the House of Lords, with the result that the ceremony was held to be
illegal, which thus affected the position of Miss A.M. Berkeley.

Mrs. Margaret Jane Louise Hamilton, a widow lady, the daughter of Mr.
Robert Lennox Stuart, made a startling statement which was widely
reported in the newspapers at the time that the Druce case assumed a
new aspect in 1903. She said that she had been told the details of the
death of Lord George Bentinck by her father, who was an eye-witness of
the quarrel--if quarrel there was.

Her father was a playmate of the Duke's when they were boys, and she
herself was a god-daughter of the fourth Duke.

Not only was Mr. Stuart an eye-witness, but she said Mr. Sergeant,
another gentleman, was too.

Lord George was violent in manner towards the Marquis (whom Mrs.
Hamilton identified as Mr. Druce) using threatening language towards him
and striking him repeatedly.

At last the Marquis retaliated with one blow over the heart, and
although it was not a heavy blow, the position where it struck was
sufficient to cause death.

Mrs. Hamilton added that she had heard Druce say to her father, "You
know, Stuart, I never intended to kill him. I only struck in
self-defence."

Druce was remorseful after the tragedy and spoke of surrendering to the
police, but Mr. Stuart and Mr. Sergeant persuaded him not to.