CURSE OF THE PHARAOHS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20962, 27 February 1930, Page 11

CURSE OF THE PHARAOHS

ANOTHER SUDDEN DEATH. BRITISH MUSEUM OFFICIAL. (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) LONDON, February 25. The curse of the Pharaohs is again brought to the forefront from the sudden death of Mr Edgar Steele, a is ritish Museum official, who was engaged in lettering for exhibition the various relics brought direct from the tomb at Luxor to London.

Mr Howard Carter, the discoverer, who should be cursed more than anybody else and is still at Luxor, telegraphed as fallows in reply to a query by the Evening Standard as to his viewpoint:— Rumours of a curse arc a libellous invention.”

THE THIRTEENTH TRAGEDY, \ BOY KILLED BY HEARSE.

LONDON, February 25. The thirteenth tragedy associated with Tutankhamen’s tomb ‘ occurred when the hearse carrying the remains of Lord Westbury knocked down Joseph Greer, a child of eight. The hearse was lifted to release the boy, who died on the way to the hospital.

Lord Westbury, clad in pyjamas, fell 70 feet from the seventh floor of his flat .at St. James's Court on F<bruary 21. He' crashed through a glass canopy and knocked down a charwoman. Lord Westbury, who had been in ill-health, requiring alleviation by drugs, was attended by day and night nurses.. He sent one from his room just before tie tragedy. He had been worried about the recent death of his heir (the Hon. Richard Bethcll), who was associated with Mr Howard Carter in the excavations at Tutankhamen s tomb, from which a discussion arose regarding the curse connected with the tombs of the Pharaohs. At the inquest the coroner returned a verdict that Lord Westbury committed suicide while of unsound mind. He read a letter stating: “I really cannot stand any more horrors.”