Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-05
TELLS OF CRUELT|[S
CongoFree State Missionary's
Impressive Recital.
LEOPOLD WILL NOT ACT
DIR. MORRISON, SOUTHERN PRES
BYTER, TALKS AT LOUISVILLE.
Women and Children Killed or Captur-
ed-Belgian- Government Apathetic-
Captives Treated Cruelty.

LOUISVILLE. KY, April 5-Mr. w. NJ.
Morrison. southern Presbyterian mission
ary to the Congo Free State, in speaking 10
the Presbyterian Ministers Association
here, gave an impressive recital of the
alleged barbarities practiced upon the ma
tives of the Congo Free State by those
holding the power, and of the obstacles
thrown in the way of their correction by
the authorities.
Il lived with the people for seven years.
know what am talking about" said Mr..
Morrison. Leopold has there native
cannibal army of 10000 men. oficered by
white Belgians and armed with repeating
rifles. These men, representing the worst
and most savage type of the natives, were
first caught, then carried far away from
their homes and forced into this military
service. There. in turn, this cannibal SOL
diery is used to compel the natives to bring
in enormous tribute of ivory and India rub
Der 1t is worth noting that the King Of
Belgium is today reputed to be the largest
dealer in ivory and rubber in the world.
Unspeakable Cruelties.
LAS a result of this forced labor and mill
tary service, great and unspeakable cruel
ties are practiced on the native people. il
have seen number of times at least $4,000
cannibal soldiers of King Leopold; l have
seen these soldiers securing through the
forests and. after catching a number of
men whom the government wanted as Ia
borers, going away with the captives tied
together by ropes around their necks.
Raids upon villages are being constantly
made, some of the people are killed and
eaten, others are carried away into captlVl-
ty and sold others are forced into military
service. can buy all the slaves you want
at Luebo, at SO and $15 apiece.
when these raids are made the most
awful cruelties are practiced.
Atrocious Treatment of Natives.
Innocent women and children are killed
or captured, hands are cut off to be taken
back to the white Belgian officers to show
that the work has been well done and great
section are being depopulated. One OF these
raids was made near one of our mission
stations-one of our missionaries went to
the scene and counted eighty-one hands cut
off and drying over a fire to be taken back
to the Belgian officers; forty-hve dead
bodies were counted lying near by.
1.-The Belgian government makes tne
usual stereotyped denial of these charges.
l have seen personally the governor OF the
Congo State. He won't do anything. nave
been in the palace of the King of Belgium,
and have seen the most prominent oInclals
of the Congo government.
Refuse to Do Anything.
''They won't do anything. The Englsn
government is greatly interested in the sit
uatlon. At the request of Lord LansdoWne
| preferred a statement of such outrages as
had come under my own observation.
consul Roger Easement, as English ana
acting American representative In the Con-
go State, has just made a tour of investlga-
ton. and his report, in the hands OF our
government at Washington, presented
most deplorable state of affairs AS
government we do owe something 70 the
10000 900 of black people in the congo
State What are we going to dor