The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-10-01
Brutality on the kongo.

For long time rumors OF the grossest
brutality in the Kolgo Free State, per-
petrated by Belgian officials, have been
current IN Europe. AS these reports were
largely of English origin little attention
Was paid TO them on the Continent. There
are large and fourish;ng American Bap-
list missions on the river, from Matadi
20 Upoto, thousand miles up stream. Cor
roboration Of these cruel rumors might
have come through that source to the
United States were II not the policy Of
the mission people to refrain from criticism
OF the Belgian authorities. who have al
ready used them very badly, and do not
favor Protestants.
The American Baptist Missionary Union
acquired the Livingstone Island Mission,
near Matadi, which was established before
Stanley organized the Kongo State. But
the State took away this property by
threats of force, and compelled the mis-
sion TO locate in a corner. On an elbow
of rock. about the worst place in Matadi."
The compensation promised has not been
made, and the Beigiars patronize the Jes-
nit missions 50 far as they have any occa-
sion to use religious services at all Il
was in 1895 that Captain Lothasre, a Bel
gian officer, operating on the eastern line
IL Lac oldtS -lAAS llc I-AS4-su Z dL-iAS LiSS-
sionary. Stokes. as was suspected because
Stokes influence was obnoxious to the Of
fcials. but for the alleged offense of fur
n:shing arms to slave traders. This event
conveyed attention upon the methods of
the authorities. and Lothaire was subse-
quently dismissed from the service and i'm
prisoned
Quite recently the official system has
been forced into notice both in America
and in Germany. In this country this
has been accomplished by the publication
in the September number of the Century
Magazine OF z. ]. GIaves journal preced-
ing his death at Matadi, in May. 1885. In
Germany it was brought about by a letter
from a German in the service of the Kongo
State, which was written In February last
and is now a matter Of comment IN the
Continental newspaper press. Although
two years have interviewed between the
writing OF the ewo documents, they cor
roborate each other with detailed fidelity,
and show that no change of method has
been made
korgo is in no sense Belgian colony,
and every attempt to give Il a political
connection with Belbium has failed. ex-
cept that the Kings Government receives
a subsidy from that country OF $4,000 an
nually. The State is under King Leopold
and three department chiefs selected by
him. II is already in debt 10 the extent of
$4,000 600, and runs In debt for current ex-
penses about $4,000 annually. 1t is a trad
ing concern, and in lieu of taxes forces the
native villages to contribute without pay
an indefinite amount of rubber and ivory.
the principal exports. A large part OF its
army is composed of unpaid native SOL
diers recruited from cannfbals, and IN the
upper valleys from Arab slave hunters.
When turned into soldiers these men.
dressed IN authority. become bloody and
cruel masters. In a Ike way carrier serv-
ice is forced around the rapics OF the
lower river for 100 miles from the ter
minus of the railroad 10 Leopoldville. The
carriers not unfreQuently fall by the way
from carrying their heavy burdens when
i'll. and their unburied bodies are left to rot
by the trail
The worst indication occurs when a vii
lage fails TO fill the requisition made upon
1t for ivory, rubber, or salt. Then the sol
diers are turned loose upon II. The huts
are burned; the inhabitants are shot down
or driven into the wilderness: women and
children are taken prisoners under the
hooking name of 'liberes" and carried 10
the jesuit missions. hundreds of miles
away, where they rapidly die of famine
and fever. Women are fogged and put
IN the chain gang for idleness or attempts
at desertion, and hang.ngs are common
at the PRINCIPAL stations. OF these forays
the soldiers bring back CHASTITY tokens.
They sever hand from the body dry II
on a charcoal fire, and bring 1t 10 the STA
ton as trophy. Says the German cor
RESPONDENT: I'm this way about 200 nu-
man beings have been mutilated near our
station alone in a single year. Nei,h-:
women nor children are spared" He also
reports that the lives of the natives are
considered of no account by the authori-