The morning call., 1890-11-07
THAT REAR GUARD.
Stanley Talks at Length With
New York Reporters.
He Claims That His Criticisms Were More
Than Justified.
The Explorers Account Of the Murder Of
Major Barttelot Accused Of Inhuman
Treatment Of Natives.
Special to THE MORNING CALL.

NEW YORK, NOV. til. Nj. Stanley, who
arrived on the steamer Teutonic, was met
by his manager, Major Pond, with party.
Stanley was asked to say something abou.
the rear guard troubles and the stand the
London papers have taken on it since Mr..
Stanley's departure from England. 81 do
not wish to say much about it yet, and have
not read the London papers carefully enough
to express an opinion. l object to stir up
the matter unless l am forced to do so. The
log-books of the rear guard were signed day
by day by the officers of the DAY, Barttelot,
Barre or Kingston, while in camp, together
with the official reports of the officers. /
am justified by all in my censure Of the rear
guard. which was the cause of the attack
made upon me in the book"
With Stanley were his wife, Dorothy Ten
Aide, dramatist, who will act as historian
of the tour, and Lieutenant j. Mounteney
Jephson, the favorite of Stanley.
In another interview, referring to Bart
telot's diar les and Lieutenant Troup's book,
Stanley repeated what he has already said
as to the condition Of the rear guard when
Ho IttuIueu 1IOul AiUcII NydHZd. FTOul
Yamhaya he wrote at once to the Emn Re-
lief Committee. telling them the rear column
was wrecked by the neglect Of its officers
and their Indifference to the interests of the
expedition. Referring to Troup, Stanley
said when he got to Zanzibar one of the first
things he found was a long letter from
Troup violently abusing Barttelot. II never
answered that letter." said Stanley, "be-
n il NODDED nnrSopal inf
there were many questions found it neces-
sary to ask him myself, the principal one
being, Why he and others preferred to re-
main and starve at Yambaya instead of
moving on; why they staid until so many of
their men had died from disease or been
killed. never could get satisfactory an
Swer from Bonney, and hoped 10 get one
from Tr0up. | received another letter from
him, and answered to the effect that If he
would revise it would publish it, as II con-
tained many things unfit for publication.
He was 50 obstinate that he would not re-
wise it, and sent it back. demanding that l
should publish it. did not. Then Troup
wrote me a threatening letter, stating that l
would have TO be prepared TO meet such
measures AS he might see tit to employ 10
vindieate himself. L wrote him, saying if
he thought he was malignad unjustly to
go ahead. l could see many things con-
nected with the rear guard that l should
prefer to keep from the public. but if he
Wished to publish everything hecould do so.
Il have Bonney's report, Troup's two let
! tiers. Wards account, which received. and.
more important than all, have log book,
signed by the Officers day after day. With
out any other evidence that log-book of it.
self would prove that / was justified in my
censure of the rear column which was very
mild, in my letter to the committee. Am |
going to publish that log? cannot say. l
think 1t better to wait awhile, or until have
read Troup'S book. Bonney could relieve all
this criticism by telling hat he knows and
writing a plain, simple story of what took
place and how it was that Major Bartteot
was killed; how it was these men died like
sheep; how it was that this rear column, so
grandly equipped before starting, fell to rot"
Stanley this evening received several re-
porters at his hotel and talked at length
absut the occurrences in Barttelot'S camp.
"'rhe sole cause of the killing" ne said,
''was the Majors violent temper. As soon
as lie reached camp from Nyanza he had
trouble with one of the Arab chiefs, because
enough couriers were not furnished, al
though Bonney told him he had already
plenty. Bartttlot beat the Arab in horri-
BILE manner with stick. Early on the
morning of July 10th he was awakened by
loud singing and beating of drums. Being
informed that it was the African custom in
salutiug the rising sun, lie said, with an
oath, that he would shoot the first
person that refused to stop the noise,
and taking a revolver went out. Near the
chiefs hut he found woman who was
singing and men drumming. The woman
was the wife of the chief and when he COM
manded her to cease singing she paid no at
tention to him, for all natives hated him.
Barttelot then struck and kicked her. Her
husband, the chief, took down his rifle and
killed Barttclot on the spot" From such
reports as he could obtain, Stanley said, it
appeared that Barttelot made himself dis
tasteful to the natives. He had the habit of
ridiculing them. which provoked them very
much. "For these reports" said Stanley,
Il don't rely on Bonney. Both the Arab
and native chiefs went over the matter
very minutely. The log-book of the camp,
signed by BarttelOt, Jameson. Bonney and
Ward. was simply one long account of re-
morseess fogging and inhumanity Bartte-
lot even kicked his own attendant, the little
boy Soulti. and tho boy died from the in
juries inflicted One man took piece Of
raw meat because he was crazy with hunger
and for this he received 800 lashes. AS soon
as the man was able he ran away, but was
captured and shot by Barttelot's ORDERS"
Stanley says Bonney told him, only short
time ago, that half the horrors that existed
in that camp are not yet known. Stanley,
when he returns to England, may bring an
action for libel against Barttelots brother,
in order to have the matter Sifted to the
bottom.
LONDON, Nov. 6.-Troup's book adds lit
tie to the interviews already published. He
credits Stanley with a preconceived idea of
the causes of the disaster to the rear guard,
and with the rejection. as untrue. OF any
statements failing to fit that idea. He en-
larges upon the difficulties of young and
inexperienced officer like Barttelot in deal
ing with willy Tippoo Tib, whom Stanley
himself was hardly able 10 manage, in ad-
dition to keeping control over the camp of
natives.
Troup quotes letter from Stanley to
Barttelot, in which Stanley expressed dis
trust Of Tippoo lib. Troup says that after
seven and a half months had passed, Bartte-
lot and section of the expedition were will
ing to try to advance. but the remainder, in
GLIDING himself, dissented because Stanley
had impressed upon them the Importance of
preserving the stores. He repeats that Bart
telot had ample warnings of the danger he
incurred by venluring out alone.
Lieutenant Troup is inclined to acquit
Tippoo lib of the charge of treachery, and
thinks that the latter met with considerable
difficulty in collecting porters.
The book consists largely of interesting
details Of the experiences Of the rear col
umn and 1roup'S correspondence with
Stanley since the return of the eXpeditiOn