A MYSTERIOUS PRINCE.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 11648, 4 January 1902, Page 4

A MYSTERIOUS PRINCE.

' Some few days ago (says a London 5,".. ' paper) an Indian Prince arrived at a well-—-±nown West End hotel with a large retinne of Mahommedan servants, musicians, - cooks, singers, etc., etc., Who he was or where he intends to go was, and is still, a mystery, in spite of the strenuous efforts of the hotel proprietor and his staff i to solve the problem. I TT?t Highness registers on the books as j Mr J. Ranjit, is a handsome man, about 28 years of age, has plenty of money, and some magnificent diamonds and pearls. His suite, which consists of twenty-seven males and one lady, are never seen about the hotel during ordinary hours. When the lonely hour of midnight comes round, a stout man, who appears to be . the major-domo, marshals the dusky crowd of Orientals and takes them for a short walk It in the Park to get the air. Their appearance every night at such a late hour, muffled up in multi-coloured shawls and wearing quaint Indian costumes, gives, zest to the existence of policemen on duty in the neighbourhood. It appears that the Prince, who refuses to' disclose his identity, proposes, with two of his brothers, £ "who will shortly follow him to London in the same mysterious fashion, to visit every British colony, and then show, as he says, , "my new idea when the Kino- is crowned at Delhi." papers show that the London papers "sold" themselves through their own curiosity. The supposed Indian Prince, it turned out, was the cook of 'file "curry department" in a big New York hotel, who had been home to India for a holiday, and was returning, taking "with him a number of coolies as servants for,the hotel and other establishments.