The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-13
7IGERMEN ~ AFRICA.
A Bnrbnrous Practice Described by n Wo
mnn Missionary.

n nnrDurOub rncttcr uescrIueu Dy n De-
man Missionary.
The worst rascal in the French Congo, as far
as I know. is the ti9erman. One has TO expert
ence this afiliction to fully realize what it
means. had heard about tigermrn and their
deeds for some years, bu; they seemed to be a
thing OF the past until their doings were revived
in the spring of 1894.
There is a belief among the natives that II
one kills ten chickens. ten ducks. ten goats. ten
child rem. ten women. and ten men he will never
die; and to gain this desired end people are
murdered by wholesale. We lost goats through
tigermen in 1890, but as no persons were killed
no one paid much attention.
The murderer dresses himself In a tiger skin
and walks on all fours whenever near persons
he wishes to kill. but when alone he walks erect.
Small knives carried in tie belt of his dress arc
the Instruments with which these foul deeds
are committed One morning In March. 1894.
we were told that a little girl and her mother
had been Killed the previous night. The wo-
man was awakened by some strange noise and
found the tigerinan trying to carry her child
away. She fought FOR the little girl. and was
cut so badly that she died before morning. Tho
girl was taken away. and only her hands were
found. The rest Of the body was carried of.
The whole country was aroused, but no one
seemed to know who did IL.
-NVN ohN ~ 80 ivy "oo 'iiSa hiAS
camping in the forest with q lot Of older people
to gather palm nuts. AS soon as all was quiet
agnin and the natives began to feel safe. another
case happened. and finally few persons dared to
30 out after night. During the year 1894 TWEEN
ty-four murders came to our attention. One o.
our former mission boys, n lad OF Is. was killed
and only his head was found.
We determined then to stop this horrid Gus.
tom II we could. We inquired OF influential
men who the murderer was. Every one OF them
named the same person, or. rather. two persons.
We promisei that we would not 6etray the ma;
tives, and asked the French official what should
be done. He authorized us to arrest the tiger
men il we could.
We called a big meeting of all the influential
men Of the county, and OF course we sent a
special invitation to the tiGermen. All the pco-
pie came. and we soon had the two murlerers
In our power. and sent them to Mavumba. The
French agent there kept them locked up a little
while and then let them 90. II was too munh
trouble for him to SLIT tho matter, and what did
he care. II II few more niggers were killed.
While this was gong on we lost three goats in
one night. They were killed by tigernen to
show their appreciation OF our part in tho
matter. The men who had been released never
snother district. Our natives were disguised
with the Government because these murderers
shortly after a woman was killed some six
miles from US. We offered the chief our assist
ance, but he did not seem willing to deliver M
the man. although he had been caught In the
act. But the man got his deserts soon enough.
Tho woman was leaving her house In the even.
ing with her daughter. Soon the girl called
ont: Father. some one Is. hurting mother
The father came running. picking up u heavy
stick as he ran. and he struck the tigcrman
the chief and some others took the tiserman
into the bush and gave him the sass wood
poison and when the man died they threw his
body away. The chief told US this was the only
way to get rid of the tigermen. There was nc
use IN taking them to the French. Justice
would not be meted ont TO them, md II they
were not punished severely they would return
and kill more people.
This was indeed the right thing to do. as the
event proved. 1t did frlghten other tigermet
for a time AT least, and we heard nothing NOR,
OF them while we were In the French Congo.