The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-01-12
PROF. GARNER IN PERIL
Stricken With Fever in the NildS
of Africa.
His SON Advised That His Father Is
III and without Means. Perhaps
Even Without the Necessaries of
Life-Language of Monkeys the
Special study Of This Scientist.

throughout the world as the man who
makes monkeys talk who Is well known
in Baltimore and throughout the South
and whose son is a resident of this city,
is in serious peril at San Thome, in the
French Congo district.
Harry E. Garner of 1917 Mount Royal
Avenue. received yesterday the following
from s a Merrill cashier Of the Mechan-
les National Bank, Boston:
II you are related to Prof r. L. Car
ner please communicate with me at once"
Mr. Garner was naturally alarmed. Lat
er be received information that his father
was alone. sick. and penniless at the out
of-the-way San ThOme and that DR.. E. E.
Hale and Prof Putnam. Of Boston. were
raising a fund fer the distinguished traT-
eler's aid.
Mr. Garner said last night that he could
not understand how his father could be in
such dire distress unless he had been rob-
bed or otherwise deprived of his foods
all Of which were taken to the Congo from
London and were especially prepared for
the professors use.
The following despatch was resolved
from Boston last night:
Is Prof r L. Garner the noted eX-
pIorer, scientist, and author, dead or hT
ing2
Stricken with the deadly jungle fever,
his emaciated frame gnawed by the pangs
Of hunger and starvation has the daunJ-
less spirit OF this ardent scientist sue
cumbed TO the inevitable, or does the flick
ering life light stiu burn on waiting for
help 10 arrive, in some feveT-sJTickeR ham
let OF darkest Africa2
These are the queries that recent de-
veIoDment, or lack of development, have
excited in the minds of his Boston
friends, including Rev E. E. Hale Prof.
Putnam. OF Harvard, Prof Furber, and S
A. Merrill OF tee Mechanics National
Bank, and grave fears as 10 the possIbilt-
" Of his death are entertained.
1t viii be remembered that Prof. Car
ner sailed from New York on or about
he I'D of last July en- route to Africa.
His aYOwed object was 10 learn the mon
key language, and the interest and appro-
baton of many eminent scholars and sci
entists. including the four gentlemen
above mentioned, we're enlisted IN his
cause.
son the 1st Of last August he arrived
at Lisbon, where he remained until the
21st. making full preparations and gath
ering equipments for his intended expe-
dition-
'cOn the zlst of August ne left Lisbon,
September at SaE Thome, in the French
Congo
while at this place on the eve of his
departure for the interior he was sudden
y stricken with jungle fever, although
his TWO previous expeditions TO the same
place had. in his own judgment, rendered
him immune.
The exorbitant rates levied upon him
for transportation and the money already
T1sd J. fc to
ment had by this time rendered him al
most penniless. and when his funds en-
tirely failed his faithless hirelIngs fed,
leaving him TO fight the fever alone.
While some of his rapidly waning
strength still remained, on November q
he wrote urgent letters 10 Nessrs- Hale.
Putnam. Furger, and Merrill. apprising
them Of his exhausted financial and ply
steal condition, and urging that aid be
Immediately sent him
g a Merrill. Of the Mechanics Ma
Iional Bank. sent a prepaid cablegram to
san Theme IN the hopes OF discovering
Gamers wherea bouts. No reply to this
cabIegram has as yet been received Ca
Diagrams sent yesterday have also failed
to elicit any response. and Mr.. Merrill,
who has been one Of the most sangine
concerning his earIestness. has at last
given Up all hopes
If Prof. Gamers Whereabouts can be
ascertained money and friends are not
wanting TO help along his cause Friends
of the scientist. who knew him by reputa-
ton only, have already started fund, and
hundreds OF dollars have thus far been
subscribed Besides this. his personal
friends. who number legiOns. are ready
and willing 10 advance any amount neces-
sary TO help along his worthy cause But
everybody stands still IN allegiance till
the answer comes 20 the query: Is he
alive or desd2 "
Prof R. L. Garner left Boston last July
for the French Congo where he expected
10 carry OF his experiments for year al
least. His plan was to go into the inte-
rior and live IN a steel cage while con
Quoting his school for monkeys. He was
very sanguine. and said before leaving
that If he should realize one-half Of what
he had ge2d reason to hope for he would
bring bac'z 70 the world q school OF talk
ing monkeys. His experiments, he in
tended, should be confined chiefly TO chin
panzees and gorilIas as he considered
them the most promising pupils
II was not his purpose, of course. 10 at
tempt 10 teach the whole race OF chin
panzees and gorillas 10 talk, but 10 Sc
Iect a few specimens and give them a
systematic course Of training to ascertain
the scope Of their perceptive faculties and
the kind of words that they are capable
of uttering-
Prof Gamers idea of training was 10
use some Of the methods in use in the
kindergartens. and to try the experiments
suggested by experts IN the training of
deaf mutes and feeble-minded children
His first experiment he intended TO be
10 teach an ape 10 count by using marbles,
small sticks and other small objects. He
also intended attempting teaching them
The written figures and their significance.
He proposed 70 begin teaching them 10
talk by selecting simple words which were
as nearly akin Theoretically as possible TO
the monkeys own language. Prof Car
ner had previously attempted 10 teach a
pet monkey four words. but after the
monkey had mastered one OF them he died
and z whole years work was lost
Monkeys. according 10 the professor, do
not all talk the same language One OF the
first things he learned was that each va
Tiety Of monkey had its own language.
and that while IN method all these types
OF speech resenbled each other. they diff
feTed very widely II phOnetics. When two
monkeys Of different species are placed in
the same cage Prof Garner found that
they readily learned to understand each
others language but rarely attempted to
utter the Others words, each continuing
TO speak his CTn lingo. Prof. Garner s
idea WAS to learn more fully the language
Of his pupils as well as 10 teach them 20
talk human tongue and TO converse With
them.