The Cannibal King.

Manawatu Herald, 3 November 1898, Page 2

The Cannibal King.

la " The Wide World Magazine " for August appears an instalment of " The adventures of Louis de Rougemont," described as being tfs* mo3t amazing story a man ever lived to tell. The story makes ex* cellent reading, extracts from which we shall give from time to time, bat that the editor has "absolutely satisfied' 1 himself as to M. de Rougemont's "accuracy in every minute particular " is very muck open to question. This capabJJP story-teller has boen raising an excitement in London about the goldfields he states he found in Northern Australia, and the usual syndicate was formed to prospect, but they ap. pear to have been instituting in* quiries into the genuinesa of the statements.made by him.

The Sydney correspondent of the Argus telegraphed the following to - : that journal a few days ago :—

The weird storieß told by Louis de Rougemont to the British scientists seem almost approached by his ex* perienoes while in this part of the world: The police authorities have been ferreting out information concerning him, and have pieoed it together an til they are now prepared „ to affirm that De Bougemont is' identical with a Swiss named Grien, who figured in Sydney as a canvasser for photographic enlargements. At least a dozen persons aver that the two men are identioal, Now

Detective Rochaix has concluded farther investigations which throw additional light on Grien's history prior to his marriage in 1882. Detective Rocbaix found, states the Evening News, that Grien was the owner and registered master of an 11-ton cotter, called the Ada, which he built at Freemantle and registered at Perth. It is presumed that he engaged in the pearl fishing industry. In February, 1887, the vessel was posted as missing in the Sydney Bhipping office, but the fact remains that Grien turned up in Sydney shortly after the closing of the Garden Palace Exhibition. His first appearance was at a wine shop in King-street, kept by Gulrani Bros., who are at present fruit growing at Ryde. He was recog nised as a countryman by Adolphe Gnymuller, who is now the proprietor of Adolphe's Cafe, in Hunterstreet, Sydney. The pair met frequently, and Grien confided to his compatriot that he had been pearlshelling in Torres Straits, and had contracted fever and ague. Further he had lost his vessel and become penniless. Guymuller took pity on him, and vhen he appealed to him for employment gave him work in j the kitchen at the Post Office Hotel, where he was then chef. A fortnight of this employment however, sufficed Grien, who told his friend that though he could stand the heat of a tropical sun, the atmosphere of the kitchen was too much, and that he mnst leave. Accordingly he severed his connection with the establishment, and for some little time nothing was known of him. j However, he once more put in an appearence at the wine shop, where he explained a project he had in view. This was no less than that oi a pearling expedition to Torres Straits. Apparently he had obtained and undertaking from a Sydney firm to fit out a vessel, provided five others joined with him. Contributions of £50 apiece were to be made by all the members of the party save himself, and they, with him, were to have a share in the result. Guy muller was very much impressed with the proposal, but finlly was dissuaded by his friends from having anything to do with it. Grien gave a glowing account of the possibility of making a fortune from the venture but all his countrymen % save a man named Buchty, held aloof from him. Eventually he persuaded four Englishmen to accompany him.

While the negotiations were in progress Guymuller, at Grien's invitation, proceeded to Woolloomooloo Bay to look at the pearling ship. According to Grien, she was a barque which had been cut down, and Guyinuller remarked that she looked strong. •' Not at all." said Grien ; » she will break her back on the first rei-fwe strike." Whether uttered in jest or in earnest, these words were prophetic, for the vessel and her party sailed away, and nothing waß beard of them till onc-rlay Ruchty turned up, looking somewhat out at elbows. The story he told was that the vessel had been wrecked on a reef, and that the party had lost everything. r lhe boats had to be taken to, and two days of fearful distress, without! food an water, were experienced before they were pioked up. According to Ruchty, times were very lively on the vessel, as the crew took to quarrelling oniony themselves, and revolvers were drawn and pot phot shots taken on vtry slight provocation. Ruchty was terrified at tbia state of Bffairs, and he slept in the cabin aft with Grien They always "had a revolver handy and slept with one eye open." Ruchty informed Guymuller that it was only the startling bad markmansbip of the men that enabled them to miss one another. A few days after Ruchty had poured out his tale of woe, Grien also made bis appearance, battered and impecu oiouß. If one " spec " had proved disastrous, however, there was no reason why another should, and so he set about canvassing for photographic enlargements. Then he came forward with a new process for enamelling photos. There was money in it, he said, and he wanted a little capital to take him to France to perfect it. But his friends were not responsive, and declined to subscribe anything. After this he got regular employment and seemed to have abandoned projects which would make him rich, and Guymuller lost sight of him for some years. At last, meeting him near Enmore, carrying a baby, he explained that he was still in the photographic business. At intervals the men mußt have met until eighteen months ago. Grien then remarked that he was off to Europe, where he had something to do that " would bring money." Guymuller, who is now generally known as M. Adolphe, on being ehown Grien's photo and also that of Db Rougemont, said he felt certain that the one in the Wide World Magazine was an excellent likeness of Grian. He had known him so well that he had not the slightest doubt about the matter. The other photograph Guymuller- indentified as that of Grien when he was about 10 j? ara younger. He states that Grien is about 62 years of age.