The Springfield herald., 1913-03-28

oMAJ the story of his tragic end was pub
lished broadcast. Yet SO many who
have travelled in Stanley's Darkest Africa"-the
territory which witnessed the truly remarkable
end of an adventurous career-the details of the
dramatic chase through the jungles and its still
more dramatic conclusion will not be a mere
pipedream.
There must be many others in America besides
myself who have been through this section of
Central Africa and to whom Rogers known
personally. And to US the story brings regrets.
for Rogers fine type Of man, even though
his latter days spent In outlawry and de-
hance of lawfully constituted authority.
In order that the causes which led up to the
tragedy may be better understood, 1t is neces-
sary to touch lightly upon history and political
facts. Many may recall that the British govern
ment leased the strip of the Congo territory
known as the Lado Encave-a long strip stretch
ing along the banks of the Nile from the souths
ernmost extremity of Lake Albert to Kiro. on
the edge of Sudan-to the late King Leopold of
the Belgians. for the duration of his lifetime On
his death. 1t passed back into British hands and.
incidentally, under the control of the Sudan
oficials.
Prior to this-that is to say. under Leopold's
rule-the Lado Enclave was the happy hunting
ground Of band of British and foreign ivory
poachers. The Belgian administration Of the
Lado was a mere farce. officials were few and
far between and the natives did as they willed.
without fear of let or hndrance. 1t must be re-
membered, however, that II any of the poachers
were caught redhanded with the poached ivory.
they were sent to the Belgian Congo capital, Leo
poldsville. on the Congo river, to undergo ten.
years hard labor in chain-gang.
This little pleasantly Of punishment was the
worse imaginable They were chained round the
neck and fastened to long string of the worst
native malefactors. Their legs were riveted into
chains and round their mddles were other heavy
chains. supporting the enormous leg-irons. All
day these poor wretches worked in the forests or
in the open, under blazing sun. goaded on to
further labor by the extreme brutalities Of their
hardhearted guards.
White and negro were treated alike. No
favors were shown to any of them.
1t may be safely stated that the death of
Rogers closes the long chapter of lawless ele-
phant poaching in the Congo. For years the
Lado Enclave was known as mo Mans Land;
but 1t is not now for the Sudan government
assumed control in June, 1910, and set about ex-
terminating the poachng industry
On my arrival at Mongolia, the southernmost
post of the Sudan on the Nile in those days,
had the good fortune to meet my old comrade in
arms. Capt c. " Fox of the Egyptian army, and
discussed at length with him the prospects OF rout
ing out the ivory-poachers.
At the time 1 little thought that, tiife over
two years later, Captain Fox would be the central
figure with Rogers in one of the most dramatic
and exciting stories Of real adventure which has
ever come out of the Congo. or. for that matter.
Africa. But we who know our Africa have learn
ed to be surprised at nothing
Part of this remarkable story comes to me d.
rect from my old friend Captain Fox and part
from other friends In Africa Captain Foxs story
lacks a good many details. for the modesty Of
the British soldier is reflected throughout his mar
rative. There are many points you and would
like to have cleared up, but either Foxs modesty
or his sense of what is due to dying mans last
request prevent the elucidauon OF the blank
spaces.
For instance, we would like to know who is the
doctor referred to by Rogers and Captain Fox.
Maybe we shall never know! Rogers lips are
sealed by death and the lips of Captain Fox are
sealed by dying mans last charge The doc
tor must go down to posterty as figure of
mystery, unless the Belgans disclose his name.
We know that he the boon companion of
Rogers and have the latter's statement that
he was innocent of poaching.
One must sympathize with Rogers even If one
disapproves of his breaches of the law. His is
picturesque figure and he died as, no doubt, he
would have wished to have died-with his face
to the front and shielding his comrade. the mys-
terious doctor.
Rogers was an American who at different
times a resident of many cities in California.
He had spent many years of his life In an un-
quenchable search after adventure-with big
A-until he found his hearts desire in Central
Africa He Joined in the rush to the Klondike in
the late nineties and after his return he entirely
disappeared until the news came of his death in
Africa
After trying first thing and then another
in Africa, he turned his hand to elephant poach-
ing. and here he found his true element of ad-
venture
He got the natives Of the Lado Enclave under
his control SO that they did his every bidding
and acted his allies. He established an or
ganized administration over the wild, trackless
country, and, among these naked savages who
had hitherto known master. was virtually
king, even II he was un uncrowned monarch.
Time after time he evaded capture by Sudan and
Belgian officials. And. finally, know that he
eluded hot pursuit for ever SIX weeks.
Entering the Lado Enclave with his white COM
panion he set to work to make the unruly and
hitherto unsubdued natives subservient to his
willard even more than that, for he made
them stanch allies. On the approach of govern
ment oflcials the natives would give him ample
warning 10 that he could escape Then he trav-
eled about the country until he saw n good site
for his headquarters. where he could store his
ivory, ammunition and supplies.
The next thing to do was to train q band Of
natives to act soldiers.
All now being ready, he proceeded to mark
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