THE BAR SINISTER

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 131, 30 November 1933, Page 13

THE BAR SINISTER

CLAIM TO ROYAL! BLOOD

PRISONER'S PLEA

(.Received November 30, 11 a.m.)

LONDON, November 29.■ The actual charge against Haddon is: "Uttering, while knowing the .contents thoreof, a letter demanding money from the King with menaces and without reasonable or probable cause." Crowds waited outside the Court, but were prevented from entering. During the proceedings Haddon made a statement to a detective: "I made a petition. I made an. appeal for justice. I did not .demand. I only pleaded. I deny the charge." ' Haddon became extremely excited, and several times seemed on the verge of a breakdown.

' The prosecutor suggested that it might be thought desirable to have a. medical report on the accused. ; Haddon was remanded in custody until December 4. . . ' .

It was stated in evidonce that when arrested he said: "This is the only thing I wanted. I don't see why I should be hounded about for being the illegitimate son of the Duke of Clarence. I don't deny writing the letters which' I wanted to read in Court. But I did, not make a demand."

Replying to the Magistrate, Haddon said: "I have only tried to live as an honest man. It has been, thrown up at me since I was a kid. I have had to leave jobs through it. I had to leave the Imperial Maritime Customs. When I got promotion, it was thrown up against me." '

The last Duke of Clarence was Albert Victor, the elder son of King Edward VII, and therefore a brother of King George V. The title was revived'; in the Duke's favour when his father was Princo of Wales, but became extinct for the fifth time when the Duke died iv 1892.. . . .

The young Duke, who was born in 1864, had completed a tour of the world (1879-1882) in H.M.S. Bacchante,, and after a short career at Oxford and Cambridge was just settling down to play his part in public life when, ho died after a brief illness. ' Shortly before his death ho had become engaged to Princess Victoria Mary of : Teck and the popularity of the heir to the throne had been intensified by the knowledge that.his son was to marry air English princess. After the death of the Duke of Clarence, Princess Victoria Mary was married, in July, 1893, to Prince George, Duke of York, and is now Queen,'