The herald., 1897-01-22
A PUNITIVE EXPEDITION
Will Visit Benin City, the Place
of Blood
MASSACRED ENGLISHMEN
Will Be Avenged With All Due Prompt.
tude
When All Is Over There Will Be No
Obboah, King of Benin
City.
Associated Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
LONDON. Jan. 21.-The Evening
News publishes this afternoon a dis
patch from Lagosa, capital of the Brit
lsh West African colony of that name,
giving details of the massacre of the
British expedition under Gen. r. A. Phil
lips by the inhabitants of Benin city
early during the present month. The
party consisted of Consul General Phil
lips, Major Copeland, deputy commits
sioner and vice consul in the Niger coast
protectorate and adjoining native ter
ritory; Capt. A. M. Boisragon, comman-
Gant of the Niger coast protectorate
forces; Capt. Mailing of the Sixteenth
lancers, an officer of the Niger coast pro-
tectorate force; r. F. Locke of the con-
sular staff, H. c. Campbell of the con-
sular staff, Dr. r. H. Elliott, medical
officer, and Messrs. Powis and Gordon
civilians.
The party was unarmed and was pro-
ceeding to Benin city in order to make
request for conference with King OBJ
boah in regard to increasing the trading
facilities with that part of Africa.
The king having previously consented
that the expedition should visit his cap
ital the nine officers went unarmed, in
order to impress the king with the peace
full character of this mission. ard over
200 native carriers We're taken with
the party to propel the canoes and car
ry presents intended f)r the king.
After proceeding up the river, the ex-
pedition landed at sLct about fifteen
miles from Benin city, and the carriers
We're sent ahead through the dense jun
gle the officers following.
Five miles from Benin city the Off
GERS suddenly came upon arrow detile,
which was filled with the dead carriers
who were fearfuliy mutilated.
Almost imme diately aftarwartl the OH
GERS and their servants wn"+ surrounded
and attacked by hundreds of savases.
armed with guns, cutlasses spears and
clubs and in a few minutes all the mem
bers of the party excepting Boisragon
and Locke were killed.
Capt. Bosragon ard his companion,
after wandering in the bushes for a
week. succeeded in reaching New Ren-
in, wounded and exhausted, bringing the
first authentic news of the massacre,
although seven of the CARRIE party also
succeeded in escaping AMI were the first
to spread the report of the disaster
The affair is looked upon as deserving
punitive expedition. Benin city is
known as the city of blood, on account
OF ltS DelHg the seat or the retlcn priests
of that part of Africa. and because human
sacrifices are of frequent occurrence, the
remains of sacrificed slaves being seen
bleaching In the sun on all sides.
The British warships Phoebe, Wild
geon, Alecto, Barossa, Theseus and Forte
have already been DISPATCHED to the en-
trance of the river BHin.
British officers left Liverpool for the
same coast Saturday, and munitions of
war will follow on Saturday next.
A late telegram from Lagos received
today gives still further detail of the
massacre at Benin on the Niger The
expedition, 1t is said. was greeted in a
friendly way at every town along its
course and received peaceful messages
from the king. but on approaching
from ambush.
Acting Consul General Phillips, DR.
2. H. Elliott and Mr.. Powis fell dead on
the spot. Major p. w. ]. Copeland
Crawford was wounded. Captain Bo!s-
ragon and, Mr.. r. +. Locke carried
him off, but he was wounded again so
that ne died in few minutes. after i'm
ploring his companions to seek theil
own safety and leave him to his fate
Mr.. H. c. Campbell of the consular staff
was captured and taken to Benin city.
but the king had him taken to an adj
lacent village. where he was killed. All
The Europeans who were killed were
afterN'ar6 beheaded. and King Obboah
has sent the finger rings belonging to
Acting Consul General Phillips back as
an act of defiance