Of truth in
them. Recent historical and biographical re-
search moreover, has revealed that there was
more than glimmer of method in his mad
ness.
Why should Duke well past his prime,
suddenly decide to construct subterranean
city under Welbeck Abbey?
Apparently there were three reasons. The
Duke had an inordinate desire for privacy. on
the one hand he was never happier than when
occupied with study which required quietness
and freedom from any interruption. On the
other hand, he suffered from a peculiar form
OF indigestion which often made him an UNI
comfortable companion, and which sometimes
produced sudden loss of memory. And, said
the Duke TO his secretary:
II would much rather pass through these
temporary failures Of memory in solitude than
in the company Of light-hcarted friends and
relatives who make fun OF me-
II is surmised that by burying himself for
hours with his indigestion in the bowels of the
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-09-14

of them were patterned with different colored
bricks
Most of the rooms were ringed with
glass corridor with alcoves for statujry
daintily picked out in darker shades Of pink
The whole of this underground village, with
its streets and shops and other essential build
ings, harmonized in pink
Yet it was never populated except by the
Duke himselfl >
Only the worlSmen who made It ever saw
it during the Dukes lifetime. for he had
rooted objection to any of his relatives
friends going down there once it was com
pleted.
For hours he wandered through those
echoing halls of pink and through those lonely
chambers-dr dreaming perhaps Of the time
when they would be populated by English peo
pie sheltering from what his dreams called
the black angels of DEATH"
Long after the Duke died Welbeck Abbey
was handed over to the British nation half a
dozen times for national use. In every war
it has been either a hospital or headquarters
In the Crimean war it was hospital. In the
Boer War ii was convalescent home In the
World War it was the headquarters of the
Womens Land Army, where young women
were trained in the intrcacies of moder !.
agriculture as one way of defeating the U-boatk
Both the house and its pink catacombs far
removed from any bomb threat are in fact
fulfilling the dream of that fifth Duke who
envisaged some form of terror from the air
and prepared ideal shelters against it so
propheticaly
Even the Dukes roller-skatng rink to
which he used TO send lazy housemaids or
careless buffers TO do an hours skating as
punishment, is now put to war use of
unique kind
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-09-14
81 fT56 COMBINE PIE { Q

earth he was less likely to be worried over
lapses of memory as in such cases there was
little danger of forgetting anything which
of consequence TO his family or his asso-
ciates
There was another reason for his mania.
The Duke was very perturbed over the APP
palling amount of unemployment in England
at that time Because he felt sorry for those
workmen constructing his underground house,
he secured England for donNeys on which they
could ride to and from their work. He sub
sidized a factory of umbrella-makers TO pro-
vide them some form of protection from the
rain
An umbrella was, in a fashion his ducal
trademark
He would also put dungarees and join
the workmen at their toll, very often getting
himself put on the payroll without even the
foremen knowing his identity. And on such
occasions he, too would arrive with the army
of laborers astride scraggy donkey and car
ryng aloft mass of umbrellas. of all colors,
their banners of employment.
Perhaps the most significant explanation
of this underground hobby was the fact, re-
Gently revealed in Edward Mam's interesting
book "Victorians Worth Meeting" that this
fifth Duke OF Portland had a presentiment
that one day his ancient cloisters Of the monks
would be of great service to the nation. Says
Mann:
AT Welbeck Abbey a far-seeing Duke,
perhaps even prophetic Duke, spent colossal
sums in turning the monastic subterranean
cells into mammoth rooms whose real mystic
rious purpose was not 10 be revealed until
many years after the Duke himself was dead
For the Duke Of Portland in making this
labyrinth quietly limited that in doing so he
was not simply gratifying his own love of
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-09-14

pus IN all directions from the
disused riding school ballroom.
one led almost a mile 10 the
house. wide enough for twelve
people to walk arm-in-arm.
Another took the Duke right int
the near town Of Worksop, two
miles away. intended as a car
riage drive but wide enough for
two carriage ways
Off these tunnels were dozcr =
OF rooms. some small closet
others medum-sized, and yet
others on The grand scale. Three
very large ones were about 100
feet long by IS feet wide. They.
like the tunnels and the smaller
rooms, were painted pink, heated
with hot air, and lit by mush-
room-shaped skylights, with clus-
tiers of gas-jets for night use The
floors were all parquet, laid out
IN the most intricate designs all
drawn by the Duke, while some
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-09-14

