The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1904-04-29
WITNESS TELLS OF
BELGIAN ATROCITIES
Story Told bv Former Superin.
tendent Congo Railway.
UNTOLD cRuELTIEs TO NATIVES

Bullets Used to Unload Vessel When
Terrified American Negroes Refused
To Observation-Disclosures They Were
Shot Down by Soldiers.
New York, April ga former su.
perintendent OF the Congo River rail
way, now residing in Brooklyn, gives
some hitherto unpublished facts con-
ce.niLg the brutal treatment OF natives
and others by King Leopolds Belgian
officials. This man Is a. German, who
has lived in America some years.
AT the instance of the Belgian gov.
ernment, took from America 300
negroes to the Congo region iK July,
1897" he said. 81 engaged these men
to work as laborers for the Congo rail.
way for IS cents day and their
board. In crossing the Atlantic we
touched at Las Palmas, in the Cana.
RES. to change steamers.
when we had boarded the steamer
for the ConAo region priests came
aboard and warned the negroes that
they would not be treated as paid
workers but as slaves by the Bel.
CLANS, and begged them to, leave the
vessel and return to America. I told
the negroes that l was not the slave
dIiver'that the priests made me out;
and woulo see that they were proper.
ly and fairly treated and get their
pay and board as stipulated in the
contract.
This was my first experience work.
ing for the Belgian government, and
although l had heard tales Of the cru.
elites OF the Belgians, thought them
exaggeratiGhs. SO I persuaded my
men to remain aboard but their fears
had been so worked on by the priests
that when the steamer reached Bona,
at the mouth Of the Congo, they re.
fused to d.scm bark. The command.
il.g cfficial OF the railroad at Bona
became g'eatly incensed when 1 re.
ported that my consignment of ne
gcoes refused to leave the vessel. He
said that he would get them ashore.
He summoned hundred OF his native
soldiery and ordered them to shoot
into the negroes, who were hudled to.
tGether on the deck forward. | plead.
cd with the official that he order only
blank cartridges to be fired, and he
agreed. Tie volley from the hundred
riae:, however, had no effect on the
frightened negroes, who still refused
to lsave the ship.
"The Belgian official then ordered
his men to load with ball cartridges.
Then, despite my pleading, the 100
soldiers fired at the defenseless, un.
protected negroes. Twelve were killed
outright and about 30 wounded. This
had the effect OF soaring the survivors
into going ashore. I protested to the
Official against this outrage and said
that I would report it to the Belgian
government. He laughed and told me
to tell Leopold all about it. learned
afterward that King Leopold was full
ly aware of all the cruelties practised
by his officials In the Congo.
IL insisted that the dead should be
buried and the wounded attended in
the Bona hospital. I heard afterward
that the unfortunates taken to the hos.
pital received indifferent care. :.
Il had noticed the cruel grins OF
satisfaction on the faces OF the native
soldiers when they were ordered to
use ball cartridges and learned that
not only did they enjoy killing simply
because 1t suited their bloodthirsty
natures, but because the Belgian Off
eTs held out the reward OF promotion
that hose who killed the most persons.
re uninjured survivors of this
way IRE were herded on the wharf
'.ne' uhod together with chains.
''ef' 'n"' ere attached to their necks
In this fashion they were