Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-12
DEATH OF MAN WHO
STARTED EVELESS EDEN
'peclal Correspondence of The Star.

SYDNEY. Australia, September -, 1905,
the death of August Englehardt,
news of which has just been re-
ceived here. the world has lost its
queerest crank He was the last
survivor Of the little sect of naked,
fruit-eating sun worshipers which he es-
tablished on a tropical island He sought
to regenerate mankind by starting an Eve
less Eden. He and his two followers pos
sessed the courage of their convictions and
perlshed rather than abandon their expert
meut.
Englchardt was no ordinary man. lie was
a native of Bavaria. a university graduate
and an author of considerable merit. He
might have made something of mark in
the world II he had not sickened of civil
ization and its ways. 1t is sad that the
failure of woman to reciprocate his af-
lection was the cause of it, but this is
mere conjecture and due to the fact that
the fair sex was excluded from his scheme
for restoring mankind to an earthly para
disc. He believed that where woman came
the devil was sure to follow and he didn't
intend to run any risk OF getting into the
same sort OF trouble that Adam did.
II was his opinion that the human race
originated in the "suu-blcssed tropics. and
only there could it obtain fresh start on
the right track. IN ittl ne came 10 4Nt"
Britain in search of a suitable place for the
establishment of Il community which he
fondly hoped would form the first link in a
chain of similar settlements that would
eventually grid the earth. lie purchased
the little island of KabakOn, situated IN
the Duke of York group and about fifteen
miles from Herbertshoe. the seat of the
German administration in New Guinea. 1t
is l85 acres in extent and cocoanut trees
flourish there in abundance. He believed
that living in the primitive fashion re
quired of those who Joined the order II
would suffice to maintain 10 men.
Il have proclaimed kabakon an open
fruit garden and sun grove, he said N a
letter setting forth his ideas. for the pur-
pose of retaining degenerate MANKIND 70
their true state of existence. VIII Setue
IL with fruit-eatlng sun wOrShlpciS 10 rear
great. pure. true sane men by giving IT'S
members natural conditions OF NE. VIII
send out as missionaries members OF Ihe
Sun Order who have been tried and found
10 be true natural-living men. In this
way | shall establish similar colonies round
the whole equator Inc more people "no
join me and the greater the means placed
at my disposal the quicker will these
colonies be formed
Expecting a rush of applicants he laid
down very stringent rules as to the cOndi-
tons on which candidates for earthly per-
lection and human regeneration should be
taken. into his island paradise. Among
them were the following:
20 Only men of noble and excellent
character will he admitted.
"(2) Each applicant must be recommended
by two respectable credible persons, APP
proved by the leader of the Sun Order.
.'C3) A payment of $3.50 for such as can
afford that amount; for less wealthy per-
sons a sum corresponding to their means
and for the poor sun worshipers nothing at
ALL"
He insisted that his followers should
never under any circumstances wear a
vestige of clothing. He held that clothes
poisoned the system and that by intercept
ing the rays of the sun the source OF an
life of ali mind and all strength they
prevented the attainment of a perfect hui
mainly Marriage he also regarded as an
abomination and strict celibacy was en-
ioined. Fruit which ripened in the sun was