THE DRUCE SENSATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 308, 3 January 1908, Page 2

THE DRUCE SENSATION.

BAD LOOK-OUT FOR SITi'OIU'EKS. Loudon, January 1. j | ilolainby Druce, in ;m article m the | Daily Express, based oil his representative's information, says tint tlie collin was found to the air-tight, the cheeks a little sunken, and the nose pinched; Imt the face disclosed was similar to that of photographs of Dniee. Tile skin showed 110 truces of any disease, "i am bitterly disappointed," he writes, "but do not believe the linal civil action is affected. I am prepared to admit that the man known as Druce died ani was buried at Highgatc."

The .Standard says that on the eve of the opening of the grave shires in the G. H. Druee Company were at .CO, and that they fell smartly yesterday lo £2, and then were quoted at from nothing to £l. ;

I'OXDIX'T OF THE EXUL'MATIOX. , COUNSEL DISSATISFIED. ' Received Jan. 2, 10.25 p.m. Loudon, January 2. | Mr. T. KimlnT Colmrn, ti. H. Drnce's solicitor, i* dissatislicd with the conduct of the exhumation, He states that Holhuuhy Druee requested the floor of the vault to l>c opened, believing to reveal the; collin containing Die lead. Mr, Colmrn understands that the request was rejected. A FIGHT FOR MILLIONS. When one realises the immense wealth at issue in the Druee case, it it> not surprising that people should be willing to subscribe money to push tlio claims of U. 11. Druee. The Daily Mail give* an interesting description of what ft. 11. Druee is aiming at possessing. The present proceeding* are regarded by Druee as a preliminary to a struggle for the London estate of the present Lord Howard <ls Walden. In his will, the fourth Duke of Portland directed that this property should go to his son, the fifth duke, and, failing an heir to hi* son, to th« female line. On the assumption that the fifth duke did not marry, the estate went to'the Dowager Lady Howard de Walden. (J. 11. Druee is seeking to prove that the fifth duke—known , as T. 0. Druee—was his grandfather. ; The Londot estate is of immense valua. Lying in one of the beat residential parts of London it includes Harlcy-strcet. Cavendish-iquare, and Portland-place—-it is reported to have brought in the Dowager C 180,000 a year. The annual rental today is placed at between €250,000 and £300,000. At present Druee is not making a direct claim upon the estates of the Duke of Portland, but If ho rthonld establish his claim to the de Walden estates he confidently expects that he will obtain those of the Duke. The property of the Duke of Portland is dazzling. Ho awns 182,590 acres—an area greater than the whole of Middlesex. The annual value of the estates in estimated at from ,€120,000 to t'IoO.OOO, The higher value gives, at four per cent., a capital value of

.E3.7.)0,000. But even this docs not fully represent tin: wealth of the Duke, for Welbcck Abbey is crammed with works of art worth a fortune. A single table is said to lie worth ,£15,000. How did all this come into the possession of one family? The founder of the Portland fortunes was Hans William Bcntinek. page gentleman of the liedchamber and companion •in • arms to William of Orange. When William was invited to England, Bentinek left his beloved wife dying nt The. Hague to follow his prince oil what was believed to be a very perilous enterprise. He served his king with distinction, was created Earl of Tortland! and died worth £BOO,OOO. His Hon was created a duke. The second duke married Lady Margaret Harley, the third duke a daughter of the Duke of Devonshire, and the fourth a great Scottish heiress, and all three ladies brought fortunes with them.