The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-21
The Mystic Girl from Greenland.

The Mystic Girl from Greenland.
In January last we called attention to the
remarkable story that has been told on the
lecture platform. for three or four years
past, by Miss OLAF KRARER. Miss KRARER
represents herself as native of East Green
land. and says that she and her family es-
capped from the isolation in which the ma
tives OF that coast live. by joining n party
of shipwreckcd Iceland sailors in a sledge
journey across Denmark Strait to lee
land. We venturcd to express doubts as to
the accuracy Of this remarkable statement
for number Of reasons. and particularly
because the known physical conditions of
Denmark Strait are such as to preclude
the idea that sledge journey across 1t
is possible at any season OF the year.
A few days later The Sun invited the
lecturer or any OF her friends to furnish the
details Of this sledge journey. or proofs that
1t was performed The story. IL true. would
interest not only the general public. but
also the geographers Of all lands. Letters
were also sent to Iceland for further infor-
nation. and Mr.. X. $. HUBERT Of West
Winsted. Conn.,, who first directed THE
SUNS attention to the wOman's story. ad-
dressed a letter to Mayor MACDONALD of
Winnipeg. requesting his aid in the inves-
tigation OF Miss kRARER'S statements.
Nothing has been heard from the lecturer
or her friends. Sufficient time has not yet
elapsed for replies to be received from Ice
land. But Manitoba. where the young wo-
man says she lived before coming to this
country. and where over 1000 Iceanders
are settled. most OF them in and around
IaI< int <ho
iect OF Miss KRARER.
This young woman. within a month past.
has been telling her story to Connecticut
audiences. and 1t is more than likely that
she Is still edifying the New England
public. 1t may interest the people of New
Britain and other towns who have enter
tanned and listened to her within the past
few weeks to know that tho people among
whom she says she has lived emphatcally
decline to swallow the story of her Green
landic origin or the details Of her trying
journey across Denmark Strait to reach q
civilized land.
In an article headed 1T is an Evident
Fraud" which appeared in the Winnipeg
Tribune on March 4, the woman is said to
have been formerly resident OF Manito-
ba. OF Iceandic descent. exceptionally small
in stature who left the province some years
ago with an American family. and has
since resided in the United States" Alder
man FREDRICKSoN. an Icelander. and who
has an intimate and wide acquaintance
with the Icelandic settlers in the province"
said tho wonan's name was not known to
him. He was of the opinion that there was
no foundation for the story. and he felt
certain that no such journey as that do
scribed by her was ever made.
Mr.. E. HJoRLEIFssoN. editor OF the Log
BERG an Icelandc newspaper published in
was an old fake. His attention was first
drawn to the story some three years ago.
when the principal portions OF the lecture
were reprinted in the LoOber0. to show the
kind OF mendacious rubbish that was circu-
lated among the people OF the United States.
He had no doubt at all that the woman was a
fraud. and to those acquainted with the
countries described. the particulars OF the
trip and the experiences recorded bore
every evidence of pure fabrication. Even
Miss KRARER's comments on Iceland were
erroneous.
Tho Tribune says further. that "these
opinions are repeated by many other OF the
numerous Icelandic citizens. and tho belief
is general that Miss KRARER has been i'm
posing on tho credulity OF the New Eng
landcrs."
But Miss KRARER has not confined her
educational efforts to New England. The
SUN Is unable to say how many thousands
OF our trustful citizens she has enlightened
with her graphic story OF East Greenland
life and OF the perils OF Denmark Strait
sledging. But she has certainly appeared
in public with great Success as far
west as Chicago. and she has lectured
in many towns in this State and Penn
sylvanla. She has appeared almost in
varlably. 1t is believed, under the auspices
of some benev client or missionary society
or committee of ladies. She has been enter
tanned by the best society in the small cities
or towns to which her public performances
have been chiefly confined. She has been
introduced by Mayors and other represent
alive citizens. She has been welcomed and
entertained as a waif from an unknown
coast. whose people only two white men.
CLAvERING and GRAAH. had seen. and OF
whom scarcely anything was known. She
Ia quick and clever. remarkable illustra-
ton. as her women patrons have thought. OF
what civilizing influences can do for peo-
pie who have been wholly cut of from the
world. She has, therefore. been much sought
after for private interviews. and on one oc-
casion. at least. in New York State. she in
formed her numerous callers that they
really must excuse her. and II they wished
to see her they must attend her lecture;
and this sort OF thing has been going on
nearly II not quite four years.
In our earlier references to Miss KRARER's
story q very natural curiosltY was EXPRESSED