Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1909-10-10
Two African Missionaries.


1t may be the lot of two humble
preachers-Presbyteri missionaries
in Africa-to arouse the world to a
realizing sense" of the unspeakabl
atrocities which have been perpe-
trated upon helpless negroes in the
Kongo by King Leopold and his rub
Der trust.
Mark Twain. few years ago. after
reviewing the evidence then at hand,
wrote pamphlet in denunciation of
King Leopold which will live in lit
erature after some of his books are
forgotten. Sir A. Conan Doyle has
done his share in trying to present
the facts in a graphic way. Other
writer's, the world over, have Joined
in the indictment of the Belgian king.
As matter of fact, photographs
which have been printed from time
to time would alone be sufficient, it
governments of the necessity of put
ting an end to horrors which not even
the Turkish barbarities in Armenia
can rival For the Armenians cannot
point to hundreds of their number
whose fingers, or hands, or feet have
been cut off because taskmasters
were not satisfied with their labor
in rubber jungles. The Turks merely
kill. The "Kongo Free State" Gre
ated by the powers of Europe, was
turned over to King Leopold to ad-
minister practically as his private
property. The Unsuitable greed of
this old man, already one of the
richest men in the world. has been
the foundation cause of wholesale
cruelties in the twentieth century
which ought to make all civilization
blush. But fear of disturbing the
concert of Europe" has resulted in
making Leopold secure. But Mark
Twain and Conan Doyle and a few
of the statesmen of the world did
make things so uncomfortable for
the king of the Belgians that he made
a pretense, a year or so ago, of get
ting out of the rubber business. He
transferred his interests to the Kasai
Rubber company-of which, however,
he holds the controlling shares.
A new turn to the situation has
been given by the two missionaries
above alluded to: Rev. W. NJ. Nor
rison and Rev. W. H. Sheppard "a
negro) of the Presbyterian mission
at Luebo, in the Kongo. These mis-
sionaries are now on trial, under
criminal indictment, for "calumnious
denunciation." Their trial is at Leo
poldville, more than a thousand miles
from their home, and their conviction
is a practical certainty, inasmuch as
the rubber trust must be 'vindicated"
before the world. But as they are
represented by counsel, the facts on
which their charges were made will
come out. and in due time will be
laid before the world. They doubt
less will be glad to undergo any in
cidental martyrdom, if the civilized
nations-America especially-can be
awakened from their indifference.
The Kongo News Letter tells how the
activities of these missionaries in be-
half of the oppressed members of
the negroes in the Kongo led to the
present proceedings.
1t was in 1904 that Dr. Morrison
told the STORY of Kongo greed, OPP
preston, and. wholesale butchery, be-
fore the international peace congress
at Boston" following which the con-
gress asked for international inter-
Vention. From that hour, according
to the Kongo News Letter, Or Nor
rison was put under the ban of the
powers that be in, the Kongo." DIR.
Sheppard has also testified to these
atrocities. In February of this year
an Indictment was lodged by the
Kasai Rubber company against these !
two missionaries. After several post |
ponements of their trial. it is under
stood to have begun on September 90. |
They are defended by Emile Wander |
velde, a lawyer of ability and mem
Der of the Belgian house of represent
tatives. The Kongo News Letter thus
details the events preceding the trial: |
The trial was set for May 25. 1909, !
at Leopoldville. Luebo is nearly 1000 l
miles from Leopoldville. Drs. Morri- |
son and Sheppard had no alternative |
but to leave their mission duties. at |
however great sacrifice. and to !