The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-09-03
THE CURSE on
u The ROMNEY PLACE.
Mysterious, Oeeurrenees That Gave
:. /! - Bad. Name to Virginia
*: Estate.


Appomsttox River: into q rife range.
Every ono down there looks on that
special spot Of Virginia az accursed,' said
Major Henry z.:Xppieby, who was in this
city. last ,week, prspIratory to bis biennial
trip to Europe. Far, years mono Of the
natives has ventsfrsd near the Romney
place, and the darl<ies won't pass the old
stone gate posts on ths turnpike after twi-
light. .- -.
'I've not seen tho old house In twenty
five years. but understand 1t is rotting
away fast. Superstition IL the reason Of
Il al.
THE Romneys were hne old lot until
just before the Mexican War. About then
the family seemed to peter out, and the
property passed into the hands Of one Of
the Boston branch of the family, an old
duffer by the name OF Felix Romney being
the heir.
Felix was as mean a. q rocky Massachu-
setts farm can make q man, and he never
caught on to the ways Of Amelia county.
He distrusted all the slaves, and made their
lot pretty hard. He got into rows with
all the gentry along the river, one way or
another. until he was left pretty much all
alone on the plantation.
'One May evening q niger from our
fields came to my father, the late Col.
Askew Appleby, and told him there was
something queer over at the Romneys'.
It seems that not light had been seen in
any OF the cabins In three days, and there
had been no smoke from the chimneys.
my father didn't take much to Felix
Romney, but he got on his horse, just the
same and a party OF seven or eight Of us
went over to the place. Ill never forget
it as long as live, sir. 1t was like the old
fairy story OF the place where every one
went to sleep. D
All the doors and windows were open;
but not q soul was In sight. We went
through the house and found everything
in order, but no Felix Romney. 1t was
the same way at the stables and cabins.
Every one was gone, but nothing disturbed.
THAT night a searching party, fifty
strong covered half the county. returning
the following noon with never a clue to
the mystery. The house was closed up
a little while after.
in 1865 the place was opened again by
Reuben Romney. and he was killed In q
brawl with his superintendent the follow
ing year. 1t has been opened occasionally
since then, but in each instance something
unpleasant happened.
zone Of these times Witnessed the death
OF Eleanor Romney. who was drowned in
the river near the house. She was a charm
ing woman, one Of the most so that have
been privileged to meet.
THE mystery about old Felix? Well.
it was cleared up, after fashion had
a hand in it. too.
~ NJ thu
that searched for Felix Romney. After
1874 he visited me at my home, and We
CHANGED to discuss the Romney affair.
Henry. the Colonel said to me. there
is a circumstance connected with that
matter which never mentioned at the
time through boyish backwardness. saw
fresh earth back of the rear stable
The force OF the statement carried mo
away.
Fresh earth!' exclaimed. Man. can
you point out the spot2'
He could and with a couple Of boys and
spades We fastened over to the komney
place. In half an hour bones were un-
covered. which we're identified as those OF
Felix Romney. Other bones were found.
80 that it was deduced that he had not died
alone. .-... ..-...~
1T was generally believed that Fei1
had been so cruel that his slaves rose up
and killed him. fleeing after they had con
matter is that .out of the sixty slaves on
the Romney place at that time not one was
ever seen again after that day The super
stition OF to-day is largely due to that fact.
the Romney estate occurred in the early
'sOs. A party OF young. men from
northern city rented the house from the
Romney family during three weeks shoot
ing trip: ;, had ,.n.,, ~ .,.x III
camped out in the big ballroom on the
third floor. sleeping on blankets. At one
end OF the room we're the double doors
leading to the staircase, while diagonally
opposite was little room where in the old
made by the clumsy feet Of some awkward
dancer Of the countrywide;
This room old Felix Romney had used
to sleep in, and there 1t was supposed he
had been killed. OF course, that made it
a haunted chamber to the superstitious:
aOne Of the party Of shooters heard the
story from one of the natives. and told it
to his fellows. A Boston lad. whom will
call Lands, Immediately announced that
he would make his bed that night in the
haunted chamber and meet the ghost.
aHis companions tried to dissuade him,
but it was Of no avail. He had made up
his mind. That night he retired to the
room, leaving the door ajar into the main
ballroom, in which his companions were
encamped.
aThe double doors Of the room were
barred. On account of Landiss venture
a lamp was lit and placed on the floor ten
feet or so away from the sleepers.
According to the story that came out
later, one Of the party was awakened in
the night by hearing stealthy footsteps
going across the ballroom from the big
doors. The awakened one peered into
the darkness but the walker kept out OF
the range Of the light throwp by the lamp
on the floor.
.The noise Of the steps continued until
they seemed to cease at the door OF the
little room. The listener sat upright, but,
hearing no other sound concluded that his
ears had deceived him and went to sleep
once again. In the morning young lands
was found dead, his throat cut from ear to
Arrests we're made Immediately. Sus-
nicion pointed to fellow who can be called
Watkins He Is living out West somewhere
to-day.
.The hunting party had been gambling,
a. hunting parties will do, and lands had
won several hundred dollars from Watkins.
Il was thought that Watkins had been in
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