The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-07-28
.LEMA|RE SHEDS LIGHT
ON CONGO ATROCITIES
Tells How He Was Trained Into
Burning Of Villages and
Abuse Of Power.
HIS J. EYES y THEN o .' NED j
Officials ,i;lls ii Belgium cog,,izant 81
Fact That Women Were
Flogged.
HIS EYES THEN OPENED
BRUSSELS, July a.

BRUSSELS, July "a
The newspaper La Derniero Heure pub
fishes an instalment OF tho memoirs OF
Major Charles Lemaire, the Congo adj
mnlstrator. In the Introduction Ma jor
Lemaire recalls that on January "a, 1906,
he was intrusted with mission for the
delimitatlon of the boundaries of Albert
Edward Nyanza. -Four days before his
departure the government Of the Free
State cancelled his appointment The rea-
son for this action. Major Lemalre de-
clares, was that the judicial authorities
of the Congo were ready to open proceed
ings against him. and against number
OF his former agents who were in Congo
lese territory
II resigned from the Congo service" the
major continues, land asked to be re-
turned to my regiment on account OF
wounds received In the Congo. A royal
decree awarded mo the magnificent PEN
sion OF 14S5 francs per annum."
Defended the Negroes.
Major Lemairc then gives an account
OF his career. He was &c years old, he
says, when he first arrived In tho Congo,
and he at first followed the example set
him there. My African education" he
says, began with cannon shots and the
burning of villages; In q word. with the
| abuse OF force and with all Its consequent
1
| eyes to DO opened to realities.
Since then never gave UP defending
| the negroes, and when / returned to AZ
RIGA did not kill any longer. but ! was
nerciless in regard to soldiers who had
| been corrupted by the rubber regime.
enforced upon them the respect OF the
native, and succeeded by the intiiction
OF punishments which today are charac-
| terized as being outside the regula tons.
l had to choose my punishments either
! using the whip on setting the country to
| fire and sword on the excuse Of military
! conquests."
| Major Lcmaire sketches significant pic
/ ture of the moral condition OF the Con-
4 golcse troops which he commanded Hs
recalls his mission to the Bahr-cl-Ghazal.
i and declares that no native ever had oc.
| casion to complain of his conduct. He IN
! derstands what Joy 1t must have given
the soldiers he commanded to be able 10
revenge Themselves upon him by their
4 dispositions before the public prosecutor
| who was sent from Bona. Major Lee
! mares account was given on January IL
! to the secretaries of the interior and Of
foreign affairs OF the Congo State, who In
strutced him. avs the major. to tell MS
| story at Bona.
II pointed OUT says Major Lemare.
that was unpopular at Bona. The sec
1 rotary of the interior observed that M
l
!! OF women. and said that the passage III
my report. In which I spoke Of the fios-
| ging. completely escaped his notice. In
taking my leave. said that the first sr-
| tIcle In the newspapers would not como
| from me- The secretary for foreign af-
fairs said. THE press will not speak
Letter to the King.
Major Lemaire also publishes the text OF
a letter he addressed to King Leopold
/ upon being Informed that the command
i OF the mission to determine the goth mer-
i idinn had been withdrawn from him. He
| also publishes the text OF note in
\ which he tells how much lie disliked TAX
ling measures against women in connec-
i tIon with a reconnaissance Carried out
/ from the I4ambermont Rapids to A1'Volo,
/ between December Il and December rs.
| 1903.
The secretary general of the interior
! for the Congo In replying to the letter
4 ment has decided not to let you go on the
mission to determine the 30th meridian
for, az you have already been Informed,
y, the bench has notified Its intention, should
you ever be found upon Congo Free
j State territory, of instituing proceedings
/ against you. This makes your mission
to the Congo Impossible without running
/ counter to the provisions Of justice.
| .'If the government" adds the major
I .'does not recognize that circumstances OF
4 extreme gravity, not only for the Congo.
8 but especially for Belgium. forced these
barbarous punishmentsi upon me against
which my heart revolts,-i 1t ought to de-
prive me OF my rank. The government
has, however. sent me not criticisms, but
/ congratulations"