The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-09-08
TRADER STOKES HANGED.
The First white Man Executed In Central
Africa.

The First White Man Executed In Se"r@s
Africa.
The latest newspapers from London con-
tain a half dozen lines about the hanging
OF white man in Central Africa no
Is the first white to meet that .gnomih'-
Gus fate in that region. His name was
Stokes. and he has had a remarkable
career, to which the English newspapers
make no reference. Stokes was one OF
the first missionaries who were sent 10
Victoria Nyanza. In the ccur % OF Re"
Years he thought he saw a chance 10
make fortune in Africa. and he aOan-
doned the missionary field. The grown
of his influence was remarkably rapid ana
was owing 10 his intimate knowledge OF
the country and the great success OF his
business enterprises. IL was due 10
Stokes far more than 10 any other one
man than Mwanga, the fugitive King OF
Uganda was able TO regain his throne.
He has now been hanged in the northeast
corner of the Congo Free State by an
officer of the State, and the dispatch from
Zanzibar says the affair Is creating great
excitement there.
The cable dispatch from Zanzibar Is
confirmed by another dispatch from Brus-
sells telling OF recent events I'm the Congo
state. II appears that when Capt Dhans.
who drove the Arabs OF the Upper
Congo across Lake Tanganyika and out
of the Congo State, came home on leave
of absence. Commandant Lothaire sue
ceeded him in command Of the troops.
Marching north down the Congo. he
caught and executed Chief Kibonge. who
was mainly responsible for the murder OF
Ernin Pasha At the same time he learn
ed that white man had been selling
guns and powder to the Arab slavers and
to Kibonge Later he caught this white
man on the 1turi river. he proved 10
be the trader Stokes. \ court-martial
was organized to try him, and be was
found guilty and hanged. Tie ltun river
is in the northeast part or the staie.
That region was another centre or Afao
slave raiding, and Lothairo must nave
gone there 10 put an end TO the Arab
slave trade In that quarter, just az Dhah1s
had done much further south.
Fifteen or sixteen years ago Stokes
was sent to Uganda by the Church Mis-
sionary Society of England, and for sew
eral years he was one of the most active
OF the pioneer missionaries IN that coun-
try. All reports OF his work were 20 his
credit. lie seemed TO have an unusual
faculty for winning the favor Of the ma
tiycs and for keeping missionary enter
prises moving. lie was believed 10 be
nan of exemplary character and Chris
ecutive ability than any Of his comrades
except Alexander Mackay. and was there
fore more prominent than most Of them IN
the history Of the early struggles OF the
Uganda mission.
Everybody who kept track OF this en-
terprise was much surprised ten or eleven
years ago to hear that Stokes had sud
denly left the missionary service and had
embarked IN business on his own account
as Il trader. lie seemed al the same
time to have abandoned all the high
PRINCIPLES he had prcfessel. and was will
ing to do anything 10 make money. His
business was 10 take anything from the
coast to the lake region that he could
exchange for ivory His principal trade
goods were guns and poyder because they
were what the natives most eagerly cray-
ed. His business was regarded as nefari-
Gus. but he developed II 20 large proper
tons before the prohibition OF tho gun
and powder trade with natives WAS es-
tablished. II Is said that he has since
secretly carried on the trade on large
scale in spite Of the prohibition.
He had some connection with the big
Indian traders on the Zanzibar coast, but
nobody seems TO know just what 1t was.
II is probable that a large part OF his
original capital was provided by them,
and they Of course, shared In his profits.
Some years ago he sent into the In
terror a caravan Of 300 porters. II was
said at the time to be the largest trad
ing caravan ever seen In tropical Africa
with the exception Of one party sent 10
the coast by Tppu Tib
In 1883 the cruel King OF Uganda, Mwan-
ga. was driven from his throne by the
element In his country
dominated by the Arab traders. AS long
as they were supreme Stokes could do
more trading i'm Uganda. The fact was
widely published I'm the following year
that Stokes was really the man who put
Nfwanga back on the throne and enabled
the missionaries to return 10 Uganda.
Mwanga's native supporters were mostly
massed in the Buddu district. and II was
Stokes guns and powder that enabled
them to win the day.
The missionaries have been very much
OF Stokes. and have had little
to say about him for years.
During the year when nothing was heari
from Stanley who was on his Emin re-
lief expedition, and there were many r.
ports OF his death. Stokes kept men Do
Uganda instructed to bring news OF The
explorer to the coast by forced MARCHES.
He withdrew the men, however, just be-
fore Stanley reappeard.
The crime of which he was said 10 %
guilty, and for which he was put 10 death.
s Of the most despicaDle character. DE
vas found guilty of supplying munitions
If war to the Arabs with which 10 fight
iis own race. The whites have been az
war with the Arabs simply because they
persisted In raiding for slaves, a muder-
Jus business which all civilized nations
declared at the Brussels Conference must
De suppressod.-New York sun.