The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1907-04-09
FINDS NEW RULE OF THREE.
Investigator Discovers that Disas

Investigator Discovers that Dfsns.
ters are Often Triple.
Misfortunes, they say, never crme
singly, and certainly there is more
than germ of truth in this old saying.
Over and over again 1t has been no
ticed that when one great disaster
occurs it is quickly followed by sec
ond and then a third of similar de-
scription.
Twice in 1906 we have seen this
occur. First, San Frencisco was
wrecked by earthquake and fire; then
In the same month vesuyius erupted
and destroyed many villages and hun
dreds Of lives; thirdly, Valparaiso was
almost wiped out by series Of earth
quivers.
In the matter Of railway accidents
there had been few of any importance
for yeah previous to the disaster at
Salisbury, but that was followed in
rapid succession by the shocking ac-
cident to the Scotch express and by the
bridge disaster In Oklahoma.
When a great man dies his death
is often followed by those Of two 9th
ers in high positions. There was a
striking instance of this six years ago.
In July, 1900, King Humbert Of Italy
fell by the bullet Of an assissin. On
the Both of the same month the Duke
of Saxe-Coburg died Of a disease the
existence Of which was unknown to
any but his Immediate family. The
third Of the sequence was Lord Rus
sell, and as was the case with the
other two his death was quite unex-
pected.
In 1901 strange coincidence caused
a stir in the United States. Mr.. Otey,
a Congressman, died suddenly. Three
days later Mr.. Cummings, New York
Representative, expired, and on the
fourth day the life of Mr.. Salmon, Con-
gresham from New Jersey, came to
a sudden end. The coincidence goes
further Mr.. Salmon had been desig-
mated to attend the funeral of Mr..
Cummings and Mr.. Cummings to at
tend that Of Mr.. Otey. Never before
in the history of the American House
of Representatives had three desks
been draped In mourning at one and
the same time.
About the same date London was
startled by three tragedies in one day
and, more curious still, all on the
North London railway. There was
child murdered in a waiting room at
Dalston Junction, stock broker was
run over by train at Mildmay Park
station, while a young billiard mark
er attempted to commit suicide by
exploding canister of gunpowder In
a first-class carriage near Highbury
station. To add to the popularity of
these triple tragedies the day upon
which they all occurred was a Friday.
Italians are proverbially superstitious.
No wonder, then, that almost every
paper In that country commented upon
the following strange treble coinci-
dence. Signor Giolltti, who Is popu-
larly credited in his own country with
possessing the "evil eye," first became
premier in 1892. No fewer than six
of his colleagues In the cabinet died
during his administration, three In
one session and three In the next.
Later Signor Giolitti gave up the
and entered the home of
fee. Almost at once his predeces-
sor, Signor Nicortera, was taken iii
and died. In 1903 Signor Giolitti again
took up the reins Of government. He
formed his cabinet on November 2, the
date known in Italy as the Day of
the Dead. A few days later his min
ster Of finance, Signor Rosano, COM
nitted suicide.
One more case which Is peculiar
enough to be recorded. In October
1902, the Vienna Jockey Club held Its
annual meeting on Its race course.
During the previous meeting, which
vas the first held upon the course, no
ever than five jockeys had been kill
ID and the superstitious wondered
what would happen next. They had
lot long to wait. On the third day
# the meeting three riders, all gentle
men jockeys, were killed In three sue
,essive races.-Answers.