The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-23
King Prempeh Frightened by Maxim
Guns Into Groveling at the Feet
Of His English Masters.
AN INDEMNITY DEMANDED
HIS FALLEN MAJESTY ASKED TO
PAY $4,000 OUNCES OF GOLD,
And because He Couldn't or WOuldn't
oners and Taken to. the Coast.

CAPE COAST CASTLE British West AZ
rica, Jan. 22.-The following details of the
palaver between Sir Francis Scott, COM
mander of the British expeditionary force.
and King Prempeh, of Ashantee, when the
latter made his submission to Great Britain.
at Coomassie, have just been received from
that capital:
The troops formed in the principal square
OF Coomassie at o'clock in the morning on
Monday last, preparatory TO the grand pala-
yer. Sir Francis Scott and his stan were
seated in sem-circle in the square shortly
afterward, and an officer was sent to the
palace with instructions to press on the
mind of King Prempeh that If he did not
appear before the British commander within
FIVE minutes after this summons that he
would be taken from his palace by force.
The King made show of resistance, but
finally accompanied the officer, surrounded
by an escort, to the square. Arriving there
King Prempeh took his seat on the stool of
state. After few formal words had passed
between the King and Sir Francis, through
the interpreters, the King descended from
his stool and shook hands with the British
commander. The latter was then introduced
to the British Governor, who recited at
length the negotiations which had been con-
Quoted between the representatives of Great
Britain and Ashantee, ending by informing
the King that he must formally submit to
Great Britain and give up Immediately $4,000
ounces of gold as an indemnity for the ex-
penses incurred by the British government
in sending an expedition to bring his Maj
esty to terms. The King was also in
formed that he must keep the streets clean,
maintain order among the populace. and
disturbance among the natives.
King Prempeh was greatly impressed by
the show of force in the square. the Maxim
guns being conveniently posted and every
yard being utilized by the British and their
native allies. Finally, the King. through an
interpreter. replied that he was ready to
submit to the British, took off his crown
and medals and advanced to the seats
formed by biscuit boxes on which Sir Fran
els Scott and the Governor were seated.
surrounded by their STATS. His Majesty
then placed his head between the feet of
Sir Francis Scott and those of the British
Governor, clasping them with his hands and
actually groveling in the dust as mark of
his complete submission to the power of the
Queen of England. This display on the part
of King Prempeh greatly impressed the
tated, and talked excitedy together. But
they made no attempt at resistance, a step
which would have been useless in the face
of the British expedition and the deadly
rapid-fire guns.
GOLD DEMANDED.
The Governor finally made the King arise
and recalled to his Majestys mind that he
had been requested 10 Immediately pay fifty
thousand ounces of gold to the representa-
| tives of Great Britain. In reply, his Majes-
| ty, who was greatly agitated, said he only
| possessed $50 ounces of gold, and that he
| had no means of collecting the fifty thou
| sand ounces demanded by the British. To
| this the Governor replied that such q state
ment was merely child's play, and that the
| demands of the British must be complied
with. as the Kings ability to pay the
amount demanded was too well known to
| admit OF any discussion. King Prempeh
| then asked for time, but the Governor an
| swered that on a previous occasion the
| Ashantees had failed to keep their prom
| ises made to the British, and that the latter
| had no intention of giving them the oppor-
| tunity of doing the same thing again. The
Governor then abruptly announced that
King Prempeh, the Queen mother, the
| Kings father and the other chiefs of inn
| portance present would be taken prisoners
The Governors words fell like thunder
| bolt on the assemblage of Ashantee natives
| and there was an impetuous movement for
| ward which boded trouble. But the troops
| which had been at ground arms" were
| promptly ordered to 'carry arms" and the
| machine-like precision with which the Mar
| ground to the carry struck dsmay into the
Ashantees and probably averted serious
| trouble, for they fell back as if fearing a
| volley from the troops One of the chiefs,
| however, rose from his seat near King
| Prempeh and uttered some shrill words In a
| loud tone of voice. These were interpreted
| that the replies which their ambassadors
| had brought back from Great Britain had
misled them. and that the Ashantees. there
| fore, were not to blame The Governor, In
| reply, said that their ambassadors would
| also be made prisoners and taken to Cape
| Coast Castle, where they. Will be charged
| with forgery in having put their names ap-
| parently to documents of a misleading ma
| ture. 1t is also claimed that these embassa-
| dors were not really the chiefs they rep
| resented themselves to be, but men of a
much lower rank. -
SUDDENLY MADE PRISONERS.
| A strong guard of British troops then
moved forward and surrounded the King,
the Queen mother. the Kings father. the
| prominent chiefs and the ambassadors
without any trouble. so suddenly was the
| movement made and 50 effectively was it
| carried out. The prisoners were quickly
| removed to large house, which was sur
| rounded by the guard and then the Asian
tees were quietly dispersed by the troops.
| The whole affair was splendidly arranged
| and admirably executed. In fact, from the
| moment the expedition was first organized
| until ii reached Coomassie there has not
been single hitch in the arrangements
| and IL has not been necessary to fire shot.
| Every provision which 1t was possible TO
| make for the health, provisioning and ac-
commodation of the troops was made with
the most perfect system. AT each hating
| place huts were erected for the accommoda-
| ton of the British troops, and advance par
| ties were sent forward daily to prepare the
| refreshments The troops have suffered
very little from sickness, considering the
| unhealthy climate, and, strange to say. il
| was the men of the well-seasoned East
| India regiment and those OF the British
| regiment stopped at Gibraltar its way
| home from India after many years serv-
ice in that hot country and sent to Cape
who suffered the most from sickness and
| who also proved less able to sustain fatigue
1 on the march in the hot weather prevailing
\ in Ashantee.
| Finally, it may be said that the submis-
| sion and capture OF King Prempeh will In
sure British supremacy in that part of
| Africa for many years to come. His Majes-
| ", his relatives and the chiefs captured
| will be held at Cape Coast Castle until the
| fifty thousand ounces OF gold demanded by
| the British Governor are forthcoming and
| until all other questions connected with the
expedition and Its objects have been ar