The sun., 1903-05-17
DEATH OF AN AFRICAN DESPOT
Ex-KING MWANGA ENDS HIS
WRETEHED LJFE ~ EXILE.
When RnIer OF Uganda He KILLED bishop
Warrington and burned Many Chris
tians st tho Stake-Spent His Last
SeArs q Prissner-His Son II King.

WIN WtYST VI NBNUlN sssNssp
HanninEten and burned Many Chris |
tians at tho Stake-Spent Ills Last |
NeArs . Prissner-His Son II King. /,
Tho news comes from tho Seychelles that |
MwAngs, ez-King Of Uganda, has died on |
the island to which he was exiled over five |
years ago. He was King Of Uganda for about |
thirteen years before he Was expelled from |
his country. He asoended the throne before |
be WAS out OF his tsens. and at the time OF |
his death was not over 81 years OF age.
Mwanga while still boy Cursed his un-
happy land with the most terrible atrocities
that have ever been recorded in Africa.
He was the son and successor OF hlng
Mtesa, who was made famous in the writ
ing- Of Spoke and Stanley and half dozen
oth~r African explorers.
1t was Mwanga who cut OF the retreat
OF Emin Pacha southwark and made 1t
necessary TO send Stanley to the rescue
With the coetliest expedition that ever
entered Africa on a mission OF peace. IL
vas he who murdered Bishop Hanninston'
In October, 1886. Ii was Mwanga who
burned scores Of native Christians at the
stake, while thousands who escaped him
hid In the depths OF the forests FAR from
human habitatioD,
Mwanga WAS one OF the three or four
powerful native kings OF Africa. He ruled
over a, least I Oo0 900 Waganda living along
the beautiful north and northwestern coast
Of Victoria Nyanza He was the scion OF
race OF rulers. Though a barbarous mon
arch, ne could trace his ancestry back TO
the time OF Queen Elizabeth, through line
OF eighteen Kings Of Uganda.
In his most powerful days he had an
army OF 5000 men. over 2,o0o muskets
and plenty OF ammunition bought from
Zanzibar traders. Before his father died
the missionaries OF England and France
had obtained a firm footing In Uganda
and the young King at first was largely
under the influence of these white men,
But when the idea suddenly seized him that
the whites might become more powerful
than the King his attitude toward them
changed, and ne resolved to leave no stone
unturned to ruin the missionaries.
Ono day he heard that Bishop Hanning-
ton. a gentle and lovable man. was APP
preaching Uganda from the Indian Ocean
The King at once resolved TO make war on
all whites
Az soon as the unsuspecting Bishop
reached the borders OF Uganda he was
shot. and the fifty helpless porters with him
wore speared to death. Mwanga then
declared his Intention OF killing all the
native Christians in his country and destroy
ine all the work that the missionaries had
done in six years.
Most OF the Kings atrocities were crowded
into the hrst six months OF 1886. One day
be called one Of his pages to him he knew
the lad was a Christian.
.Can vo,1 readt" he asked
~Yes,' the boy boldly replied.
VI will teach you to read. cried the King.
And veizins q spear he gashed and hacked
The head OF his faithful servant until he
xas tired and then had the boy led away
for execution.
Il viii have no readers In my court,
shouted the Sins. Thereupon he ordered
ffty Of his ps -s<o be brought before him
He suspected they were Christians,
and over forty 81 them boldly avowed
their new faith. Not one Of them would
lie or renounce Christianity to save his
life. All these boys were shockingiy mutt
lated and then we're tied TO trees, fuel was
pfied high around them and they were
burned siive,
Then seventy OF the len ding nstive Chris
Ii, rs were seized at their homes, led in
chair,s to the King and met their fate at
the stake The young monarch remarked
ttsct God did not seen able to rescue the
Christians from his power.
Its executioneYs appeared before the
hut of a native member Of the Protesta mt
C@;urch Council TO arrest him, but we're
afrsid to enter.
.Do not be afraid that will shoot you.
cried the man. Come in and take me-
He wet; led bound before the King. who
s6ked him:
rCsn you reads'
sYes.' was the answer.
sTske him and roast him. was the grim
sentenes.
Another man. when or dered to death
ssid: BE 1t 50. am Christisn and
lam rot sfv Id to die
One OF the Kings doc rkeepers was told
that nj. life would be spared II he would
rsnounce his now religion. He said he
would not, and one OF his hands was hacked
on and thrown into the flames before his
syes He was again asked II he would
rocant, and again he refused. One Of his
lees vas then cut on and thrown into the fre
Ysebiy the poor sufferer spoke the words
81 wiiI die Christian. and the flames soor
ended his agony.
The annals Of rnartyrdom show no hne'
sxsmplse Of heroic foftitude ana unsnaKef
faith than thess Uganda nassacres present
H.,nd,eds OF the natives we're killed
Within . month q storm OF persecution
b>san to raxe With such violence that thos'
Who were still unsoathed knew that the!
must nee or take their turn at the stake
Tho,,ssnds Of them stole away from thei
herpss In the dead Of night and soattere<
throusb ths great woods to hide from thei
u1vsl ruler and i've ~ hest they could ol
tls game they might kill and the fruits o
~ t0rnsts.
no nASionares were prisoners In Ru
bAka, Vikings town. When the mas
saHres ceased. because there were no NOR
victims within reach, the King decided u
~ several missionaries leave his country.
He kept two Of them. however. the famou
AIeaasdsr Mackay and Father Lvinhac
bseause they were skilful mechanics an
Mxsnsa could utilize them to build hi
houses. They drudged away for man
uonths around the Kings grounds befor
a British military force brought their da
Q! rs,eaes.
Il vs. long before the troubles In Ugand
vsns settled. There was terrible CIV