Every Night Through Trap-Door Concealed
In His Bed, Find His Way Through a Lady
rinth OF Tunnels to Outwit His Servants and
Finally End Up I'm London Where He Would
Assume the Shopkeeper's Personality. Much
As Robert Louis StevensOns Or JekyII" Did
two cavalry regiments could maneuver at the
same time.
But having enlarged the riding school and
finding he had no horses 20 use it, the Duke
lined it with mirrors hung two hundred crys-
tai chandeliers from its roof and painted the
roof itself 10 represent the rosy hues Of sun
set with a special extra sliding ceiling on
which were painted myriads of stars in a
pale moonlight Tunnels spread like an octo-
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-09-14

All Those Miles of Tunnels and Underground
Rooms That the Eccentric NobIemon Built 100
Years Ago Revive the Story of His JekyII and
Hyde Double Life and Prove He Wasn't So
NuffY After AEFor Now They're EngIond's
Safest Air Raid Shelters
Evening star., 1941-09-27

Harry Kavanaugh. able seaman.
British Navy, was one of 70 sailors
from his malesty's battle fleet who
were guests of honor last night at
the weekly dance rendered to United
States service men by the Woman's
Battalion of the District Council of
Defense at the Bureau of Printing
snd Engraving auditorium.
And Seaman Kavanaugh, who
seemed fairly typcal of the lively
detachment of British sailors, didn't
need any "V-fer- Victory emblem
te denote his confidence in the out
eeme of the War-particularly in the
future Of the British Navy.
Wine" exclaimed this sCrappy
little sailor, punching the inter-
viewer in the ribs for emphasis.
"Why, anybody that says"
He paused. speechless at the con-
temptation of even such question.
And Seaman Kavanaugh knows
something about this war. He served
at Hunkereue, in Norway and at
Crete-hells through which his navy
came with fresh glory.
Prefers Victorious Return.
I'D rather be off at sea while this
wars on" he confided, 81 don't
want to go home until it's over.
which will mean we've won, of
course"
Bunkereue, he said, was much the
naest terrific of his war experiences.
That, he explained. was something.
Several comrades crowded about
him during the dance intermission.
They got into quite an argument
over which was the toughest sea
campaign. But they all agreed that
their ship, H. M. s. Menestheus.
berthed momentarllv at Baltimore,
wss the best in the Navy
And we've got the best skipper"
cne insisted.
Didn't he win the D. S. Q. dis
ttnguished Service Order) at Mar
vlk9"
Our navigator won it. too"
There was jim Simpson. whose
rating is leading seaman. He was at
Dunkerque, too.
And there was Thomas Fellows,
leading seaman, who is diver. But
he wouldn't say much about his
verk He waved that aside by ex-
planning: "Oh, just GO down when
there are salvage operations"
City Visit Treat.
The sailors we're brought from
Baltimore by 1t, Norman Gibbons,
and he explained that 1t was a rare
treat for them to be in a city this
large on leave.
Their ship, he indicated, works in
lonely, bleak waters, for the most
part, and there are few leaves for
the men except In small places.
The sailors we're H. M. S" GA
Their caps, with the name of the
snip hlaeked out. But its identify is
no secret and has been published,
their commanding officer pointed
out. The Menestheus belongs to a
special service squadron, and she Is
In drydock undergoing repairs.
Some of the men wore three red
stripes on their arms, indicating Is
years of service in his maiesty's
navy. They all seemed to have as
much fun, if not more, than the |
hundreds of American soldiers. sail |
ors and marines who shared the
party.
The British sailors stood sternlv |
st attention while God Save the |
klng" was sung from the stage. and |
did not relax a muscle during the |
succeeding singing of The Star
Epangled Banner"
They like the same sort of dancing |
Evening star., 1941-09-27

