EUGENE'S DUPES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10359, 14 May 1895, Page 4

EUGENE'S DUPES.

(Peb United Pbess Association.) Wellington, May 13.. Another letter has been received from one o? the unfortunate Wellingtohians who went away to South Africa under the influence of Eugene some months ago. It states that the party went 800 miles up-country by. train, and then journeyed further inland on seven Waggons, some of the younger riding on horseback and driving cattle. After three or four weeks' travelling the waggoners refused to go any further, and dumped the unlucky people down on the banks of the Mashona river, some*2oo miles from the nearest settlement., They had to depend almost entirely upon the game they could shoot. About the end of-; November Eugene told his followers that tha catastrophe they had left New Zealand to avoid had happened—viz., that'-:this colony had disappeared. Bat there were scsptics ia the party, and two men rode to the nearest station in the hopes of, obtaining news. After their return a dispute arose with Eugene as to the ownership of a horse. Eugene left the camp with it for a time, but on being met again was given into the custody of the Bachuanaland.police and charged with haying stolen it. The case against him fell through, but the other claimant gained possession of the horse and has kept it. Ultimately.tha party broke up—Eugene, with'his wife and two others (R. Chamberlain and C. S. Thomas), being.left on trie banks of Mashons river. Of the rest* some have returned to Capetown.