Middletown transcript., 1922-10-02
THE SECRET OF CLAIMS CASTLE

THE grim walls Of Glamis castle, In |
= Scotland, have concealed a mystery !
Tor a number of centuries-cOncealed !
II so well that no hint of what 1t is
Or whence its origin, has ever been
definitely brought to light. But that
the existence Of the secret Is well
known throughout the kingdom Is ap-
parent from Sir Walter Scotts refer
ence to secret chamber in the castle
which "by the law or custom of the
family, must be known only to three
persOns-the earl, the heir and the
third In the line Of succession" THE
popular version" adds the famous
novelist. "is that there is some horrible
remembrance connected with the Sc
cret which has existed for the past
two or three hundred years"
One writer claims that the mystery
concealed in the secret chamber was
a human being-half frog and half
man-and recOunts the story of the
Countess of Glenshire, who finally sue
ceeded in penetrating to the hidden
room. only to die of horror at what
she found there. This story, while
apparently well authenticated by writ
ers of the period, has little foundation
In fact-apart from the detail of the
sudden and unexplained death OF the
countess who may have come to her
end in any one Of number of ways,
and, In order to cover up the manner
IF her assassination or accidental
death. 1t is more than possible that the
story of the chamber of horrors" was
spread broadcast through the sur
founding country.
Another version of the secret Of the
:nstle appears in an old history OF
Scotland where 1t is stated that
there is one chamber In the castle in
which. some centuries ago, two gam
rlers were wplled in and condemned to
continue their ghostly play, and where
he rattling Of the dice Is still to be
heard. The earl cf Strathmore and his
ELDEST son, Lord Glnmis, must each
hear this once and 1t is related that
the present lord has not forgotten the
effect it had upon him." But, unless
stage-managed in a manner worthy OF
BelascO-with blush lights, skeleton
hands. and dice box suspended In
nid-air-it Is hard to see how the mere
sight of room where a not unusual
torture was practiced centuries ago
could have such a profound effect upon
those who visited 1t, nor how 1t would
tead to such extreme measures for the
preservation of secrecy.
Still another story, and one which
appears to possess elements of horror
and at least an approach of plausibil
ity not to be found In the Other
legends, Is that which appeared ir
print In England only II few years ago
I'm the Castle of Glamis," stated
the writer, an eminent authority or
such subjects, ''is a secret chamber
which holds Cor is reputed to hold)
monster who is heir to the title ant
property, but who Is so hideous tha
1t is necessary to keep him out Of sigh
and possession. The secret Is know
TO only three persons, because. as th'
tlefOrmed man Is the rightful earl o
Strathmore he must he concealed IL
order to safeguard the title Of th'
present earl, but the same misshapel
aspect which renders his Imprisonment
essential has also prolonged his lif'
far beyond the appointed span.
That there Is secret room In tn
castle is fact well known, not only Ii
the nelghborhood, but to all who hav
made an examination of the structure
Placed below the level of the ground
1t Is apparently reached through
staircase concealed behind the panele
walls of one of the many large room
on the first floor. Those who retal
the story of the monster supposed sti
70 inhabit this chamber declare tina
II is half reptile and half human, thu
accounting for the fact that it has SUI
yived far more than the usual span {
d mans life-while others declare thf
tie creature died years ago. but thu
its nunmified body remains as war;
Ing to the new heirs that their tenant
of office - founded on deception, fl
the tales about the chamber agree
only one particular, that its occupal
Is the true earl of Strathmore."
The truth or falsity of these supp
sitions has never been settled, but Il
fact remshs that Glamis castle hid
a secret Of some kind, which will new
he disclosed until the old pile Is tOl
stone from stone.
SHIP THAT NEVER CAME BAG