Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-08-17
oUT oFF IN roNouIN.
DEATH OF A NOTED swlNDLER.
The Remarkable Yarn with which Buon-
fanti Deceived the Geographers.
From the Neeo York Sun.

Tho remarkable Yarn with which Buon-
fanti Deceived the GeOgrapheTs.
From the Neao York Sun.
News has just been received in Brussels
of the death of the Marquis Buonianti on
the Congo river. This man is said to be
the Italian who several years ago be-
came known in the United States under
the name Of Maurice Mauris as an adroit
swindler. His rascality introduced him
/ later to the interior of prison in Paris,
and last fall. under the name OF the
| Marchese Maurizio de bu0nfanti, he per-
petrated remarkable geographical hoax.
which imposed for while on one or two
| learned societies and a few geographical
newspapers of Europe, and secured him
work under the International African
| Association.
He suddenly appeared in Brussels last
fall, and presented himself as a recent ar
rival from the west coast of Africa, which
he had reached with difficulty after wan
dering for % years in the Sahara desert.
in the western SOudan, and along the
river Niger, during which time he had
seen only one white man, an American
named DIR. Van Flint, who was the conn
paniOn Of his travels. He told a long and
circumstantial story, giving a complete
history Of bis wanderings from the time
he left 1ripoli ON April /, 1861, until be
arrived at Lagos, on the west coast, in
March, 1883. He had evidently been q
careful student Of Barth, MuDgo park,
and all other authorities on the western
SoudRn. He made no blunders in
his references 10 partially
known countries. His story. however,
was chiefly devoted TO large districts, OF
which little or nothing was known, in
cluding the Niger river, between Timbuc-
too and Say, and the wholly unexploredl
kingdoms of TOmbo Mossi and Bussango-
He gave great deal of information about
these unknown lands. A long account OF
his interesting and remarkable adven-
lures was published In the Bulletin Of the
Belgian Geographical Society, and copied
into large part Of the European press.
A particularly graphic part OF his nara
tive related 10 the journey OF his caravan
in five large boats from Say 10 TimbuctOo.
TO the refusal Of the dignitaries Of that
city To receive him until they convinced
themselves that be was neither French
nor English, 20 their lavish hospitality
when they found be belonged to neither OF
those hated nations, and 20 his suferlngs
In Mossi, whore he was robbed Of ali he
had.
The Marquis had not been In Brussels a
week before he secured employment withi
the International Association, to whom h0
represented that bis long experience in
Africa would make his services pecu-
liarly valuable on the Congo. Soon after
ward he started for Africa 10 take charge
Of one Of the Congo districts. He bad
hardly had time 10 reach the river last
spring when all the geographical papers
began 10 den0unce him as fraud. Ie
bad been ascertained that the Euro
pean and American Consuls who lived
at TripOli in 1861 had never heard
the name Of BuOnfantI or Van Flint.
DR.. G.. krause wrote from Lagos that
no resident Of that place had ever seen
them. The Italian Geographical Society
issued bulletin denounoing the Marquis
as nm impostor. The ambassador from
fimbuctoO to France, who arrived in
Paris last spring, was interviewed by
Gen. Faidherbe with regard 20 Buonfantrs
alleged visit 10 the African city. The in
teryew filled a column OF In Gazette Geo
grdphique. aud in IL the Envoy said that
BuOniantPe account OF his adventures In
Tlmbuctoo was supremely ridiculous, and
that no such person had ever been there.
IL IL understood that the international
Association had decided that u bad no
further use for the talents OF the Marcheso
MauriziO dc BuOnianti, and had Issued
orders for his recall some time before the
news was received that he bad fallen q
victim 10 African fever He 40 lenst
achieved the nOtOriety of foistinR him.
self for "A time upon the attention of
ge0graphers with one OF the most lngenL-
Gus fctiOns ever invented by irresponsible
travellers.
In New York city, where be was known
az Maurice Mauris, he had a brief bua
brilliant career. BY copying verbatim
some II the bost articles printed In Eu-.
rope be made something Of literary rel
putation for himself; but eventually be
ran afoul Of the SHn's Office eat, and
thereafter wrote no more Tor the New
York press. he then forged the signature
OF some OF New lOrk's respectable clti-
zens, obtained money in baltimore and
boston under various false pretcnces,
and hod % France to avoid arrest.
A silyer-gray dress has n tniior-mnde
jacket Of black cashmere opening over q
ehcmisctte of white craps or cambria.