The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1904-04-06
CHARGES or CRUELTY.
Reply of Brussels Authorities as
to Conditions In Congo.

One Case Of Extreme Cruelty, When
Investigated by the Congo Authorl.
ties, Was Fgnd to Have Been Based
Upon Lies of Interested Natives.
Humanitarian Work.
Washington, April 5.-By authority
of the Congo Free State James c..
Whiteley has given a resume of the
Brussels note issued in reply to
charges made in a recent report of the
British consul in the Congo region.
The consul's report, says Mr.. White.
lev contains number Of statements
OF cruel treatment of natives, but gives
no corroborative testimony, and these
stories are valueless because they
were not investigated. The report he
says, also fails to give times and
places. The resume continues:
"One case, however, which the con-
sui investigated and which he gives as
most fragrant example was brought
TO the knowledge of the Congo au-
thorities and was investigated by
them. This is the case of the boy
Epondo, who claimed his left hand had
been cut off by native sentry in the
service of La Lulonga Rubber COM
pany.
The consul, accompanied by two
missionaries, went to the village OF
Bossunguma and proceeded to hold an
impromptu court of inquiry. The in
jured boy accused the sentry Kelengo
10 his face.
THE consul then questioned the
chief and number of headmen. They
replied by accusing the sentry. Most
Of them declared that they had been
eye witnesses of the deed The con-
sui asked whether there were anv
more witnesses and nearly all those
present about 40 persons, shouted out
with one voice that it was Kelengo
who did it. The accused sentry de-
MED the charge
"Other natives came forward with
various charges of robbery and wrong
doing against the sentry and finally
the consul, considering the evidence
conclusive, announced to the assem-
hled multitude that 'Kelengo deserved
severe punishment for his illegal and
cruel acts and taking with him the
manned boy laid the case before the
state authorities. saying dramatically
that he denounced not an individual
but a system
1T would be unwarrantable to draw
such sweeping conclusion from a
single case even if the case were well
founded, but as a matter of fact the
accusations of Epondo against the sent
ry were shown to be without any
foundation whatever. When the prom
er state authorities came to inYesti-
gate the case the boys evidence broke
down. He admitted that he had lied
and explained that he had lost his
hand in a boar hunt When asked
why he had falsely accused the sentry
he said that he had done it at the III
stigation of the natives OF the district
who hoped thus to secure the inter
vention of the British consul and Il
release from the necessity Of gather
ing rubber"
Most of the other natives who ac'
cused the sentry, says Mr.. Whiteley
fed, but when captured admitted they
had given false evidence. Mr. White
ley continues: THE British consul's
chief case investigated by himself art
supported by a cloud of witnesses.
having thus fallen through, there Is
little reason to place confidence in the
simple declarations of natives unsup-
ported by corroborative evidence and
uninvestigated"
He says Epondo was twice photo
graphed by the English and told to
put his Stump wen in the fore.
ground, and adds that adversaries of
the Free State have recently circulat-
ed photographs of mutilated natives
who have been held up as victims of
the administration.
Anywhere in Africa, says Mr.. White.
ley, such natives may be found, The
victims of inter-tribal wars AS to tho
accusations concerning taxes, Mr..
Whiteley says the tax is necessary. II
compes the native to contribute some
thing toward state expenses and
teaches him habits of industry. The
labor required of natives is only ~
hours a month.
There is sometimes trouble over the
collection of taxes. but this Is not
confined to the Congo, as reports froh
British Rhodesia show that natives
refused to pay the'hut tax.
Mr.. Whiteley says the British cor
suls deductions are illogical and con-
cludes:
"The. Brussels note refutes all TIE
points of the British consuls report
ami is a most convincing testimony to
the humanitarian work which King
Leopold has accomplished in Africa.