Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-02-25
BELGIAN HERO IN THE CONGO.
A Monument to Young De Bruyne,
who Perished Rather Than
Desert HIS Friend.

day, September Q, to the memory Of |
! brave young sergeant in the Belgian
} army who persisted seven years ag'
, on the Lomami river in the upper par
: Of the Congo basin. 1t was no common
] act of heroism to which the people O.
Belgium thus paid tribute. Contribu
tions had flowed in from all parts o.
the kingdom for the erection Of thii
memorial. It was reared near the seq
In the little coast town of Blanken
berghe, West Flanders, the birthplace
of Sergt. De Bruyne, who was scarcely
known outside his native town until
the story Of his self-abnegation was
told all over the world.
The heroism and the pathos of the
act that sealed his fate appealed to all
who heard of it, and 1t is not surprising
that very large assemblage gath
cred at the little coast town that
day to honor the memory of De
Bruyne. It will be interesting here to
recall the tragedy of the Kassongo.
when De Bruyne went back to certain
death rather than desert his fellow
prisoners.
1t was during the war which the
Arab slave raiders began on the Bel
CLANS, which finally resulted in the ex.
pulsion of the slavers from the Con-
go Free State. Before the news of the
Arab revolt had spread through the
Congo country De Bruyne and Lippins,
who were in charge of the remote sta
ton of Kassongo and were still ignor-
ant of the outbreak Of hostilities, were
taken prisoners by the Arabs, says the
New York Sun.
After these white men had been In
the hands of their enemies for nearly
six months it occurred to the Arab
leader. Sefu, that he might be able to
use De Bruyne to get lot Of the
whites into his power. So he sent De
Bruyne in charTe of strong escort
down to the To' ami river, the opposite
shore of which was held by the Bel
gians and their native allies; then
Sefu's subordinates made it known to
the whites that their friend De Bruyne
had come to see them, and, though he
would not be permitted to cross the
river, he might talk to them from the
opposite bank. The prisoner made his
way through the tall grass to the bank
and saw scores of his army friends on
the opposite shore.
"I'm here" he shouted, because
Sefu imagines he can use me to carry
out his purposes. He says he wants to
talk with you about peace and he asks
you to send some officers with an escort |
Of 80 men down the river one mile !
where he will let you cross and he will !
meet you with similar escort. He told |
me to tell you that he felt sure peace !;
could be arranged. Not man here but
myself Can understand French and l
tell you plainly that you must not do
anything of the sort. know what Sefn
is up to and he is only trying to lay
trap for you"
"We'll take good care not to fall into
It," replied the Englishman, DR.. Hinde.
who was in charge Of the party on the
other shore.
Hinde kept talking to the prisoner
while cudgeling his. brain for some
means Of rescuing the young Belgian.
who was almost within stones throw.
De Bruyne stood at the top of the
bank, while behind him were two
shiefs, gun in hand, who were his i'm.
mediate guards. Two or three rods fur.
her back were crowd Of armed Arabs
and natives.
Hinde quietly gave some orders to
his men and kept ON talking with the
prisoner. In a few minutes 90 Of the
,est shots in the white camp had made
. detour and approached the river some ,
way down the stream. Then they qui- f,
fly made their way through the tall /,
ushes to a point directly in front Of A.,
he Arab party.
Orders were given them to cover with :
heir guns as many of the Arabs as pos
ible and two men in plain view were
old to give particular attention to the
hiefs and shoot them If they put their !
uns to their shoulders. Meanwhile .
,e Bruyne had stepped to the edge Of /
he water and begun to battle his feet. c
II suppose you can SWIM" shouted u
he white man to him from the oppo. Q
lie shore.
"Yes," answered the prisoner.
"Well, now, you jump into the water Il
nd swim for US. We can save you be. v
ond doubt. We have the Arabs well o.
overed with our rifles and we'll shoot II
he first man who raises . gun. c,
pring into the river" II
The European spectators of the n
,ene say that about q minute of ter. Il
BILE silence followed. There sat the 8
Dor fellow who for a half year had al
cen in the hands of his enemies. The n,
hite men said they could save him a
I'D 9 few swift and strong strokes II
ould almost certainly land him among
10 friends. He bent bis head and b,
fought II over for q little. Then he Al
zoe to his feet. en-
"No, boys" he said, ard like to do II, hi
1t l can't. They'd kin Lippins in an 10
yur II went over to you. We've been in
gether in this pickle and couldn't 40
ink that I'D saved myself and he'd "a
Il to die for 1t. Thank you all the
ma I'm oninv haoE "