The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1912-07-08
MHUMAN TREATMENT
OF SOUTH AMERICANS
TERRIBLE ATROCITIES
COMMITTED BY NEGROES.
Royal Commission Headed by Sis
Roger Easement Bares Ap-
palling Conditions.

many years has attracted SO much at
tention in philanthropic and diplo-
matte circles in this country as the
Putumayo atrocities. They have been
at last fully revealed 10 the public by
the report OF Sir Roger Easement. II.
NJ. consul general at Rio de Janeiro
since 1909. who was sent by the Brit
ish government TO the Amazon dis
trict of South America to investigate
certain terrible stories which had
leaked out as TO the way in which an
English rubber company employing
British subjects. negroes from Barba-
dos. had been carrying out the work
OF collecting rubber. The detailed re-
port was made public to-day.
Sir Roger Easement is a man OF
very great experience, having acted
as consul both in Portugal and Brazil
at different periods OF his life. II was
he who specially investigated for the
British governmeo the alleged rubber
collecting atrocities in the Congo a
few years ago. He was selected for
the present mission because the au-
thorities had ample confidence in his
judgment.
He left England in the middle OF
1910. and early in September reached
his destination. He was accompanied
TO the spot by three representatives
forming a special commission des-
patched by the company whose meth
DDS had been impeached. the Peruvian
Amazon Company. The three genSle-
men were Messrs. Louis II. Barnes. II.
l.. Gielgud and H. w Fox. They took
no actual part in the investigation be-
/ yond being present when the wit
nesses were heard but they put every
facility in the way of investigation.
Perue Dodses Issue.
On theother hand no real assistance
was forthcoming from the Peruvian
Government, who though sympathetic
had no actual authority. and whose
! representatives always seemed to
keep out OF way. possibly through
] fear.
The hearing Of the Witnesses, which
took place in nearly every case on
the spot. lasted from August 2S. 1910
to December 3, 1910, and Sir Roger
Easements report. which was dated
London, March 17,1911. was based
not only on what he thus learned but
on the actual observation OF his own
eyes. IL should be said that the wit
nesses gave their statements with a
good deal OF apprehension and under
considerable pressure, as they were
narrating not only their own mis-
deeds, but those OF their immediate
employers, OF whom the worst seem
TO have been two men called Fonseca
! and Normand. IL may be added that
the directors OF the Peruvian Amazon
Company. which is thus so much in.
volved. are II. NJ. Read. Sir John Lis
TX
! de Sousa Deiro. Senor J. c. Arana.
( Senor a. Alarco and T. F. Medina.
Others Confirm Charges.
The unbelieved barbarity disclosed
IN this report does not rest alone on
4 thetestimony OF the Barbados men
whose dispositions accompany IL. II
Is amply confirmed by independent
statements. Sir Roger Easement
adds the evidence OF these Barbadian
witnesses rom whose evidence two
extracts only are appended. for they
are typical Of the rest. Here Is one
by Stanley S. Lewis. a native of Bar.
bados.
Il have seen Indians killed for snort
tied up TO trees and shot at by Fon-
SEGA lone OF the overseers) and the
others. After they we're drinking they
would sometimes do this They would
take a man out OF ths 'cepo' and tie
him 10 tree and shoot at him for
a target | have often seen the In
dams killed thus. and also shot after
they had been fogged Others have
seen killed by the 'cholltos.' the small
indian boys being trained into much
nchos." These boys wer~ armed with
machetes and they would cut their
heads on against the tree stumps.
saw Fonseca do the following thing.
He had an Indian nurse girl mindinz
a child Of his. baby he had BY one
OF his Indian women. The nurse was
quito young girl. and she was carry.
Ing the baby aud u picked up a Leaf
OF tobacco and put Il In it's mouth.
Fonseca came along just then. and
because the babywas crying, and ha
saw why. he beat he FirI with his.
lists. and when she was knocked
about a lot her mouth vas cut and
he sent her down 20 the river to wash
and then when she came up no drew
his revolver and shot her. and one OF
his men. named 'Chicodino. (a nick.
name. his right name was Orsavio or
Miguel Rengifo). came ont and drew
HE revolver. aud shot the eiri too.
and 80 they killed her. Her body van
buried"
Brute Kills a clrl
Another thing there ] saw was fhis
Rengifo XIII a girl. This was a eirl
that he had. and she was friends with
me. too and with several Of us. She
was sent BY Rengifo 70 wash clothes.
and she went 20 a stream IN tho forest
where he had told her not % 20. 80 he
took bis sun and shot her right
through the back and belly. and she
fell down and cried out and lay there
on the ground crying and died. Both
these things ] saw with my own eyes.
just as ] saw Indians tied 20 the trees
and shot ~. or shot after they had
been hoFgcd. or killed with uachetea.
(contnasd on Pars rirha1