Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1907-06-19
LINKED WITH DEATH.
Articles That Brought Tragedy to
Their Owners.
SOME QUEER CONDOLENCES.

The Hindoo i6ol Ina. Mime. carnot
Ordered Destroye6-A Grim Exhibit
In london Museurn--A Ring That
Brought Its Owners to Suicide.
or course the psychologists have ex-
plantations FOR them all, but there
are lots OF things that happen that
somehow do not respond readily to
these 50 called explanations of purely
mental effect" or accidental coinci-
dcnces' and all that sort OF thing.
When Nine. Carnot. widow of Sadi
cGrnot, died and her will was read. a
clause in it caused. considerable com
nent This was TO the effect that a
certain small HindoO idol carved from
hard stone which would be found
among her property must be taken out
and crushed until completely destroy
ed. Many marveled at this apparently
singular request. for the idol seemed
a harmless. ugly little thing. but her
instructions were carried out 10 the
letter.
The idol had been presented TO Sadl
Garnet years before he had ever
thought of the presidency Of France
by friend who had brought il from
India Later he learned that there
was a legend attached TO It which as
serted that whatsoever would retain il
ia his possession would rise TO the
fullest height OF power in his chosen
profession. but Gie OF n stab wound
when ut the zenith OF his career. Car
not traced the history Of the idol and
found that for 800 years the rulers
who had possessed it had all died
either in battle or by assassination OF
stab wounds. Yet he laughed at the
story. called the facts adduced by his
search a mere chain OF condolences
and retained the idol He died by 4
dagger in the hands OF an assassin /:
hence Nine Carnots strange request.
In Chicago q pawnbrolxer has n queer
looking old turnip of Il watch that he
will not sell and will rot wear. for he
knows Its history. He bought Il - 4
sale Of accumulated police property,
and after the sale as 4 warning one OF
the police officials related three coin
cidenceS' in connection with It. The
hrSt Chicago man TO own the watch,
SO FAR rs the police knew, had been
killed 10y burglar. and the watch was
ono of the few things the thief got
away with. \ few weeks later the
burglar. with a party 90 his pals. pur-
sued 10y the police for another crime.
took refuge in q house on the outskirts
OF the city and sought To hold the off,
GERS 1t bay. All were taken alive cx-
cept the burglar. and lie was shot dead.
abe watch was found on his body. II
was around the detective bureau FOR a
long time. and one day one OF the
force asked permission 10 take ii home
to show some friends, his description
80 its quaint. curious case having
aroused their curiosity. ON his way
back 10 report that night. with the
watch IN his possession. he was shot
. dead 10y crook who had long stand.
ing grudgc against him.
The pawnbroler put the watch III
his showcase but purely as IN orna.
ment. and made such Investigation re
garding its history as he could. He
learned that il had been made IL
France moro than hundred years
i
died violent deaths. Yet these were
all condolences. and the curse OF the
old woman from whose hands It had
been snatched ly = thief in Bordeaux
shortly after Il left its makers hand,
had nothing 10 do with the case what
ever
In the South KenSingt0n museum
London, there is an object catalOguet
22,i59. IL is = cast Of n woman's fac,
and was found in an excavation no
far from LUXOR. in Egypt. The cast Is
that OF beautiful woman, but tht
face wears an expression OF sinister
evil. The man who found the cas-
died within twonty-four hours after III
had touched ii. and the two workers
who handled II died within Z few
weeks. Three OF the carriers who han
died Il on the Nile boat died within {
short space OF time, and the man who
reShipped II at cairo also died within
less than q week after he had played
bis past in the work OF getting IL to its
destination. AL these were seemingly
natural deaths. but il is odd thar NJ
the men whose fingers touched the cas-
In Egypt should have died 50 soon aft
er the handling
Then there is the ring OF whicl
Girouard. the French detective. Ia.
told Us and which now is in one Of III,
museums Of Paris. II is odd in tina
II IS flexible, slightly so. for il is form
+ ed like 4 twisted serpent in cloSel,
woven gold links with an opal on III,
/ top Of the head, two tiny cmeralds 70
/ eyes and ruby in its mouth Sever
such rings are not apt 10 be in exist
/ ence in any one city, yet seven time
curing the tweny-nine years Girouar,
/ served the Partisan police In q position
which brought him 10 the morgue dali,
/ he found this ring on the bodies o.
( suicides. Four times il had beer
| claimed by relatives OF the dead. an,
/ twice had It been sold The seventh
] time Girouard saw 10 It that il wen
! through the usual red tape channels I,
place where it could no longer h,
worn--New York Press.