AN ORDEAL OF DEATH.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 428, 6 January 1912, Page 7

AN ORDEAL OF DEATH.

The German Emperor recently presented to the Hohenzollern Museum the "death dice" with which one of his ancestors decided a difficult ca=c in the seventeenth century. The history of these dice is generally given as follows : A young girl had been murdered. Suspicion fell upon two young soldiers, Ralph and Alfred, who were suitors for her hand. Thsy boi.h denied their guilt, and even torture failed to extract a confession from either. Then Elector Frederick William decided to cut the knot by means ot the dice-box. The two soldiers should throw for their lives, anJ tin loser should be executed as the murderer. The event was celebrated with great solemnity. Ralph had the fir. t chance, and threw sixes, the highest possible number. The dicc-box was then given to Alfred. He fell on his knees and prayed. Then he rose to his feet and threw the dice with surli force that one of them was broken. The whole one showed six, the broken one also gave six on the larger portion, and the fragment split off showed one. This was a total of thirteen, one beyond Ralph's throw. The audience held its breath in amazement. "God has spoken !" cried ths Prince. . Ralph, apalled by what he regarded as a sign from heaven, confessed his guilt and was sentenced to death.