The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1907-07-05
CANNIBAL KING
Columbia Visitor Tells Some Mar
veI0uS Tales.
Says He Has Been King in New He.
brides Islands and Is Now a
Newspaper Magnate.

brides Islands and Is Now a
Newspaper Magnatc.
Col. John T.. Hobbs, a native of the
Ouch Fork of Lexington county, who
has been king of the cannibals i'm the
new Hebridos Islands, Oceania, part
owner Of ''The New York News" and
part owner and proprietor OF the
New York Review Of Reviews, accor-
ding to his statements to a Columbia
Record man Thursday morning, is
in Columbia, visiting his kinsman,
DR.. j. Edwin BOozer, 1916 Blanding
street. He hasn't visited his king
dom I'm IL years, he says, but is still
king, and is thought by his subjects
to have ascended into heaven. He is
at present resident OF New York.
Col Hobbs talked freely, when To-
Gated by Record man at the Bailey
Copeland store With him was his
little daughter. He Is a man Of
about fifty, but wore a jaunty red
tie and a ncver-fading smile.
Pulling himself together within
an air of case, the colonel proceeded
to tell Of his experience. "In the ear
~ eighties my health began to leave
me and my physician insisted that
in Australia. This | did and | soon
gained flesh and strength and |
sought my native land. / came back
to this country in 1885 and studied
law for two years in Atlanta. My
health again failed mo and | went
back to Australia and from there to
the New lIebrides islands. The ma
tivcs OF that country at once took a
liking for me and made me their
king against my will. They gave me
everything and did everything to
make my life a pleasant one.
II left the islands in 1889 and
went to New York, where was mar
RED. With my wife | returned to
the islands, and she was made queen.
taught them that 1t was wrong to
eat their fellow man and soon they
learned 1t was wrong and developed
into great hunters and fishermen and
lived ON their catches.
There arc over two hundred is
lands in the group and upon each .s-
land tribe lives and each tribe
speaks a different language. ! soon
learned to speak their tongues and
many learned to converse with me in
our language.
Each time that left the island
they firmly believed that | had gone
to heaven, returned to the Great
Father that gave me to them. The
last time left was in 1887 and |
have not returned since. My home
is in New York and my business is
the same as yours. newspaper bust
ness. ! am interested In several pub
lications of the great metropolis and
at present | am on the staff Of the
New York News. Leaving here |
will go to my native home, up in the
Dutch Fork, where | will spend
few days and from there | will go to
Atlanta, where | have some property
to look after
"From Atlanta | go to Washington
where have an appointment will,
President Roosevelt on the 10th Of
July, and from there go to New
York. Then | go to my summer
home, at Palcnvillc, Catckkill noun
tains, New York. My wife and
Youngest child are there now"
The colonel has not been back to
his island since he left them twelve
years ago. The affairs Of the islands
are looked over by two of his chiefs,
one ii big giant, seven feet, ten in
ches in height and the other a mid
get.
Col. Hobbs says he will never re-
turn to the islands unless something
goes wrong and his services are need
ed
Col Hobbs is related to the BOoZ-
crS, FlcaZerS, IIouscals and other
prominent families Of Columbia and
a number throughout the State.