The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-08-20
James w ard Rogers,
AmericanOutlaw, Slain
by British Soldiers.
HAD LONG DEFIED
THE GOVERNMENT
Story of Pursuit and End of
Famous Elephant Poacher and
Illicit Ivory Trader One of
Most Dramatic That
Has Come Out of
Africa.

London August le.-Hunted down
/ By British soldiers in tho depths o: the
lungles Of Central Africa, where for
years. in defiance of all authority. he
/ had pursued the career OF an elephant
poacher and Illicit ivory trader. Jane.
/ Ward Rogers. an American. is dead
lie was shot down toy d little force Of
( troops which had been sent into the
! wilderness in pursuit with orders not
/ 70 return without the outlaw. dead u
I alive.
/ News Of Rogerss death came tor
/ mally to-day TO the British colonial Of
I nee from Captain G. st Fox. inspector
/ Of Monsallah Province. who command
/ ed the expedition. Although told in
an official report the story revealed is
one OF the most dramatic in colonial
J annals.
For years. Rogers had carried on his
lawles- trade. which popular opinion
credited with netting MIN a fortune.
| The remote regions along the Lado
/ Enclaive and Congo boundaries were
I the scenes OF his operations. Time az
/ ter time British officials OF the Soudan
| had tried in vain to trap him. 1t was
! this defiance OF years which determined
/ the government 10 crush the old man
Wnn An uncrowncd King.
Captain FoN's repor, shows that in
! his long operations Rogers had done
more than had been dreamed OF By the
colonial officers. He had established
and organized administration over the
/ Wild trackiess country. and among the
natives vas VIRTUAL II uncrowncd
I king
! The success OF the OUTLAW in hand
/ ling his subjects" and ia the pursui,
/ Of his trade dew from Captain Fox.
/ IN mis- report the trib.te tina, Rogers :
| work vas worthy OF better cause
Not since the explorer. Henry NJ
/ staniey, pierced the jungles in 1871
/ and found Or. Livingston has sucn n
tale OF hdrdships. trials ana dangers
come out Of Africa. Captain Fox's re-
| port In this respect. resembles most
nearly, perhaps. the tale OF General
Funstons logged pursuit OF Aguinaldo
In the Philippines.
For the purpose Of tracking the out.
Law the English commander va. given
! noncomm!sSioned subordinate ana
! six Soudanese soldiers. Body carriers
J and mules for the transportation or
supplies were part OF his equipment.
His instructions were plain-not 10 re-
turn until the outlaw was captured.
With soldiers disregard for red
J tape, Captain FoX in his report. fails
| 10 mention dates in describing the man
{
/ the jungle drama came three months
/ ago
Weeks In the Jungle.
The pursuers then had spen, week S
! plunging through the Jungle that all
most dehed passage. Rogers cunn,nc.
! ly leading them through the densest
| OF swanps, forests and across deem
streams. Before the outlaw was over
taken he had crossed the Nile into the
! Belgian Congo.
/ Creeping up the Uganda bcnk o. the
I Nile the expedition pushed forward Tor
six weeks before the quarry was To-
Gated. Fox and his men hid then torn
their clothes 10 tatters and their sup
pies were exhausted. leaving them
fairly starved in the wilderness.
/ The last twelve hours of the pur-
suit was particularly trying The
chase led over a mountain, with Ror-
eEss men only short distance In
advance. AS they fled the apelike ma
tives OF the outlaw sent back taunts
and jeers at their pursuers.
Dramatic in the extreme is Captain
Fox's description OF the death, OF Rog-
ers. In the jungle into which the
had descended from the mountain his
party came suddenly upon camp.
y native approached the English Of
ficcr and said. The commander wants
YOU TO come in. He Is sick and can
not come out"
Entering the hut. Captain Fox found
/ himself in room dimly lighted by
/ candle. white man was lying on a
couch and beside him sat companion.
also white. For time there was
dead silence, Captain Fox believing he
had been led into a trap. Then he
asked.
Which is Mr. Rogers?"
Mr. Rogers has been shot replied
the outlaws companion.
Yes, Captain Fox. and by your
men"
Come stand right hero SO can
look at YOU" Rogers continued His
eyes were blazing and from beneath
a blanket he drew revolver and
pointed it at the officer.
II am a'dying man, I guess" he said.
Il didn't think they could KIN old
sthl you are in Belgian territory. and
YOU stand more chance for arrest than
l do
Argues for Time.
Fearing that the revolver that
time. Captain Fox argued with tho
outlaw to gain time. Finally. Rogers
turned to his companion. whom he
wan TO Wtnes ana what
man. so would not lie about any
thing. This was. my show and all
my work. l am afraid l have brought
you into trouble. doctor
well. had my good times as well
as bad. can't stand religious people.
II you have religions just live up to
| them"
a noise in his throat interrupted the
old mans words
Say. did you hear thnt?" he ex-
claimed. That's the death rattle. I've
l