The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-02
ILL LUCK FOLLOWED THEM.
Superstition In Regard to the Wearing of
Dead sailors Boots

ouReF8tittOn IN hckaTo ~ tac
Dead sailors Boots
From the New York Sun.
The death of former District Attorney
George T. Quinby this week put In cir
culation an odd story for the entertain
ment Of the superstitious. 1t Is like the
story Of the sudden death of five MEM
bers of Sprudel clubs 13 party which was
printed In the Sun at the time OF the
death of the fifth member.
Up to the beginning of his mental de-
cline Mr. Quinby professed the greatest
contempt for every sort of superstition
1t was the custom to play cards two or
three times a week at the Acacia club
and nothing amused him so much as 10
get some member who was with him in
terested so much as to watch his play.
Two years ago last summer Mr. Quinby
went to Europe on the advice of his ply
sician. The notable election contest In
which he figured the previous fall had
completely upset him. For a week while
the count was in doubt and election in-t
spectors were being locked up as rapidly
as they could be caught he did not go to
bed at all. His nervous system was UNI
strung He took with him on this voy-
age four well-known men-John r. Hazel.
secretary of the republican general COM
mittee and a member of the state COM
mittee; John II. Colgan, a lawyer and
well-known democrat stump speaker.
Adolph Rebadow, Mr. Quinby's law part
ner, and Solomon Scheu. jr., member OF
the board of aldermen and a son of ex-
Mayor Solomon Scheu.
On the passage over a sailor died and
was buried at sea. Mr.. Quinby had been
playing to hard luck in the friendly game
of poker which was organized on the
ship. For joke ne hired one of the sail
ors to procure for him the boots of the
dead man. He put them on that night
- 80 II. 81
to phenomenal success. The boots were
subject of much jest. Half a dozen
spectators gathered around the game.
When 1t broke up one of the players pro-
duced a planchette as source of amuse-
ment. Mr. Rebadow, who was a loser.
asked the question:
What will happen to a man who wins
money in a dead mans shoes"
Two of the players laid hands on the
planchette and II spelled out, "Ill luck"
Then Quinby asked: What is the por-
tion of those who lose to the MANI"
And the planchette answered: Queer
ed"
After three months abroad the party re-
turned. Mr.. Quinby then showed the first
signs of waning intellect. He was en-
gagged as counsel in an important insur-
| ance case because of the reputation he
had earned in the trial of some famous
cases 10 years ago. He alarmed the court
by the singular questions put TO witness
es. by his jocular opening of the case and
by lighting a cigar in the court room. The
actual trial of the case had to be taken
away from him. He had brought from
Paris trunks full of the odd things which
are to be found in its shops. He gave
funny little dolls and odd cigarette cases
to all the judges. He entertained himself
at home with half a dozen planchettes.
from which he sought answers for all the
problems that came before him. He told
the story of the dead mans shoes until
people began to shun him when he start
ed 1t. Doctors said he had paresis. He
was taken to New York. where he spent
several weeks in private hospital. Then
he was removed to Bloomingdale, and
| from the there to the Buffalo state hospi-
tai. whore he passed through the stages
| of paresis until the end came last Sunday.
His only amusement at the hospital was
| the planchette.
And now comes a singular part of the
story While Mr.. Quinby was in the asy-
lum Alderman Scheu was stricken i'll and
died When the news was brought to Mr..
Quinby he wrote a long paper on the pre-
diction. of the planchette and the wide
spread effect of wearing dead mems
| shoes. Mr.. Scheus death was followed in
a few months later by the death of John
H. Colgan, another member of the party
| His taking off was sudden and unexpect-
ed. Mr.. Rebadow and Mr.. Hazel the
| other two members of the party are still
in good health. But Mr.. Hazel suffered
this fail the defeat of his life's abition
In the county convention he was beaten
by one vote for the nomination for coun-
| ty Judge.