Kansas City daily journal., 1897-01-03
CANNIBAL KING WEEDS.
OUMALIE. MONARCH OF PACIFIC
ISLAND GROUP, MARRIEs.
Takes Unto Himself Miss Collin, of
New forls-Impressive Ceremony,
in Which He ProcIaims Her
Queen of His Kingdom.
From the New York Jo,,rnal.

From the New York Journal.
Colonel John +. Hobbs, King Oumalie of
the Cannibal Islands of IlIika was quietly
married last night to Miss Ella Collin. at
the latter's home, No. 81 Fourth avenue
Immediately following the ceremony the
king, in the Kanaka language proclaimed
MS bride queen of his kingdom.
The ceremony was performed by the Rev
Mauritz Stolpe. pastor of the Gustavus
Adolphus Swedish-Lutheran church. East
IWenty-second street. in the presence of
few of the relatives and friends of the con-
tracing parties. The king was not cos
TUNED in robes of ermine, but wore con-
ventional dress suit. while his bride wore
gown of white satin and tulle with or
ange blossoms. She was attended by the
Misses Alice Collin, her sister, and Clara
Carson. The kings best man was the
brides brother, George Collin. while his
secretary, G. e. Shawde, stood near as
master of ceremonies.
The ceremony was the simple one of the
Lutheran church, and as the minister pro-
claimed the couple man and wife the royal
groom raised his hand above the brides
head and in slow, deliberate tone spoke
in kanaka. AS he concluded his secretary
translated the few sentences which, he
said, were:
''As 1 take you, MI allie, to my royal
house l make you queen of women on my
throne"
The word mi alie" the groom explained
later. is equivalent to my souls spirit"
which in the South Sea Islands is regarded
as the highest term that can be applied to
Il woman.
King Oumalie is an American and ma
tive of Newberry, S. c., where he obtained
his title as member of Governor Simp-
sons staff. He was a journalist, assigned
to the task of investigating the Samoan
labor problem in the spring of 1890.
Ill H. l..
night, after the ceremony. Il was ship
wrecked on the coast of New Hebrides, in
the. South seas. Perhaps my white face
may have had something to do with it,
and perhaps it was my training news
paper reporter that made me Il king, in
stead of being put TO DEATH.
Then he related how two of the strong
tribes We're about to go to war. The mill
tary strength OF one was 1.5O0 warriors
and that of the other one-third the num-
Der. He was found by the latter. and in
stead of being killed and eaten they made
him understand the situation. He found
their mode of warfare was for the chiefs
to engage in battle with the chiefs of the
opposing tribes and the ordinary warriors
to follow. He ambushed a few hundred
warriors, then sent decoy chiefs into the
field. In half an hour the strong tribe had
lost Il couple of hundred men and the great
battle for which both sides had been pre-
pairing for five years was won by the
weaker tribe
King O'Melie, of the latter, was so
pleased with the victory that he made
Colonel Hobbs an honored guest, and then
partook of such a large repast of roast
pig stuffed with bananas that he died. He
had no heir to succeed him and a revolu-
tion was threatened. Half the population
of 10000 natives wanted the military chief
to be proclaimed king, and the other half
favored the civil chief. 1t meant the ris-
ing in power of one family and the lower
ing of another. Then an old native suggest
ed that the stranger who had saved their
country be made their king. The idea
grew in popularity. The matter was laid
before Colonel Hobbs. His consent had
provisions attached to it that they did not
at first take kindly to. He wanted can
to this he would be their king, otherwise
the Great White Spirit commanded him
to leave them. They consented, and he
was proclaimed king and for six years has
reigned.
The new queen of the islands is the eld-
est daughter of tailor. She said last
night that she did not wish to be queen of
her husbands subjects, but simply his
queen, and she would endeavor to per-
suade him to spend most of his time in
this country.
Colonel Hobbs and his bride will leave
to-day for Washington after which they
will visit South Carolina. The date of
their return to their kingdom has not been
settled.