Show A PROMINENT GERMAN Dr Irmer a Visitor in Salt Lake Yesterday I IMPERIAL GOVERNOR OF THE I GERM POSSESSIONS Ruled Over n Kingdom of Cannibals With Whom Civilization Makes I But Slow Progress A Captive Savage King Dr George Irmer imperial governor of all the German possessions in the Pacific ocean was the most distinguished personage per-sonage entertained by Salt Lake City I yesterday Dr Irmer arrived in San Francisco Fran-cisco last Wednesday from the Marshall Islands by the steamship China and is I now on his way to Berlin in obedience to the mandate of Kaisar AVilllam whom it is understood intends his Paeiiic representative I rep-resentative for a more important diplomatic diplo-matic post Dr Irmers powers in the jurisdiction over which he has ruled for the past three years have been despotic so far as any appeal from his final decision was concerned Ills dominion has extended durIng that time over the Marshall Brown and Pleasant islands New Guinea New Britain and the Solomon isles em bracins a population of over 300000 natives na-tives and only several hundred whites For the purpose of enforcing his commands com-mands the menofwar Moewe Falke and Bussart have been stationed in those waters and were directed by Governor Irmer The rule of these possessions has been wholly of a military nature since their occupation by Germany Besides looking after the commercial and interior business interests of the colonies the governor is vested with judicial authority holdn in his hands the lives and liberties ties of both the white and brown subjects of the emperor The temper of the executive exec-utive was sorely tried in preserving peace not only between the contending tribes but in protecting the lives of the few ute colonists and traders that form a creat part of and touch at his dominions domin-ions WARLIKE CANNIBALS Dr Inner gave a most interesting description de-scription of the warlike Kanakees that make up the native population They are more aboriginal in their customs than any other South Sea savage more than 15000 of these inhabiting the Solomon and Pleasant groups of islands being cannibals with all the ferocious instincts of the dusky skins so popularly described by Defoe only Dr Irmers flesh feasting subjects were realities and not the dreams of fiction Several times during his government I gov-ernment of the islands parties of white traders have been captured on the Solomon Solo-mon or Pleasant shores and devoured The most notable Instance of such a horrible hor-rible atrocity happened during the present I pres-ent year when four officers and seven sailors of an Austrian manofwar land Ins for water supplies never returned to the ship while evidences of their fearful fate were afterwards found some miles inland from the shore A curious feature curous of cannibal tribes customs is the manner in which victims are sacrificed to the traditional tra-ditional triumph of these people Prisoners Prison-ers taken in war have their hearts cut I from their bodies and eaten by those I who captured them I is believed that the heart contains all of the virtues of its possessor therefore the idea obtaining obtain-ing in devouring this portion of the body The finger joints are considered the choicest choic-est piecemeal and these are taken to satisfy sat-isfy a connoisseurs ippetite for human flesh Several cases of cannibalism have been punished by Dr Irmer but he sa stat s-tat it does no good for the very apparent ap-parent reason that morals are yet among the ethical questions of civilization S ttle comprehended by the treacherous Kan akee VERY PRIMITIVE COSTUMES An idea of their primitive state was given by the governor who went on to describe the ballet costumes worn by balet the cannibals of the Solomon and Pleasant islands For the men it consists con-sists of the simple fig leaf attire celebrated cele-brated in Eden Their spouses wander about just as they entered the world In the southern islands where the savages are more accustomed to relationship with Europeans more clothing Is worn but In all cases It is scant enough Probably the most dramatic person with I whom the governor came In contact dur governor ing an enforced study of strange conditions con-ditions was Mataaffa the exiled king of Samoa who with a royal retinue of 12 I chieftains Is spending his imprisonment in the Waisball islands under the guardianship I guard-ianship of the governor The triangular alliance of America England and Germany established a I protectorate over the Samoan group after the war between Malateo and Mataaffa j was ended by the banishment of the old king and the recognition of Malateo Governor Irmer was held responsible for the safe keeping of the royal prisoner I Constant intercourse with the dethroned monarch crave the governor ample op I portunlty to become intimate with the I exking I I SENSIBLE AND DIGNIFIED I He found Mataaffa a very sensible and dignified man appreciative of the kindness kind-ness that has been shown him In his captivity but pines for the scenes of home just as any cultured Napoleon would have done on his St Helena An odd cirsumstance was that of Mataaffa and Governor Irmer sitting on board I German manowar discussing European politics over a good cold stein of beer A cas of Americans for whom Governor Gov-ernor Irmer has the utmost respect and rood will are the missionaries from the Northern Methodist church who have j their headquarters in the Marshall I islands at Kussal They have done more toward gaining the confidence of the natives na-tives than all the breechloading rifles in the world I Many of the most savage tribes have > become Christianized through the efforts of the missionaries and their work Is not only encouraged but protected by the governor who frequently acts In conjunction con-Junction with them on political matters Six of Mataaffas bodyguard are Catholics Catho-lics the other six still preferring the more picturesque forms of their fetisch worship The only export from the Island Is the finest quality of copra in the world the very heart of the cocoanut It is used for seasoning and chocolates The two largest larg-est firms engaged in the trade are a company at Salnlt and Henderson 4 Macfarlane of Sydney Australia Dr Irmer roes direct to Berlin to there present pre-sent himself to the emperor I |