Elias became very attached to John and gave him authority and control over his household. One morning John’s uncle received a letter from India which contained five dried orange pips and had “K.K.K” marked upon the envelope. John thought the communication must have been a joke but his uncle’s extreme reaction to it persuaded him otherwise. Elias exclaimed that the letter was a herald of death and without explanation he brought out a brass box full of papers and hurriedly burnt the contents. John observed the letters “K.K.K” on the lid of the box.