The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1922-10-21
THE SECRET OF CLAIMS CASTLE

THE grim walls OF CLAIMS castle. in
= Scotland, have concealed q mystery
for number OF centuries-conceal
II SO well that no hint Of what It Is
or whence Its origin, has ever been
definitely brought to light. But that
the existence Of the secret Is well
parent from Sir Walter SCOTS 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
human being-half frog and half
mainland recounts the story Of the
Countess of Glenshre, who finally sue
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
! of her assassination or accidental
death, II is more than possible that the
story Of the chamber Of horrors" was
spread broadcast through the sur
rounding country.
/ Another version Of the secret Of the
castle appears in an old history OF
there Is one chamber in the castle Ia
which, some centuries ago, two gam
blers were walled in and condemned tC
continue their ghostly play, and where
the rafting of the dice is still to be
heard The earl Of StrathmOre and his
eldest son. Lord CLAIMS, must each
hear this once. and it Is related that
the present lord has not forgotten the
effect II had upon him" But. unless
stage-managed In manner worthy OF
Belasco-with blush lights, skeleton
hands, and dice box suspended tI
mid-air-it Is hard to see how the mere
sight of a room where not unusua
torture was practiced centuries ago
| hn
those who visited it, nor how it would
lead to such extreme measures for thu
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 Othel
legends, is that which appeared II
print in England only few years ago
I'm the Castle Of Glamis.' stated
the writer, an eminent authority OF
such subjects, is secret chambe
which holds Tor is reputed to hOld) ,
monster who is heir to the title ant
property, but who Is so hideous tina
1t is necessary to keep him out Of sigh
and possession. The secret Is know
to only three persons. because. as tn
deformed man Is the rightful earl o
Strathmore, he must be concealed Il
order to safeguard the title Of tn
present earl, but the same misshapel
aspect which renders his Imprisonment
essential has also prolonged his III
far beyond the appointed span.
THAT there Is secret room In tn
castle Is a fact well known, not only Il
the neighbOrhOOd, but to all who hav
made an examination Of the structure
Placed below the level Of the grOunC
It 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
TO inhabit this chamber declare tina
It is half reptile and half human. thu
accounting for the fact that 1t has SUI
yived far more than the usual span
a mans life-while others declare tina
the creature died years ago. but tha
its mummified body remains as war;
ing TO the new heirs that their tenanc
of Office is founded on deception. 70
the tales about the chamber agree !
only one particular, that its occupar
ia the true earl Of Strathmore"
The truth or falsity Of these suppt
sitions has never been settled, but tn
fact remains that CLAIMS castle hide
secret Of some kind, which will neve
be disclosed until the old pile is tor
I,torA from cfnnQ