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THIS IS CONTINUED FROM THE LAST PAGE (ROBERT DID IT)...

It was present whenever he and his wife traveled abroad, had a place at the dinner table, was in the studio when Gene painted and Gene even insisted that Robert sit in a chair in their bedroom at night. His wife grew to hate the doll and became mentally tormented. Eventually she was diagnosed as being officially “insane”. She remained in the marriage but passed away soon.

Gene Otto died in 1972 and the house was sold to a new family. Robert was found again, this time by the 10 year old daughter of the new owners. It was not long before Robert unleashed his displeasure on the child. The little girl claimed that the doll tortured her and made her life a hell. When questioned, even after more than thirty years later, she still claimed that Robert was alive had tried to kill her.

It seemed that the last straw was when the obviously possessed doll was found standing at her parent's bed with an evil gaze upon them while yielding a knife.

Today, Robert lives at the Key West Martello Museum and is still dressed in his white sailor's suit. He is clutching his stuffed toy lion. Employees at the museum continue to give accounts of Robert being up to his old tricks. Even still, some visitors claim the expression on his face changes from time to time.

It is said that a ghost can still be found at his old address. It is believed to be the spirit of former resident Anne Otto who is trapped in the Victorian home and some guests say they have seen her walking down the staircase in her wedding dress.

When you visit the Key West Martello Robert waits for you in a glass case in a special room. Visitors are welcome to take pictures but are told to ask Robert's permission first. If permission is not requested from Robert then people claim to have had curses placed on them. One wall in the room is covered with letters addressed to Robert from people who visited and were not nice to him or took his picture without asking permission. They found their cars did not start, hotel room keys didn't work, they lost their jobs… the list was endless. Hundreds of letters are on display asking Robert to please forgive them and remove the curses.

I very nicely told Robert my name and told him I wanted to take his picture and then thanked him. When we left I said good-bye to him along with most of the other people on the tour.

The next evening Julia and I went into the gift shop at Mallory Square. There were several isles of beautiful hand-blown glass ornaments. I've never known Julia to be clumsy or break anything but as she walked between the isles a delicate ornament fell at her feet. I swear she did not bump it or cause it to fall. Julia insisted on paying for the broken ornament and I asked her if she talked nicely to Robert. She said she talked to him in her mind and I told her that maybe Robert wasn't a mind reader!

We kind of laughed it off, then as we were walking out of the store and then another ornament fell at Julia's feet. Maybe she bumped it, maybe she didn't. A little strange.


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