The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-22
BENIN CITY MASSACRE.
First Detailed Account of the
Bloody Affair,


LONDON. Jan. 21-The Evening
News publishes this afternoon a dis
patch from Lagos, capital of the British
West African colony Of that name, Civ
ing details of the massacre Of the Brit
ish expedition under Consul General
J. r. Phillips by the inhabitants Of
Benin City, early during the present
month. The party consisted of Consul
General Phillips, Maj. P. H. W. Cope
nd-Crawford, deputy commissioner
| and vice consul in the Niger coast pro-
Electorate and adjoining native terri
tories; Capt. A. NJ. Boiserag on, COM
mandant of the Niger coast protector
ate forces; Capt. Mailing, of the Six
| teenth lancers, an officer Of the Niger
coast prOtectorate force; R. F. Locke
of the consular staff; H. G. Campbell,
of the consular staff; DR. R. H. Elicit,
medical officer, and Messrs. Fowls and
Gordon, civilians. The party was UNI
armed and was proceeding to Benin
City, in order to make a request for
palaver, or conference, with King
Obbah, in regard TO increasing the trad
ing facilities with that part of Africa,
the king having previously consented
that the expedition should visit his
capital.
The nine officers went unarmed in
order to impress the king with the
peaceful character of their mission, and
over 200 native carriers were taken
with the party to propel the canoes
and carry presents intended for the
king. After proceeding up the river
the expedition landed at a spot about
fifteen miles from Benin City and the
carriers were sent ahead through the
dense jungle, the officers following. FIVE
miles from Benin City the officers sud-
denly came upon a narrow defile which
was filed with the dead carriers, who
were fearfully mutilated Almost inn
mediately afterwards the officers and
their servants were surrounded and at
tackled by hundreds Of savages armed
with guns, cutlaSSeS, spears and clubs,
and in a few minutes all the members
Of the party excepting Boisrago and
Locke We're killed.
Capt. Boisragon and his companion,
after wandering in the bush for a week,
succeeded in reaching New Benin,
wounded and exhausted, bringing the
first authentic news of the massacre,
although seven kroomen of the carrier
party also succeeded in escaping and
were the first to spread the reports OF
the disaster. The affair is looked upon
as deserving of the sending Of a punt
tive expedition to Benin City, known as
the City of Blood, on account of its be-
ing the seat Of the fetch priests of that
part of Africa and because human
sacrifices are of frequent occurrences,
the remains Of sacrificed slaves being
seen bleaching in the sun on all sides.
The British warships Phoebe. Wild
geon, Alecto, BarOssa, Thesus and Forte
have already been dispatched to the
entrance of the river Benin. British
officers left Liverpool for the same
coast Saturday, and munitions of war
will follow on Saturday next.
dispatch received here from Brass,
Guinea Coast, late tonight, gives fur
Their particulars of the massacre OF
Consul Phillips party. 1t says that the
expedition, divided into two parties
wholly unarmed, left Sapele on Jan.
2. bearing all kinds Of presents for the
king of Benin. The first party was
about four hours march ahead when
1t was surprised by a host Of am
pushed Benin warriors and cut to
pieces, not a man escaping. The second
party, suspecting nothing, suddenly
came upon the piled up corpses of the
van guard. and while examining the
scene of carnage, they were attacked
and shot. down from the bush