THE DRUCE CASE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3777, 12 November 1907, Page 3

THE DRUCE CASE.

London November 8. Columns of extracts from Miss Robinson's diary in connection with the Druce case have been published frequently introducing the name of Charles Dickens. The Daily Telegraph has been authorised to state that the Dickens family are very annoyed, that they know nothing of the circumstance narrated, and that they are unaware that Dickens ever visited Welbeck Abbey. [Miss Robinson, who was secretary to the filth Duke of Portland, went to England from New Zealand early in the year to give evidence, which was said to be of a sensational character, in the case. Last week she informed the police thqt while she was gazing at a window in London a thief snatched a handbag, containing her diary. Fortunately, she had made extracts Irom the diary, and had copies of them. Mr George Hollamby Druce, the claimant to the titles and estates of the Duke of Portland, interviewed on the subject, said that every page of Miss Robinson’s diary had been copied and amply authenticated. Towards the end of March this same lady alleged that she had been the victim of the robbery of important documents. She declared that during the voyage from New Zealand her luggage was opened in the hold of the steamer and certain papers were abstracted Among the missing papers were, she stated, a number of letters from Charles Dickens, bearing upon the Portland case, and the diary. Mr Druce, the claimant, expressed great indignation at the incident, and declared that this was the second occasion on which he had been robbed of valuable letters. It appeared afterwards, however, that the lady’s complaint that she had been robbed was unfounded, for she recovered the diary, which was lying at the bottom of one of the boxes in her luggage, and had been overlooked in the excitement attendant on its supposed loss.] LATER PARTICULARS. London, November 9. In connection with the claim of George Hollamby Druce to the Dukedom of Portland, Robert Caldwell, of New York, gave evidence in the terms previously cabled, viz : —That about 1864, at the request of the late fifth Duke of Portland, he assisted him to organise the sham death and burial of Thomas Charles Druce (the Baker Street tradesman) in order to destroy' evidence of the Duke’s dual personality. Lead was placed in the coffin. Caldwell deposed that he had received ,£IO,OOO from the late Duke of Portland. In cross-examination, he admitted asking 10,000 dollars from the New York Herald for disclosure of particulars of the Judge Hilton and Stewart will case scandal, but denied blackmailing the Hilton and Stewart families. Caldwell was severely crossexamined. He stated that the Duke gave him £SOOO for curing his bulbous nose, £SOOO for conducting the mock funeral, and other large gifts. Witness was the Duke’s guest at the Baker Street bazaar. The Duke there passed as Druce. Caldwell stated that he ordered fifty mourning coaches for Druce’s funeral. He visited Australia during the late sixties, proceeding to America in 187 r. He admitted that the New York Herald referred to his revelations in the Stewart will scandal, describing him as a romantic humourist, and that the Herald also ridiculed his intervention in the Druce mystery. Caldwell asserted that he professionally consulted Sir Morrel Mackenzie, the late eminent physician, in 1855, though Sir Morell Mackenzie was then aged seventeen years. Sir Morell Mackenzie, a little later, introduced him to the Duke of Portland. Caldweil claimed that he had cured two Indian rajahs of bulbous noses, receiving £SOOO in each case. He abandoned further treatment of bulbous noses because of the antagonism of the medical profession. Caldwell further stated that he gained possession of twenty-seven compromising letters from Judge Hilton and Mrs A. D. Stewart,, wife of an American millionaire covering the Judge’s abject con fession of the destruction of Stewart, and the forgery of a deed of trust conveying his estate to Hilton, who confessed and offered restitution.

Caldwell declared that these letters are now kept in a safe in New York, and that he was pledged not to make any revelations ; yet he recently offered to sell them to the New York Herald. The case was adjourned for a week.