The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-02
JUSTICE IN DARK AFRICA.
A TRIAL OF RIOTERS IN DoNBua
CONGO CHIEFDOM.
Points or Resemblance TO the Court Preeeea.
inEa IN Civilized Bauds-Aise Potato OF pir-
fe~rence-s1en Bring Their Sewing to Ceure.

ference-Men Bring Their sewing to CeuFt.
Fom the Columbia State.
Tho Rev. Phillips Werner. q missionary from
this city to the Congo Free State, has sent the
State the following interesting account Of .
trial for assault and battery in Africa:
DoMBI. AUG. 10.
About a week ago I was startled, at brSas.
fast time, by the firing Of guns across the hills,
and on inquiry was informed that one Of the
small towns under Dombi, about threequar.
tors OF q milo distant, was In q fight. One Of
the people Of this town, which 10 called Bona
Ubia, had, under the heat Of u quarrel, are6 .
poisoned arrow into one of JokA's men; where
upon Joka's retainers, without proceeding to the
chief and making complaint, had got their
weapons and were making II lively over there
generally. As the firing continued, i thought
1t time to look into matters. so started up
through the town, whore l found Dombi raging
like a mad bull and scolding Joka and the b.
kuba roundly. 1t seemed that tho Bakuba
had drawn out Of the fight, but It was stil go
ing on among the slaves. Dombi said he was
going up to stop 1t, so we went together.
When 70 reached the palm-crowned sum
init groups Of mon could be seen about In the
tall grass shouting out defiance to one IN.
other and brandishing bows and spears In .
lively way. The firing had boon done by old.
fashioned fintlock guns which had got int
the country from the southwest, and which
arc the only kind Of guns allowed to DO sold to
Dombl soon called Off the angry con.bstsntS,
and after q tour Of the different Villages which
our respective headquSrters. .Dombfi told mo
the offenders would BIO tried In court In due
The trial came of to-day. Dombi sent his
son, :Miauye. down to call me up to sec 4. 10
was to take place in the court square Of Bona
When 1 came up / saw Dombi seated on q
carved seat, which l have been told is the an:
1lSu' t fSsps Of w ss0 s sSsoia3o sl HI sl'0 Fb5s smsi
occupied the seat In tho centre Of o semi-clrole
esSCnsisting of the chief people of the place and
was an utter absence Of the usual savage noise
Eete, BIomba, BakonSo. and other tribes,
Things were evidently TO be done d%ccently and
selves, were two prosecuting attorneys-their
business was to conduct the case against the
%sbi he t Ts. o eIssG ssS@Sd d r. be the VIII RfbinS SHs ,d sOE
der and q Seil seated on the g5ound before
was also vested. With the duty Of Keeping tie
quiet in court. for during the progress 81 the
SsI rang s"t the 'b BEN "G and o. ordered the 's sherir to
make people keep quiet. The Sheriff and his
constable were there. too. and very Important
had any oficiei duty had on that white paint.
mo mote Tb ne ssGIss @ sSsts M In this S,,1 II 4, South snhrt Carp fn
Africa black folks must wear whito.5 Then
on the other side, not far from Joka, were his
y saTeo W 1aiiTiS ses. fG got sh q a stTons r Gas Se T fro% his Is
client In open court for his conduct OF the case.
Then there was the court erier. too, who called
thirty yards er. His friends massed up b:
himself, nor caused It, was, however. held re-
sponsible for the rioting by his followers. and
Cecil Rhodes. he had to foot the bill.
One thing surprised me, and that was that
was not detained in custody. I was tod. how.
would have run off. and there would have beon
NJ bfasmn'SSIE P Si%se i % %as R Rsss up $'i h M ees$S style.
convey a sense OF dignity or mpressiveness yet
that was distinctly the fact as to his bearing
s sTed P Ssantifal,y He o MDss a ea' w SsP' b s%Ss0 ar.
ner, with two eagle feathers in It.. On his arms
and legs were numerous fine bracelets and
anklets. His cloth was simply Respondent with
embroidery. beads, cowries. and other things.
mat, and on this a leopard, skin. upon which the
throne was Immediately placed. Three attend
The long spear was stuck up in the ground 30:
side him, blade in air. Two buffalo tails. also
elaborately fixed up. were evidently some kind
The decorum was wonderful. No one spoke
out Of order. When any one wished to pass
| IL blut u II Nouit ~ ~ oliCi Az WOAu
along somewhat STOPPING. just as l have seen
men do in passing between tho. lawyers and
home. No bowl or other weapons were al
owed. When a stranger came up in the prog,
Eess Of the case with his his weapons She he was told
The women were allowed to sit only at a dis.
brought their sewing along with them. Here
tho men do the sew ing and the women the hoo
ing. These Industrious fellows were going to
| lose no time. their cloth. needles, and thread
The, trial begins Dombi says in loud, com.
deri' Everybody repeats Come to order
and claps Tho hands three times in regular
WAKING and e iff aii oPd iir sn IN the d sRIisss9; sf I wiss
Thomas b. Reed. without that gentleman'a
hindrance of supertiuous flesh. and l believe
% oiSer T tRinss f Rs r nc e ha the fSfiy Of fS going A into Z
dIsgraceful row and having it necessary that
the white man should have to ask what the dis
and read the riot act in vigorous fashion,
When he finished speaking. there was tho
plause, but a regular synchronous movement.
But there was also applause at various points
usual, the small boys in the rear made most
Of the racket and had to be stirred up by the
what like the Clerk Of the court spoke shorty,
and was followed by the, prosecuting attorney.
WIN oIObC Nv thb VIII tio lAiilo "a t""
man who WAS shot. This fellow showed his
slight wound, and then told a long story, parts
of which i could see were made out OF the
whole CLOTH, Then tho accused told his talc.
the main point Of which was that his daughter
was engaged to be married TO another fellow.
when this rascal came up and put his mouth
into it, and wanted TO interfere with the nup-
tials, when he got shot. Then came the turn
for the lawyers whom Joka had retained in
the interest Of the fellow who was shot. One
made IA pretty long speech. but he conyuiscd
the court by asking at the beginning of IL IL II
was such a helnous crime to try to prevent II
marriage which. would, rob one Of the object
of his hearts desire. for did not all mon do
their best to get the woman they wnnted2
The other lawyer then spoke: but II soon boz
came apparent that he was wandering rather
far from tho point; l saw Joka getting very
restless. and nj last he addressed the court, tell
ing his lawyer that he was always going OH
the, path into the grass lJoka,s exact wordsD
and then angrily speaking for himself. ] fear
that lawyer will not smile at the size Of his fee.
Joka is the grcat 'commercial traveller OF The
town and is quite rich.
After Jokas speech things got warm, The
lawyers made passes and thrust5 ana lm-
pcaChed the witnesses in lively style. Ono
woman on the outskirts began TO get somewhat
l-ls at-l1 -.-t 81 IL --a. III --- Ill IHt-4.