Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1903-03-13
spuN OUT on wHoLN cLorR.
World Taken In by Yarn Of Massa-
ere and cannibalism.

A great many newspapers and geo.
graphical magazines published last
spring a narrowing story of'thc fate
Of an exploring expedition sent to
New Guinea by the Paris newspaper,
Ia Patue DR.. Henry Rouyer had re-
turned to France with the melancholy
particulars
He reported, in brief, that his ex-
ploring party had penetrated short
distance inland on the south coast of
the great island when they were
treacherously attacked by natives,
who killed rs men, four Of whom were
whites. Thirty-three Others were
wounded, including DR.. Rouyer.
The doctor was Knocked senseEess
By blow on the head. When he
came to he saw the bodies Of his mur-
dered friends Tor the cooking pot.
They had begun to roast the body
Of the unfortunate Mr. Haganbeck
when, just in the nick of time to save
the Mortified doctor, rescue party
burst through the goods, having
beard the screams Of the men The
doctor owed his life to the promp APP
pesrance of these resOuers- La other
words, he lived to fiji several columns
Of La Patrie with the gruesome de-
tails Of this terrible event.
Every newspaper that was worth
its salt repeated the sad story. The
periodicals of learned and dignified
| geographical societies gave it censid-
cradle space.
Petermann's Mitteilungen, one Of
the most scientific publications,
thought that the tragical affair might
have been indirectly the result of the
doings of a person named Kroesen,,
who had been sent to inaict punish
ment upon the natives for stealing,
property from white men in the Brit
ish domain, The magazine said that
according to the logic of the Papu-
ans they would be likely to hold any
white menwhom they might catch re-
sponsible for the acts Of the other
whites.
One little fact mentioned by Reter-
mann's Mitteilungen might perhaps
have aroused suspicion as to the
veracitvaf DIR. Rouyer. This, s,Hs-the
New York Sun, was that nothing
whatever had been heard in the geo
| graphical world of the activity or
even of the existence of the exploring
party before the massacre occurred.
The same journal now desires to
withdraw its report of Dr. Royer's
story 1t says that investigation
proves that the report of the massa-
ere of the French expedition On the
south coast of New Guinea was "a
! frivolous invention of an alleged
member of a pretended expedition
and of the Paris newspaper la Pa
trie." No such expedition had been
anywhere near New Guinea DR..
Rouyer, who so viyidIy reported the
massacre and asserted that he had
been wounded and rescued, has in
fact neverbeen nearer to NewGuinea
than Buaenzork Oh thenisland oil
Java.
The long story which I4a Patrie.
printed was adorned with pictures Off
villages boats and other things pur-
porting TO have been made from phoA
tographs taken in New Guinea. Tie
pictures, however, represent scenes
in the neighborhood Of Butenzofg-
The able narrative Of DR. Henry
RouEer. FAD to say, must berelegased
to the realm of fable It is not the
first time that the imagination Of a
ronancer has enliyened the pages,
nos always picturesque and interest.
i,,,c of onCyro1,hicol ovaloroti0n