Mexico weekly ledger., 1882-04-06
THE FATAL SISTERS.
A Strange Story OF Voudoo Curse.

A Strange Story OF a VOudOO Curse.
From the San Francisco EXaminer.
Twas areportcr on the New Orleans
Picayuae when the story of this ro-
mantle affair was first brought to my
notice. | will now relate it very brief
ly:
THE DE COUCY FAMILY
is an ancient one, and is universally
known to all old residents of Louisi-
ana. 1t was one of the wealthiest
and most influential before the war.
De Coucv was the owner of the ia
nous Magnolia Plantation, as well
as two other almost as notable and
expensive plantations i'll the Opelous-
+ as Parish. This affiucnt Creole. while
young and wild and sowing his wild
oats, took for his mistress the favorite
grandchild of Marie Lavon, the fa-
nous VoudoO Queen, who died in
Louisiana about two wears ago. In
her rage and Indignation the Noudoo
Queen uttered Il terrible curse. and ut
the annual VoudoO orgies and incan-
tations held by the negroes on the
hanks Of Lake POnchartrain with the
solemn rites and diabolical ceremony,
recorded the anathcmas against the
white master De Coucy. He was
cursed in true NOudoO fashion. He
was to have no male heirs, and his
race would surely end with his
daughters. OF course, the curse of
the old ncgrcss was laughed at and
ridiculed, but it became Il familiar
household story among the first fam
lilies on the Grlf coast. De Coucy
married and had three daughters. who
were afterward known as the fatal
sisters. The last of these ladies' died
here in San Francisco, under an as
stlmed name. early last month. as the
| following brief announcement i'll the
New Orleans PicdYune of February
l6 indicates: ''Died. in san Fran
cisco, February }, Madame Joan
Maria Bicnvcnu. the last of the fatal
sisters.
But why are they termed the ia
tai sisters:''
THE FATAL SISTERS.
That am about to explain. AT
the beginning of the war De Coucv
owned three of the largest sugar
plantations in Louisiana. His three
daughters, Louise. Celeste and Joan,
were the bellies of Mobile and New
Orleans, and held undisputcd sway
over the hearts of many of the gallant
and lordly young planters of the del
ta. On the death of their father.
who left his three daughters immense
wealth in real estate. money and
slaves, these three daughters became
the rage, so to speak. of the Gulf
coast society. Possessing unbounded
wealth, ravishingly beautiful, accom-
plished and gay, these three girls
reigncd like trio of queens among
the bon ton of New Orleans and Mo-
bile. Unrcstraincd and wild. these
three Southern beauties enjoyed 4
license that would been denied ihv
society to others less wealthy than
they. Gossip was free with their
names. but no taint Of impropricty
was carried in their comments and
conversation, which was general.
Their lives were free and bright. and
the world to them was a garden of
pleasure, through which they wan-
dered, plucking the brightest Of flow
ers at will. The strange fatality
which had already carried off
their father, hung unseen over the
lives of these three innocent Creole
girls. The Noudoo Queens curse
was almost forgotten when Louise,
the eldest. married DIR. Hunt, of Ala
bama. While the honeymoon was
, still bright, her husband, excited by
jealousy at ball i'll Mobile, chad.
lenged gentleman who had been ono
of her old suitors. The duel came of
, and DR.. Hunt was killed. This was
tragedy number two. The year fol
lowing this tragic episode the secono
daughter, Celeste De Coucy, was
married to John Forsythc, Jr., sol
of the noted journalist and editor O
the Mobile Register. This marriage
proved to be even more unfortunate
than that of the eldest sister. Young
Forsythe was proud, brave and rath
cr exacting. His wife, on the othe
hand, was a born coquette. She wa
gay, beautiful and careless of public
criticism. What cared the prou,
n young lady for what the world said
# She defied public scandal, and not
|, withstanding the protestations of he
husband, continued to furnish foo'
, for scandal. In his grief and despe1
|, alton, Col. Forsythe, Jr., committee
= suicide in Mobile. His father, in tin
y grief and bitterness of father beref
Il of a favorite son, headed his editOria
4 obituary in the Mobile Register witt
| the signigcant but bitter title, ''kille'
O by His Wife" and denounced tn
e fashionable sirens through whose i'll
If fluence two men had gone to untime
" ly graves. In this article the eide
- Forsythe predicted the same fata
10 destiny for the third sister. was al
Y, eye witness to the tragedy which con
le sumated the fearful curse of the You
i