The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1896-09-09
Thin MURDER OF MLIMO
Exploit of an American Cowboy
In South Africa.
FAMOUS MATABELE WITCH DOCTOR

He Had Stirred Up the Native InsurTec-
tion Against the Whites-CowboyB Burn
hams Story of the Killing-MethOds Of
the Witch Doctors.
The tragic death of Mlimo, the most in
fuential of the Matabele witch doctors,
was one of the most dramatic of recent
events in South Africa. Two white men
in the British service, one of them Texas
cowboy named Burnham, stealthily made
their way to the cave in the Matoppo hills,
where the witch doctor lived, found him
there, and Burnham shot him dead. Then
the two white men fed for their lives and
very narrowly made their escape.
The story of the killing is told as follows
by Burnham; Armstrong went straight
at him and said, You are the Mlimo
MANI He seemed staggered for mo-
ment, but said, What then2' So Arm
strong told him we were white men, and
we found we were no good against the
Matabeles. We wanted some of his witch
craft to make their bullets turn to water
when they struck US, just as he had turn
ed white mems bullets into water. We
said we had come to pay our respects to
him and give the presents that the Kaf11rs
gave, but we wanted a blessing in the
proper way, with all the ceremony.
After little hesitation he led the way
and we followed toward the cave. We pre-
tended to be nightly in awe of him, but I
was noting all the signs to see whether he
was the right man. had little doubt
efter first accosted him, and none when
we began to ascend the rocks. AS we got
lVar the cave all kinds of ceremonies be-
gan At every corner he would stop and
way his hands around, singing a low kind
church chant. He had nice voice for
Niger, and he kept bowling and grooming
'L lLt we came slowly along behind him.
All Inc rocks at the mouth of the cave
Ne'e polished with the wear of ages of feet
no hands passing over them. At last we
Ooppea he had begun his ceremonies
suSU Wlthln the cave and went through all
manner OF attitudes and noises There
DIS no mistake about him now would
I.0 rheo TO carry through the ceremony,
:. sI"nclng out into the valley sudden.
so" the nlggers on the move, We were
apP p3 There was no good trying to ar
81 81, nun With that crowd there. All we
DUl1 10 was to look out for ourselves. and
b ~ we could not leave the director of the
b, Uillon TO order further murders OF
MT win women and children.
JuSC ureW bead on him and shot
81 r ,,'e ,I linen we turned and got away.
.E We Went down we set fire to all the hints
VIC LOU OF the hill. In a moment cries
oTo ', ,.le( all over the place. The niqgt rs
~ rushing out from back of the hin
~ die ayllCS Oh them came streaking down
ar %,I u. trails to cut us off. and they
Ia stu via IT, We just reached the horses
IA in lppe9 away, struggling over powders
rso Jumping ~ off rocks as high as the
T SeS themselves "
ne various books that have bean writ
sS t,,2uV the Matabeles, some of them by
i cows r'taeS who have lived for years IL
ofSuhtry, contain no mention of MI;roo
la lived % Nina Inat as long as King Loben
ry n"r,. Nlllmo was only one among the
kers ferrous naor witch doctors and rain
strict Wv, I,'oA Vi Whom, famous in his owr
liver of vas a., oVershadowed by the superior
tho a,u .,le King himself, for Lobenguls
tcb d6ot"' Uhe unapproachable, diviner
las T and rainmaker of the Mata
1'0 alone was pre- eminent in n,vsti,
!o opportunity came after +b.
-t4 The WHY old fellow. NOR,