commander OF the Woman's Bat
talon, and for Mrs. Nell G. Bradford,
vice commander.
There were about 900 couples at
the dance and the evening was
rounded out with an elaborate stage
show.
Every Friday night the women are
giving these dances for service men,
without expense to any one and with
the appreciated cooperation of the
Bureau of Engraving and Printing.
Evening star., 1941-09-27
British Seomen Rodiote
Confidence as Dance Guests
Names on Cops Are 'Bocked Out
But Every One Knows the Ship

and the same tunes their comrades
over here enjoy. But their dancing
is rather quieter, they explained,
and they don't go in heavily for the
jitterbug stuff.
1t. Gibbons brought appreclative
flowers for Mrs. Marguerite Krenek,
Evening star., 1941-09-27
Club Will Demonstrate
Truininq of Docs

The Capital Dog Training Club
will give demonstration of dog
training from to pm. tomorrow
at Military and Glover roads In
Rock Creek Park as the concluding
event of National Dog Week.
The exhibition will show how
dogs are trained in the simple rudi-
ments of good behavior and how
they work under varying cond1-
tions.
Russia has launched a campaign
for better housing for workers.
Evening star., 1941-09-27
Spain Delivers Fur

Rabbit skins shipped from Spain
to the United States in a recent
month weighed $4,000 pounds.
The Daily Alaska empire., 1941-04-03

be made available to American air force under their mutual defense treaty, battle front would be extended from the State of Washington to Alaska"
 On page 332 appears the following "T1e ques- tion of Japanese possession of Panama has some thing to do directly with future peace; therefore Japan must take this canal by every means and keep it after the Based on the results of American naval maneuvers there is good possibility of talk ing Panama-it would be hard work to strike but enc can not say Panama would not fall.'
 During a recent visit of four months to the West Coast, Haan said he uncovered Japanese plot against Crescent City 400 miles north of San Fran cisco which the Japanese think would make an ideal base for operations against American shipping Crescent City harbor considered ideal for the pur pose, being closer to the Orient than Astoria Port land, San Francisco, Seattle Los Angeles In the 800 miles from Astoria to San Francisco there is no appreciable defense preparation to fear Japa- nese is supposed to have informed Haan "Once Japanese succeed in operating from Crescent City with the cooperation and collaboration of citizens of the Axis Powers" Haan says American interests will suffer heavily"
 Probably there is good deal of romance in the Koreans "nformers suggestions" but probably also there is at least shred of truth Haan's report a copy of which has been sent to Secretary of State Cordell Hull, bears looking into.
The Daily Alaska empire., 1941-04-03
20 YEARS AGO {tiMmn 4 F. '3t E p1Rr

APRIL 1921 the Department Store fixtures of  M. at the Behrends Northwestern MT and Mrs R. H Shepard of to oarrve the fol a left the Estebeth for Hanes relatives.
 c. Esebeth William Alaska Endo Mining O development
 
  commercial traveller North  of at the meeting Teacher Association Highest lowest, 34; partly cloudy
The Daily Alaska empire., 1941-04-03
JAPAN'S DESIGNS ON ALASKA

