The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-06
FATAL POSSESSIONS.
Weird Romance of Finger Ring That
Killed a Bride.

Tit-Bits.
Some of the most weird and curious ro-
manceS are associated with possessions
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 Lind
say family. According TO the legend, Colin
Lindsay, a 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 hur-
ried off to church. and. forgetting the in
dispensable ring, borrowed one from a
friend, which he duly placed on the brides
finger.
At the conclusion of the ceremony the
newly made countess took glance at the
ring, and, on seeing that ii bore a grinning
deaths head, suddenly tainted away. The
incident affected her to such an extent
that. on recovering consciousness, she ex-
pressed her conviction that she was
destined to die within twelve months And
sure enough, in less than that period her
life came to an end.
Napoleon III was the possessor of two
rings, which he constantly wore and which
mad belonged to his predecessor, Napoleon
L, who was fatalist in the fullest mean.
ing n OF the term. When Napoleon III died
IL was proposed that these rings should be
removed from his finger. but the prince i'm
perial refused TO have them.
Jhey were accordingly buried with his
rather at Chislehurst, and, far from re-
garding them from the same point of view
as the prince, the Emperor's servants firm
~ believed that he would come to an un-
timely emo for discarding the rings And
Wnen, In 1879, the unfortunate young man
met his death at the hands of the Zulus
against whom he was fighting for this
country COZ they saw in this deplorable event
the realization of their fears.
one OF the best known public men liz
New zealand. wealthy resident of Hoki
angl, North Island, recently Travelled al
lne way to ST. Louis. Mo-. in fruitless en-
deavor to have an idol cremated which haC
cast an evil spell over him. The heather
idol had come to him part of a legacy
from his grandfather TO whom ii had beer
presented by Maori chief. Said its owner
Il have Travelled 10000 miles with the image
and II has brought disaster after disaster
upon me. l have often endeavored to de
stroy it, but without avail.
II once threw 1t under a train and, in
running to get out of the way fell anc
broke one of my fingers. Then l was ar
gers. When in London three months ago
threw II into the Thames, and a drunken
sailor who fished IL out brought ii back Il
my rooms, and in his rage at not receiving
a reward almost beat me to death. Will,
In San Francisco tried to chop it to piece.
with an axe, when the axe rebounding
struck me on the forehead with almost fata
erect. The wood is so hard that an ordi
nary fire will not destroy it, and am afrafC
to get rid of it otherwise because of the eyi
results The image was crude figure In
long. Failing to get it cremated in ST. Loui.
its owner started for New York. where h
was determined TO have it destroyed a
whatever cost.
Buried in the shadow of Diamond Head
volcano, at Honolulu. is a violin known a.
the Violin of Death" In the space of Z
rev months two persons who had owned 4
took their own lives and third mysterious
ly disappeared. The last victim of thi:
weird instrument was George H. Scott,
sergeant of the United States army, Sixty
sixth coast artillery. The victim killed
himself at the barracks at Camp Mckinley
but few days before doing so he realized
the evil influences of the violin and buried
| 1t as above stated.