The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-07
A REAL AMERICAN KING.
BANKS, FORMERLY OF SAN FRAN
CISCO, is FREDERICK 1 OF
RARATONGA.

Stole Money and straightforward
Electricity Became Its King-NOw
He Wants 81 White Wife.
New York, Nov. 1.-You read in this
newspaper a few weeks ago about a Maori
princess who wanted a white husband.
You shall now read of a king who is
in need of wife, and will give her
everything that kings wife should en-
joy. This man is Fred Banks, an Ameri-
can, who is a crowned king, and reigns
over the people of the Raratonga Island.
Fred Banks, some years ago, was con-
nected with a prominent oil company of
San Francisco. Getting into ANTIQUITIES
he resolved to quit the country and sail
to parts unknown Unknown they were
to him in every sense of the word; for
when he started out he had no idea where
he was going. Even his escape was
blocked, and to get away from San Fran
cisco he found it necessary to- steal a
schooner. This boat he manned with a
crew of strangers, whom he selected for
their ability to sail ship. Aboard he got
cided to take from the Golfers of the oil
company.
The schooner set SAIL, and for few
days enjoyed the best of weather. Just
how many knots were made is unknown,
as the boat was too lightly manned to
allow of the keeping of an accurate log
book But one morning they awoke to
end in
dashed in the teeth of the gale. Ship
ping their sails, they took advantage of
the wind to make Roadway toward an ISL
and which they saw lying bright and beau
tlful in the distance, and with such good
results were their efforts crowned that
in five hours they were able to make the
island and to land without Injury.
Hero they found themselves in an in
expressbly beautiful spot The shores
were covered with velvety grass, which
ran down TO a beautiful beach, and a
little further back stood beautiful palms
and fruit-bearing trees OF all kinds
While they were looking around in ad-
miration on the scene, and giving
| thanks at their safe landing, a strange,
dusky being approached and babe them
welcome with smiles and bows. At first
they were alarmed fearing that they
had landed among cannibals, but soon
these fears were dispelled, and at a
motion from the being they followed
him up the grassy slope, along a palm
lined road, to beautiful level stretch
in the center of which stood marvel
GUS palace made of oriental wood
That this was the palace of the king
they all understood at once, for outside
stood many sentinels, each armed with a
spear, and each guarding a separate en-
trance to the grounds. But a motion
from the being the sentinels lowered
their spears, and Fred Banks, with his
party, passed on and entered the palace.
Here they found, seated upon a big
throne in the reception ROOM where he
had gone to receive them, a dusky mon
arch, who with bow and a smile babe
them welcome.
They soon found that they could con-
verse with him in a language half words,
half signs. The monarch, who turned out
to be King Rauma of the Raratonga,
knew little English, which he had learn
ed from some shipwrecked sailors a year
before and MIR. Banks, being a clever
man, soon picked up a few words of the
new language.
Thus a means of communication. was
speedily found, and before the party Of
Californians had been upon the Raratonga
Island twenty-four hours they were very