THE DRUCE CASE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8999, 9 December 1907, Page 5

THE DRUCE CASE.

COFFIN AND COAT.

LONDON, December 6. Henry Marks, during the hearing of the Druce perjury case, testified that he saw Henry Vasser, a carpenter, making: a coffin in 1864. There ■were fourjolls of lead beside it. The coffin wa? afterwards taken to the Baker Street Bazaar. Charles Batt identified the coat produced by G. H. Druce, the claimant, as "one made by witness' father f«r the fifth Duke of Portland. FURTHER EVIDENCE. Received December 8, 4.16 p.m. LONDON, December 7. Marks testified that he last saw Druce on the afternoon prior to seeing the coffin. He heard that Druce had died suddenly, and never heard that there was any mystery in connection with his d«atb. Witness saw Herbert Druce at the Baker Street Baazar constantly after the funeral. Pie saw a hearse and two empty coaches leave the bazaar with a coffin. Charles Batt, a tailor, deposed that the lapels on the coat in the Druce portrait were like those on the Duke of Portland's coat. The Duke's coats were a'ways made in sets of three enabling him to wear one over the other.

STATEMENT BY A DOCTOR. Received December 8, 4.16 p.m. LONDON, December 7. Edroond Shaw, a Southport doctor, has informed the Daily News that he was a personal friend and neighbour of Druce. At Milhill he medically attsnded him throughout 1864 for dyspepsia.&md he underwent a serious operation in September. Witness saw Druce thrice daily until the night of December 27th. When he left Druce was dying. Very early on September 28th he was summoned to Druce's bedside, and found that he had just died. Witness gave a certificate of death and assisted the nurse to lay "out the body. Heattended the funeral at Highgate. There were a dozen mourning coaches. He never saw signs of a skin disease on Druce's face. He wore a natural dark beard and side whiskers. Shaw went to New Zealand, and thence to Tasmania. He subsequently returned to England, and settled in Southport in 1867. Received December 8, 5.13 p.m. LONDON, December 7. Mr Justice Joyce dealt with the application of the new Druce-Port-laiid Company for an injunction to restrain Mr Blakeston and Captain Hall, ex-directois, from parting with any of the moneys, and made an order directing the company not to part, without the court's permission, with any portion of the £3,000 or £4.000 subscribed. He said he thought it would be found that John Sheridan's commission note gave a claim in the estate or on George Hollamby Druce's sharo of the estate even if his right was proved. The defendants stated that they were unable to complete the purchase of the commission notes until they hava investigated Charles Edgar Deuce's alleged prior rights to thoseflf George Hollamby Druce, and that perhaps it would be necessary to take their subscribers' views.