The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-12-30
How Chris. NeuensChwander Put the
Lid Down With a Bang
in Far Africa.
Was Detective, Sheriff, Jury, Judge
and Lord High Execu-
liOner.
CORRESPONDENT of The Gazette.

correspondence of The Gazette.
| have not been asked to write a
temperance article, and do not intend
to do so, but think it not inappropri-
ate to say something about Africa
that will bear on the question just a
little, even if only in a very distant
way.
The social system in Africa is some
what of patriarchal one. That is,
each land owner is a ruler of all the
people that live on his land and is
called Father. This has been the
state for many ages, and when the
English took over the control of the
district of Gold Coast they did not
interfere with this system. Now
when white man opens a camp out
in that country, the camp is consid-
cred their town and the white man
as their father by the natives who
work for him. Consequently, he has
all the powers of an entire set of viii
lage officers. He makes his own
ordinances and enforces them. Of
course, if native thinks he is unjust
ly treated he has the right of appeal
ing to the English courts, where there
Is g more formal trial
When | took charge of camp out
there | found that my predeces-
sor had made an ordinance" forbid
ding the sale of liquor in the camp.
took charge at the end of a quar-
ter, so paid them up to the time of
the beginning of my rule. I do not
know whether my predecessor had
lot enforced his ordinance or wheth-
er the natives thought it became void
at his leaving, or whether they
wished to try their new master.
Anyway a native bought some gin
and began to sell it to my laborers.
About the second day something like
fifteen of them failed to go out to
work in the morning. | was little
discouraged but said nothing. | had
no direct proof that anyone was SELL
ing gin, so thought would do little
detective work on the side.
That evening when returned from
work l found a general fight in pro-
gress. They did not see me. SO max
ing a rush for the biggest native in
the fight | struck him back of the
ear hard enough to make him forget
the fight and think of running. |
chased him out camp, then came
back to take care of the rest. They
were still fighting. The next man
rushed for, not being as big as the
first one, was not fortunate enough
to be able to run, for he went down.
Now | was the entire council, so
Immediately passed an ordinance that
he should stand still. This he did
not wish to do; and as / was also con-
stable. | was obliged to enforce the
ordinance. | will venture to say that
Billy Sundays moststrenuousa actions
would seem like a spent tornado if
compared to mine during the next
five minutes. The dignity of law and
order was at stake, and | felt bound
to defend it. had not only to en-
force my order for this man to stand
still, but had to deal out sundry blows
and kicks to most Of the other DRINKS
who came within my reach while
begging for the one | had down.
They evidently were not accustomed
to see such strenuous enforcement
of the law, and thought their friend
was about to give them cause to
make funeral palavar." At the end
of five minutes the one on the ground
was holding to my feet, crying like
baby, and begging for mercy; and
the rest that had stayed away from
work that morning were sober and
too much amazed to say word. It
is needless to add that those fifteen