Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-07-15
ROMANCE AND TRAGEDY.
How a Terre fIaute Rarber Became Prcsi-
dent OF and the Richest Man in Liberia.
From the Terra Haute Express.

whose name was Edward J. Roye How
long he lived in Terre Haute the writer
does not know With his career in At
RIGA and elsewhere [ am familiar. In
making his first trip to Africa, he took
his goods out on freight, he himself be-
ing q passenger. The entire value of
His keen foresight soon proved to him
that the merchants Of Western Africa
seldom If ever exhibit any of the article
called politeness. Fortunately for him
he was always well supplied with it;
and to this day people tell of spending
money with him for things they had
little or no use for. Although he was
taken down with the acclimating fever
which every foreign constitution must
pass through, he had but little trouble
from that source. He often told me he
had no tine to bother with fevers. In
less than ten months from the time he
sailed from New York, he was back
with Sc, 900 worth of oil, dye-wood, ivory
and gold dust. Spending but little time
in shaking hands and telling stories, he
chartered half brig in company with a
white man, and about the time his
friends in Africa looked for letter
from him, he anchored the brig in the bay
of Monrovia, laden with a good cargo,
which was at this moment salable at his
own rates. This was the beginning Cf
the career in Africa Of the most remark
able man in many respects the little
black republic ever had within her bor-
der. Following the tidal wave of his
good luck, he put off to England in a
u w. ST. 1,0
English goods, which in many instances
are manufactured expressly to suit the
African Market goods ofpeculiar make
up and color, known only to merchants
dealing with Africa. The point Roye
made In that movement was this He
could go anywhere where the English
held the trade and furnish both kinds
of goods English and American-som
thing no other American ever did.
Crossing from England to America, he
made the acquaintance Of the great
house of Phelps, Dodge & Co.. New York
city, with whom he deposited q snm OF
money and by whom he was introduced
among frst-class merchants, which re-
suited in his purchasing a vessel and
loading her for Liberia, leaving behind
him reputation and money enough to
load vessel in his absence.
The isolated colonists Of Liberia had
not been accustomed to see q colored
man march up the ladder Of success,
therefore all eyes were turned toward
him many with jealousy and some
? with hatred.
The poorer class, who had been Oft
en- deceived in the election of govern
ment officials, broke loose from both
the old parties and elected this new
and now that wealth lay in his path
and honors on bare shoulders, upon him,
the idea occurred to him to get married,
At the house of Ex-Governor Hicks,
where he often dined, was the adopted
daughter of the governor, the pretty,
brown faced Hannah, without kith OF
kin in the world. So in his business
like manner he courted her three weeks
and married her. This to was another
wise hit, for Hannah was born in Lii
IBERIA and could speak five Or six of the
native languages, which is half the bat
tie in trading. Leaving his wife tc
manage home affairs, he bought al
English vessel and cargo out and out
made his first trip to the gold coast,
where the Ashantee war has just been
fought. This was another twenty thou.
sand stroke in less than thirty-foul
months. Returning, helanded at home
in Monrovia, and sent vessel and cargo
to England for sale, and both sold we'll
J. J. Roberts, the first president, and
now the sixth one, has been a lifelong
enemy of Mr.. Roye, and the feeling
was entirely mutual between them. Mr..
i foH NJ
defeated for the presidency before he
also senator and chief justice of the re.
public. In these positions the worst
enemies conld find no fault. An exam
nation of his record as chief justice
will show that he knew how to do some
thing else beside money-making and
money-keeping. His plan of laying a
!, railroad to the interior, in order that
the vast production of that region,
much Of which now goes to waste,
might be used for the benft OF the peo-
pie, was and is now the leading want OF
the republic. But there are fogles and
sore heads in Liberia who would sink
the whole traffic rather than see men
who came there later than themselves
rise in the estimation of the people.
Mr.. Roye was elected president in
1868, the term at that time being two
years. His party being strongly in the
ascendency, thought they could enact
law by which he could hold his seat
without an election, they believing
12O honest voters could be obtained be-
fore the people, most of whom can not
read or write, for signing that act.
Both he and all the heads of depart
ments were imprisoned for nsurpation;
heremaining several weeks in Jail, made
his escape, and in attempting to get to
a British steamer, then lying in the Bay
of Monrovia, he was drowned. The
body was recovered and delivered to his
family and friends, and decently buried
under the waving palm trees in his lot
in evergreen cemetry. The government
confscated some Of his property and
did many little things common in all
places under great excitement.
Mr.. Roye was the wealthiest man in