The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-12-22
TEMPLE OF RAMA
PURL O|NED GEMS
DEATHS SYMBOLS
Hapsburg House Cursed by
Burmese Gods as
Result.

LOIlOOI, Lee. AV."1AIi GAIL
airy narrative, linking the misfortune
OF the house Of Hapsburg with the
tragic history of the Hope diamond
and tracing both to the looting OF a
temple in Burma, acquires special in
terest by reason of the death of the
Austrian Emperor. 1t has been COM
municated to the London Express by
q soldier, now on active service, and
says the Express, is presented to stu
dents Of the occult for what it may
be WORTH
The story, says the author, who
signs himself ''W. b." was told me
by a Buddhist priest when 1 was in
Ceylon. He was man of high re-
pute in the native community there,
and he assured me that Every word
of his narrative was strictly and alb
solutely true.
Personally T hold no brief for the
occult and will not venture to express
any opinion on the extraordinary
series Of events recounted to me by
the Buddhist priest. I transcribe Ills
strange story for the benefit of those
who understand more than I do Of
these mysterious matters.
MANY years ago. said the priest,
''a member of the house of Hapsburg,
with a Duke of Braganza and a num-
Der of followers, set out on an ex-
petition to Burma with the ostensible
purpose of converting the natives.l
"They sailed from Lisbon and in
due course reached Mandalay, near
which town they speedily became in
volved in a religious controversy
which ended in the death of more
than 1000 Burmese wOrshippers.
."The Count and the Duke and their
followers then made for. thet great
temple of Rama and Sta, which was
known to contain gold and jewels in
enormous abundance and of priceless
value.
'eThey slaughtered the priests and
all the guardians of the temple and
looted it's treasures.
'The temple walls were inlaid with
gold and inset in almost every inch
with precious gems. Every stone that
could be wrenched from it's place was
stolen by the marauders, each of
whom had his share of the booty.
1.-TWO of the finest stones in the
temple formed the eyes of the golden
statue Of Rama One, to be known
later as the Blue Hope Diamond,
was appropriated by Count Hermann,
and the other fell into the possession
! Of the late King Leopold.
F. Rama continued the priest,
scalled down upon the thieves the
vengeance of all the gods, and more
than so persons of high degree have
already fallen under Rama's course
and lost their lives by violent means.
with their death the curse came to
an end, but in the case of the house
Of Hapsburg it goes on forever
Whatever may be thought Of the
Buddhist priests weird story, it is
known that the looted jewels were
scattered by marriage and inherit
ance through most Of the royal
houses of Europe, with the exception
of those of England and Denmark,
and strangely Tragic is the record Of
many of these regal families.
Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI
both came into possession Of some of
/ Rama's pearls, and both were be-
: headed. The Due d'Enghien held
some OF the gems, and was shot by
Napoleon. LOUIS Philippe held 9TH
ers, and died in exile.
King Humbert, who possessed
some Of Ramas rubies, was assassin
ated: King Alexander and ueen Draga
came into possession of some of the
E temple CuTQuOlSeS, duO UOtH were
murdered. The Romanos acquired
some Of the plumber, and nearly all
died violent deaths.
The Crown Prince Rudolf was an
other owner who died by unnatural
means, the Empress Of Austria. was
killed in Geneva: the Archduke Jo-
ham ("John Ogth'D was drowned at
sea-; the Archduke Francis Ferdinand
and his wife were. assassinated at
Serajevo, Macmillan was shot in
Mexico and his wife lost her reason.
The Duchesse d'Alencon, anoth er
owner of the temple jewels. was
burnt to death in Paris. King Carlos
] and his son were shot, and the late
King Of Greece was also assassinated.
There are many others Of lesser
note whose fate has been equally
tragic, and all have inherited or by
other means acquired some Of the
fatal jewels.
The German Emperor owns one OF
Rama's great rubies. What will be
his rate?