The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-08-16
THAT new SECT.
Details of Lieut.. Woethe's
Scheme for a Second Eden.
His Colonists Are to Eat Only Fruit
and to Abandon All Clothing.

A well-known Providence lady recently
received a letter from a lady friend in San
Francisco in which she gives an interest
ing account of the proposed establish
ment OF society known as the
"Fruitsrians" by German officer
who intends to purchase an island
at Honolulu for the colony. The society
is going TO inaugurate a reform in the re-
vival OF Edenic principles by eschewing
clothing and confining themselves TO an
exclusive fruit diet. The reference to the
institution and its objects is as follows:
81 must tell you of a man who arrived
from Germany the other day and put up
at the Baldwin Hotel in San Francisco.
He is on his wsyto Honolulu. He sailed
recently for the purpose OF purchasing
one of the islands and live there. His
name is Lieutenant q. Woethe, and
will seek new life in nakedness ana
fruit. lie will revive Edenic principles in
the south seas. High-born ladies and
gentlemen are TO institute a startling re-
form in society. The mission is
SO extraordinary that it will
create sensation throughout the
civilized world. He represents new and
astonishing ism and even moro than
that he is its leader whose members are
growing with surprising rapidity in the
Fatherland. The most radical reform
ever attempted in this age seems to
appeal to men and women in Ger
many at present, and when more widely
known it may attract recruits from other
countries. To begin with, he argues that
modern civilization is unnatural and un-
true, full Of vanities and false ideas, and
all these 1t undertakes to re-
form. Its followers call them
selves, in English, Fruitarians. They eat
nothing but ripe fruit and won't touch
food of any kind whatever, not even
cooked food. Nor will they drink water
or other liquids as they are strangers to
thirst on account Of the juices contained
in the fruit. They are TO live in
huts on this island built only with view
to affording shelter from the tropical sun,
but devoid of the furnishings and COM
forts of civilization. They are to avoid
clothing in religious sense with the con-
scousness that man was intended
originally by the Creator to wear
the garb of the angels. Men and women
of this strange faith have stated their be-
lief that it is only following the Divine
plan to walk the earth absolutely naked,
shocking as IL really seems to be. They
hold with all sincerity that civilization
has false notions of modesty.
"When the site for the colony is secured
he will return to Germany. where he will
close up his business affairs, and with
the Others in the faith will start
for their island paradise in
the tropics. His mother will accom-
pany him and will be an enthusiastic
member of the colony. They will walk
about as Adam and Eve arc said TO have
done in the Garden OF Eden before the
serpent visited them. He is said to be
handsome man, about 80 years OF age,with
intellectual features that give evil
dence of thought and refinement. He has
not tasted anything but uncooked fruit
for ten months, and is in good health.
He speaks three or four languages. There
are twelve noblemen in Germany who
have agreed to 60 with him. Several
ladies will accompany his mother"