THE DRUCE CASE.

North Otago Times, 8 January 1908, Page 4

THE DRUCE CASE.

(l!y Electric Telegraph .-Copyrijjh I.) IVr Press Association, Received Jan. 7, at 8.18 a.m. London, Jan. 6. Evidence showed that Drum's gruv 0 had apparently I.e.u untouched time it was made. A crowbar was driven 10 inches into the clay mu'er the brick floor. I)r J'eppcr, who had :lmrye of the exhumation, described the day V.s umlisturi cd uivi'i soil. There was ample evilence that the cause d death was in accordnnej with the certificate. The face bore a striking' likeness to Unices ihoto•rrn'pli. H had n bushy beard. He '".liciiled the idea that it hud grown after. Thackeray, his partner in the bimvir, positively identified ibc body as that of Druce.. Mr Alherley Jono's counsel for Hollnmby Druce, snid after this evidence he could only withdraw from the case, and the charge of perjury was dismissed, Received Jan, 7, at 10.10 p.m.

Loudon, Jan. 7. A mcctim; of (lip Uruco-l'ortluud Comiiany shareholders lins been convened for three weeks hence. Mr T, K. Coliurii state (lint lie is informed tlic iirocoL>clintrs Imve already tost nearly .C'flCfl. nnd further funds nro ■uni'ircd for the civil litigation, Received Jan. 7, nt 10 51 n.,n.

London, J.l i. ;. Mr Plowdcn asked Mr Jmica whut impression ])r Topper's very remarkable evidence litid rroduccd on his mil (I. Mr dents- s id it w s impossible lo press the c.sj, He further •omplniiicd of tlic iindcs'rvcd obloquy cast upon the. prosecution, consider"iiif llnit except in record to or.o witness t!-c"r btivc body of evidence ■v.'i unshaken l)y the strenuous r.n;l prolonged cross-examination. After the •xhmnnlion it was impossible to deny t had been clearly demonstrated lint Druco died in London nnd wns mricd r .t lli.hg.itc, nnd Hint tlic lody exhumed wns the wire body ■is that buried ; n!so, (hero wis dmng evideneo to show that J the body wns Druce's. Whilst Herbert Drucfi wrote refusing to open tho jrnvo under the menace of prosecution, he had shown wise judgment in yielding to moral pressure and public opinion,

The 'Jimcs soys the Druco prosecuion came to a fit and ignominious ■ml, Ore of the greatest dclusiors of modern times had been exploded, and had come for ever to be a popular 'ogcnii rcgardinf tho identity of Mr Druco and tho Duke of Portland. The Telegraph snys it is difficult to adequately characterise a prosecution '.chitted by such impressive testimony, and expresses a hope that justice will put some pertinent questions to thoso bolstering up tho- monstrous nnd wicked fabrication of a mock fun eral.

Received Jan. .7, nt 11.3G p.m. London, 'Jan, 7, In the Draco meo Mr J'lowden' said after the silent but important voice _'rom the grave it would l:o impossible to continue tho prosecution wit'-., out serious injury to justice, but ipnrt from this new dramatic teaturo Mr Jones must have felt thr foundations of his caso slipping away after tho collapse of his most important witness and his Ion? and Fruitless cross-examination of Nurse Hailoy. At last the bubblo which ha I floated so loner and mischievously out of reach had been effectively wrecked. No one can doubt th/.t Druce died amidst his family, and waß burfal at Iliehgate. His cxM onco stands out clear, distinct m ] undeniable as any human bo'ng ov e .- .lived. How the much eonfiis'ng him with the finite of Portland arose i! s jfllo io speculate. Tho cape was a fresh instance of how tho lovo of tho marvellous is deeply ingrained in inimnn nature, and a g'riMni' rreo' of tho trulv unfalhomnnle depths 0' human credulity. The Court fhanV Mr ilerbett Dnirc, in romenlinr, in he in crests 0 f justice, to tho' 'd's jarteful openmer 0 f H, O . nrftV( , • ]ff eft the Court with his character for ■tratMn n«n absolutely• andcoricluth, ly vindicated. '