A Japanese attack on Unalaska to divert part of the United States fleet when the time comes for Japan to move against the Dutch East Indies is being whispered among Army and Navy officials" in the Far East, according to information "humby sub mitted" to The Empire by Kilsoo K, Haan Wash ngton Representative of the Sno- Korean Peoples League.
 Haan writes that secret advices received by him indicates that the Japanese officers believe such an attack the Alaska naval base would force about third of the U. S. Navy away from Hawaii and into the North Pacific.
 Other information in Haan's "informers sugges- tions" is follows:
 l. A Russo-Japanese non-aggreSsion pact is to be signed not later than April 29 to relieve third of the Japanese navy, now stationed in Japans northern waters, and from 380OOO to 48O,O00 of Japans best soldiers from Manchuria, Korea and North China
 9 Japans southward thrust is to begin not later than late June
 B. Japanese Foreign Minister Yosuke Matsuoka promised Hitler and Mussolin during his visit to the Axis leaders that he will conscript million Chinese aborers to help the German and Italian effort
 Haan writes that he is submitting this informa- ton "in the belief that Korean it is my loyal duty to America and democracy to turn infor- nation of this nature to America in the hope of strengthening Americas national defense in this troublesome era'
 The Korean refers to anti-American Japanese publication, "Three-P Power Alliance and American Japan War by Konoak Matsuo which appeared last October and which is being used as a reference book by Japanese Army and Navy officers the Pacific Coast The book he says, discusses the attack upon and conquest of Manila the attack Hawaii with the volunteer Japanese army in Hawaii aiding occupation of Hawaii" closing of the Panama Canal, Japanese occupation of Midway in day and uneashing of Japanese surprise fleet which includes a submarine with cruising radius of 10000 miles at a single fueling, for attack upon American shipping in the Pacific
 From page 335 of the book, Haan translates paragraph as follows: If Canadian air bases would
The Daily Alaska empire., 1941-04-03
MERRY-GO-ROUND

What Washington is talkin g about: The fact that you can't get a hotel room anywhere without wait ing half day .. Evie Roberts plan to put a bridal veil on Toto, Ring ling Brothers gorilla mate for Gar gantua |. How young Senator As hurst of Arizona looks since he left his Congressional chores The smooth way in which Robert Strip ling Of the Dies Committee makes Martin Dies one of the most quoted men in the country The manner jn which John Carmody, Federal Works Administrator, always pays tribute to the distinguished career of his predecessor even though he Knows that his distinguished prede- cessor Harold Ickes, tried to cut his official throat How Senator Chavez of New Mexico manages to get so many relatives on the federal payroll . How badly Latin Ameri- can diplomats have missed the State Departments able Larry Duggan
The Daily Alaska empire., 1941-04-03

is rampant and jurisdictional rows are a plague both to workers anc to the defense program.
 Fearful of the inner clique of craft union tycoons, Green has met pub lie outcry against the two abuses with empty promises and hot-air flag waving.
 Few of the new army camps and defense plants being erected have escaped costly delays due to shake downs for initiation fees and AFL jurisdictional melees. But in few months most of these camps and plants will be completed and these headaches will be over. Also, some Of the younger and abler AFL lead- CTS are working quietly on the in- side to force reforms.
 These young leaders have been among the most conscientious and sincere supporters of the defense program. They have given Defense chiefs wholehearted cooperation, of ten in the face of the bitterest kind of AFL resistance.
 Net result of the whole melee, however, is that labor, although 90 percent patriotic, has so aroused public opinion through the unpat- riotic grasping of it's leaders, that it may undo the vast progress so la boriously won under the New Deal.
The Daily Alaska empire., 1941-04-03

erected in his section and told this story:
 A negro workman; receiving his first pay check, was startled by its amount. Certain that a mistake had been made, he took the check back to the paymaster, who assured him that there had been no error and that the sum was due him.
 Boss" was the jubilant exclama- tion, "all I got to say is, thank de Lord for Hitler"
 NOTE. Samuel Grafton, Ne/ York columnist, who also made survey of defense production areas, told the Tolan committee that the current boom is quite different from that during the World War. Grafton reported that he had found that de- fense workers were not squandering their increased incomes on silk shirts and other luxuries, but were pay ing off old debts and carefully sav- ing their money. He declared that in New England the banks are lit- orally bulging with new savings ac- counts.
 Copyright, l941, by United Feature
 Syndicate. Incl