The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-03

Yin. the famous King of Dahomey,
whose army OF Anazons sent cold
thrills Of terror down the backs OF the
best soldiers Of France until about
after battle with the French and caus-
ed them no end OF trouble. His wars
with them cost millions and at one
time the Chamber OF Deputies at Paris
made L. single L., APPROXIMATION Of $500 900
after treaty with France only to break
them. and 1t was long before they We're
able to subdue him and take possession.
1895. and since then they have held the
King In captivity and prevented his
having any connection with his coun-
try and people.
They first carried him off to the West
indies and imprisoned MIN In Martin
ique, a little island belonging to France.
Later he was given d villa there and
allowed to drive about with his favor
lite wife and one of his sons. and 1t was
just about one yearlago that he was
brought from Martinique to this place.
The cause OF his transfer was largely
duet to his ill-health and his fear of the
volcano Mont Pelee. When the eruption
occurred Behanzin Became terribly OK
after sent. him into fits Of fear that
the volcanic disturbances might extend
to his home. Els nerves became SO
shattered that the French feared he
HOulu ole, dHu IL WAS OIucIGu lIldl
be transferred to Algeria and kept un-
der surveillance herela Blidah, about
thirty miles from Algiers.
Behanzin's Prison in Algeria.
Blidah is military sta ton with bar
racks inside and q great fort on the
foot hills of the Atlas Mountains near.
by. 1t has the chief army stud OF the
Algerian cavalry and surroundings
are such that it would have been USE
less for the King to have tried to es.
cape. s8
! He was given a villa outside Of tho
city walls, but he was always sur
rounded by spies and police. The king
very we'll knew that it was useless for
him to think Of making his way off tc
desert between him and Dahomey were
patrolled by French soldiers on camels
While in Martinique he had made al
sorts of promises of good behavior Il
country. He continued to make sucl
promises here, and it is believed tha
the chief cause of his death was hi!
1 Inconsistencies for the land OF The
! Amazon.
King Behanzin's Last Interview
] have the honor of having had til,
last newspaper Interview with th
notorious monarch. The interview wa
not full of meat for the King was to,
! sick to talk much. and as to the honor
| ] doubt much If that term applies t,
the meeting With one who had proba
bly, offered up human sacrifices. VIII,
i had killed many Christians and VIII
had likely often sharpened his ivor.
J teeth upon the human flesh of the eau
3 casian race. AT any rate, l saw an,
i talked with the King In his prison will
+ without the walls. The audience tool
place several weeks since. My way t
the villa was over a road fenced in b,
ip1, q oh ~,
i branches Of olive and orange tree
| waved. We passed gardens filled wit
roses. vineyards loaded with fat blu
! grapes. and by, enough fig trees, I veri
i ~ believe, to have clad the 5000 Eve
Of ,Btchanzin's Amazon army.
LA Pnislble"-..The Peaceable." i
was indeed facetous name for til
est OF Kings. Nevertheless, II was Their
that I3ehanzin was living with his fou
wives and his numerous children. Th
villa is a large two-story structur,
wide. uwith, the rooms opening out upo
it, The house stands In an orang
+ grove Of several acres, and MS / wen
Up the walk ] passed the two pet don
which were feeding under the trees
AS I neared the house l was met b
tho Kings nid-de camp, or the ma
who came nearest to being his hig
\ court chamberlain. lie was dressed
white duck and he spoke French fluent
Is. tIe is n negro Of Martinique, VIII
has been with Behnnzin for some year
He took my card and asked me to sta
Noutslde while he learned whether II
Majesty would receive us. Withis
few, moments he returned and led /
upstairs to the yeranda. Here We wal
cd while the high court chamberlain
crawled In through one of the window
and passed out several cane seatc
chairs to u.s. asking us to rest upo
Y, them until His Majesty was read. Til
u we did.
Z A Word With the Crown Prime,
b AS we tarried the crown prince, on,
limo, came around the corner and "
chatted With him. IIols young 70
low of about eighteen, as black as yol
boots and with fun negro features II
is Intelligent, has been educated In III
, schools Of Martinique and has ais
gone to school here. He speaks Frenc
VOL and understands u few words
IANt,tr tcI aa an IL wa