The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-11-24
SAYS HE'S LIBERALS ENVOY.
BENJAMIN GAs1ON, a NEGRO WITH
HIs1ORY, ARRESTED HERE

ne Is the Mss who YVES 60 Hsvs LED the
Great Exosu- OF Southern Nesroes 90
| L,berIa - Accused OF Swindiing Now.
BENJAMIN CASTOR. q patrisrchsl-lookinR me-
gro. who says he is the Comm ssioner. Minis
ter Plenipotentiary and Envoy Extraordinary
to this country from President Cheeseman OF
the LiberIan republic, was prisoner in the
Tombs Police Court yesterday afternoon. and.
though charged with fraud. he carried himself
with as much dignity as II he we're going
through the ceremony Of being presented to
the President. He wore black Prince Albert
coat buttoned closely about him. and In his
hands he carried a big umbrella anda silk hat.
His hair and beard are gray. and his features
suggested great benevolence OF character. He
was taller than the big policeman who led him
up TO the bar Of the court. and who told jus
tice Martin that the Minister had been arrested
on q telegram received by Superintendent
Byrnes from i. II. Belcher OF Atlanta saying
that CASTOR had defrauded him out Of $50.
What have you got to say to the charge.
Mr.. CASTOR ?" asked Justice Martin.
Before the Lord" said the old man. u
never defrauded any man. and /. claim the
right Of exemption from arrest. In my person
represent the sovereignty OF the republic OF
Liberia. Let me loose and let me stand as
free man and then | will consider whether
your questions are pertinent or impert,nent.
" There is no evidence here OF your being
will have to proceed" said JUSTICE Martin.
My chief mission here. MT. GAStoh, ex-
South to 60 TO Liberia. / was authorized to
raise Sl5 900 to send 200 OF my race to Liberia.
and made u contract with Eccles. Demnster y
Co ~ Liverpool tocarry the party across from
Savannah. After spending several months
in tho south | found that could only rnise
the number Of my party. then made com
tract TO carry thirty persons to southsmpton
Hn t ser 4m NEXT wednssdsy. The party Is in
readiness. and don't know why, this man
Belcher should have me arrested. ae IL q
may be that he considers have cheated him
because will only carry over thirty instead OF
Juatice Martin was inclined TO believe the
old mans story. but decided to remand MIN
until to-day. Liberia has n % accredited repre-
sentative in this country.
ATLANTA, Nov 23-Benjamin CASTOR Is well
constitutions from the negroes for his schem 9
to deport them to Liberia In the complaint
hsh s9 II se tbs atsr hete
he represented h mself as being the owner OF
real and personal property in Liberia worth fnn
Of the firm OF Elder. Dempster a Co. OF Liver
pool. and that he had been sent over to estab-
uned iG States T pnrticSary in Atlanta for the
ENCOURAGEMENT OF emigration to Liberia Ie
& Sy s saI Sm dWy being eH the
accredited agent OF the Liberian government
Carried away with the bright picture por-
trayed by CASTOR. BelcheE says he became a
ton 4 Co.. with an office on Mitchell street. A
highly coored certificate OF the United states
aud Congo National Emigration steamship
Company was shown him and for this he paid
This was on Nov 10. 1891. and after keeping
the stock until April /. 1893, Belcher became
apprehensve that he had been duped. and
Castor refused to nay. Snd,he has since con;
tinupd to refuse. Finally. firing OF repeated
fruitless efforts to recover his money. Belcher
In he iaii Of 1891. It is said. CASTOR an
nounced among the negroes Of north Georgia
that everything was ready to take them to
Africa, and that by depositinR with him 81
each they would secure passage to the Dark
Continent. The refusal OF negroes throughout
tho South to make contracts for another years
work. the fact that they sold out their belong
tion in Atlanta In the early daysof December
OF that year. were the first intlmatlons the
whites had OF the movement Negroes who
told Of Ths was iva b sonE s ON were
the city negroes worth 900 or $1,000 sold
out for whatever they could get. PRAYER meet
ings were held nightly. to which none but the
The city and State authorities did their best
to disahuse the negroes Of their delusion. but
an strong was their faith In CASTOR. their new
done. The negroes endured several months
of privations in the belief that each day would
bring to Savannah the ships which were to
bear them to Africa: Gradually the victims
work. buoyed up with the message from Gas
ton that the Lord was only trying their faith
that In time they would come out OF the desert
as did the children OF Israel
The amount Of money CASTOR raised 10 vari-
ously estimated at from SlbOOO to so. 900.
The colored preachers are a unit against him.