PREMONITIONS OF DEATH

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 March 1930, Page 8

PREMONITIONS OF DEATH

SIR CONAN DOYLE’S VIEWS. Spiritualists and medical psychologists have been keenly interested in the case of a mother who stated at the inquest on her son that she had a premonition of his death. '“I am a psychic,” said Mrs Clare Bennie, of Bletchingley, when she told the coroner at Redhill, Surrey, that she knew the fate that awaited her 15-year-old son James. He was shot while rabbit shooting. Mrs Rennie gave evidence that when the boy stated that he was goingshooting she protested, but Weakly yielded when he persisted. He had had instruction in the use of firearms. “A gun is! one long agony to me,” Mrs Rennie added. “I knew what was coming, but could not prevent it.” A verdict of “Death by misadventure” was returned.

“Love and deep sympathy always make an affinity,” was the view of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, in discussing Mrs Rennie’s premonition. He added that there was usually such an affinity between husband and wife, and that a woman was more sensitive than a ■ man, and more psychic. An eminent doctor also stated that there -would naturally be a. psychic affinity between people who loved each other, and that would lead to premonitions. A good example of psychic affinity, ho said, was the close relationship that existed between twins. Twins frequently had premonitions concerning each other, and a mother who was very fond of her children would similarly receive premonitions. A remarkable instance of premonitions was that of a little boy who was confident that an aeroplane would crash on his aunt’s bungalow. He announced his presentiment when it was known that an aeroplane was to land near Hunter’s Tower, Dunkinfield, Cheshire. Later, an aeroplane landed 20 yards from the bungalow, killed a boy, and injured six others in sight of 12,000 spectators.