Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1912-08-27
KING OUTLAW
HUNTED down
ELEPHANT PoAchER AND ILLICIT
IVORY TRADER, AN AMERi.
CAN, SLAIN BY BRITISH.
HAS DONE IT FOR YEARS
Expedition Figures In One Of the
Most Dramatic Stories Of Colonial
Annals-Best Tale Since
Livingston.

ItVIH90IOUs
Oakland, Cal, Aug. 20.-Mrs. W. H.
wife of James Wood Rogers, the ele-
plant poacher who was hunted to his
death by British troops in Africa. She
was apprized of his death from Lon
don and will receive several articles
of souvenir value found in his effects.
James Wood Rogers was a resident
of different cities in California, and
was known as soldier of fortune. He
Joined in the rush to the Klondike in
the late COS and after returning from
the North he disappeared.
After waiting for years for news Of
her husband, Mrs. Rogers, believing
him dead, married w. H. Rardon.
London-Hunted down by British
soldiers in the depths of the jungles
of Central Africa, where for years in
defiance of all authority he had pur.
sued the career of an elephant poach.
er and illicit ivory trader, James VII.
ard Rogers, an American, is dead. He
troops which had been sent into the
wilderness in pursuit with orders not
to return without the outlaw dead or
alive.
News of Rogers death came formal.
ly to the British colonial Office from
Captain c. v. Fox, inspector Of Mon.
gala province, who commanded the
expedition. The story is one of the
most dramatic in colonial annals.
For years Rogers mad carried on his
lawless trade, which popular opinion
credited with netting him fortune.
The remote regions along the Lado
Enclave and Congo boundaries were
the scenes Of his operations. Time
after time British officials of the
Soudan had tried in vain to trap him.
1t was this defiance Of years which de-
termined the government to crush the
old man.
Rules az an Uncrowned King.
Captain Fox's report shows that ~
his long operations Rogers had done
more than has been dreamed of by
the colonial officers. He had estab-
lished an organized administration
over the wild trackless country and
among the natives was virtual II un.
crowned king. The success of the out.
law in handling his subjects and in
the pursuit of his trade drew from
Captain Fox in his report the tribute
that Rogers work was worthy Of .
better cause.
Not since the explorer. Henry NJ.
Stanley, pierced the jungles in 1871
and found DR.. Livingston has such .
tale of hardships, trials and dangers
come out of Africa.
Captain Fox's report in this respect
resembles most nearly perhaps the
tale of General Funston's logged pur.
suit of Aguinaldo in the Philippines.
For the purpose of tracking the out.
law the English commander was given
a non-commissioned subordinate and
six sudances soldiers. Body carriers
and mules for the transportation OF
supplies were part Of his equipment.
His instructions were plain-not to re.
turn until the outlaw was captured.
With q soldiers disregard for red
tape, Captain Fox. in his report, fails
to mention dates in describing the
man hunt. Apparently the denounce.
ment of the Jungle drama came three
months ago.
cunnIngIy Led Through Jungle.
The pursuers then had spent weeks
plunging through the jungle that al
most defied passage, Rogers cunning
ly leading them through the densest
of swamps, forests and across deep
streams.
Before the outlaw was overtaken he
had crossed the Nile into the Belgian
Congo. Creeping up the Uganda bank
of the Nile the expedition pushed for.
ward for six weeks before the quarry
was located.
Fox and his men then had worn
their clothes to tatters and their sup.
plies were exhausted, leaving them
facing starvation in the wilderness.
The last ~ hours Of the pursuit was
particularly trying. The chase led
over a mountain with Rogers men
only short distance in advance. AS
they fled, the ape-like natives of the
outlaw sent back taunts and jeers at
their pursuers.