Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1900-07-13
DEATH OF SAMORY.
A Man Who Once LOrded 1t Owe,
100000 People In West Africa.

Man Who Once Lorded 1t Over
100000 People In West Africa.
The Emir Samory, who has cut n lar
ger figure in the affairs of west Africa
for the past 20 years than any other
native, has just died, prisoner in the
hands of the French, at Libreville, in
the Gabun region. His prestige and
power had been waning for some years.
About two years ago the French caught
their old enemy near the northern Dor
der of Dahomey, carried him to the
coast and kept him under guard. SO
that he might do no more mischief.
They were very happy over the down.
fall of Samory, who had given them
more trouble for many years than all
the other native potentates in west At
RIGA together.
Samory was n slave when he was n
little boy. The chief who owned him
gave him rs n ransom to another chief
for woman who had been taken can
tive. Samory's new owner was an i'm
portant parsonage in west Africa, the
Marabout Sorry Idrahinu, and as his lit
tie slave grew UP he attracted much at
tention from the marabout and from
everybody else in the country who had
anything to do with native politics. for
Samory became a young man or great
intelligence. courage and talent for in
trigue. He was so bright that the
marabout made him his chief adviser
Samory always looked out for No. l in
n very Keen and able manner. One
day he thought he saw n chance to bet
ter his fortunes. and SO he deserted his
old master and Joined forces with n
more powerful chief. 1t was n sorry
bargain for the latter for in n few
years Samory turned against him. de-
teated him in battle and took the whole
country into his own keeping. He was
now prince on Ills individual ac-
count. with thrche OF his own, and
he began TO enlarge the borders OF his
dominion.
Samory's career OF conquest was
brilliantly triumphant. He compelled
one petty chief or kinglet after another
to beg pardon for the resistance they
offered and proclaim themselves the
vassal OF the great Samory. He set
out to conquer about 100 little states
In the interior OF west Africa and car
ried out the job with great thorough
ness. by the time he got through he
was the absolute master OF 500.0O peo-
pie in the western Sudan and lorded IL
over country east of Liberia and Sier-
ia Leone that is larger than most of
the states of Europe.
But Samory was not satisfied with
the empire he had carved out for him.
self. He wished TO be master OF the
whole western Sudan, and on account
or this ambition lie got into hot water
with the French. He would push into
the territory they claimed on the up-
per Niger, and they would drive him
back. Then the French would push
up the Niger into Samory's realm, and
he defeated many n French expedition,
Tor 1t was long before the French sent
party against the powerful native
that was adequate 20 cope with him.
1T was not till 1891 that they finally
dealt him series OF blows that great
ly damaged his prestige and stripped
him of considerable territory.
The conflict waged for years after
that. Samory gradually losing all he
had gained. until i'm the last stage OF
the struggle he was driven from pillar
TO post, mere hunted fugitive The
French flag now floats over all the ter
ritory that Samory acquired. and the
OLD emir probably welcomed the end
that has come at last he had lost ev-
erything that made life desirable
New York Sun.