The sea coast echo., 1902-11-29
FATAL POSSESSIONS.
Weird Romance OF Finger Ring
That Killed Bride.

Weird Romance OF a Finger Ring
That Killed Bride.
Some Of the most weird and curious
romances are associated with posses
sions which appear to have no other
purpose than to bring misfortune and
trouble on those who own them. A
tragic instance of this Is related In
connection with the Lindsey family.
According TO the legend. Colin Lind.
sey, former Earl of Balcarres, was
quietly eating his breakfast when he
should have been awaiting his bride
at the altar. When reminded of the
fact he hurried off to church. and, for.
getting the Indispensable ring. bor-
rowed one from friend, which he
duly placed ON the brides finger,
At the conclusion Of the ceremony
the newly-made countess took a
glance at the ring and, on seeing that
1t bore grinnlng deaths head, sud.
denly tainted away. The incident af.
fected her to such an extent that, on
recovering consciousness, she express
ed her conviction that she was des-
tined to die within twelve months.
And sure enough, In less than that
period her life came to an end. Ma.
poleon III was the possessor Of two
rings, which he constantly wore, and
which had belonged TO his predecess-
or Napoleon /. who was u fatalist In
the fullest meaning of the term. When
Napoleon III died 1t was proposed
that these rings should be removed
from his finger; but the prince i'm
perial refused to have them
They were accordingly buried with
his father at Chislehurst, and, 30 far
point of view as the prince, the en-
peror's servants firmly believed that
he would come to un untimely end
for dlscarding the rings. And when,
In 1879, the unfortunate young man
met his death at the hands Of the Zu.
lus, against whom he was fighting for
this country, they saw In this deplor-
able event the realization Of their
fears. One of the bsst.ltnown public
men In New Zealand, wealthy resi-
dent of Hokiangi, North Island, re.
Gently Travelled all the way to st.
Louis, u. s. A.. In frultlesG endeav-
or to have an idol cremated which had
cast an evil spell vYer him. The
heathen idol had come to him as part
of legacy from his grandfather, to
tyl ha 10
orl chief. Said its owner, 81 have
travelled 10000 miles with the image,
and II has brought disaster after dis.
aster upon me. have often endeav.
ored to destroy It, but without avail.
Il once threw It under a train, and,
In running to get out of the way, fell
and broke one OF my fingers. Then
was arrested for endangcring the
lives of passengers. When In London
three months ago | threw II into the
Thames, and a drunken sailor who
fished 1t out brought It back to my
rooms, and in his rage at not receiv-
Ing a reward almost beat me to death.
While in San Francisco tried to chop
1t to pieces with an ak, when the ak
rebounding struck me on the fore
head with almost fatal effect. The
wood is so hard that an ordinary fire
will not destroy 1t, and | am afraid
to get rid Of 1t otherwise because OF
the evil results" The image was
crude figure in rosewood and ebony,
and about two feet long. Failing to
get 1t cremated In st. Louis it's owner
started for New York, where he was
determined to have II destroyed at
whatever cost.
Buried In the shadow Of Diamond
Head Volcano, at HonoTulu, Is violin
known as the violin Of Death" In
the space of few months two per
sons who had owned 1t took their own
lives and third mysterlously dlsap.
peared. The last victim of this weird
instrument was George II. Scott,
sergeant Of the United States army,
Goth Coast Artillery. This victim kill.
ed himself at the barracks at Camp
Mckinley. but few days before doing
so he realized the evil influence of
the violin and buried II as above stat
ed.-Tit.Bits.