Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-10-07
CONVICT CLAIMS
ROYAL LINEAGE
NAMELEss PRIsoNER IN FT. MADl-
t SON SAYS ne Is SON OF
AFRICAN cHlEFJAIN.
TELLS STRANGE YARN
Whether True or Not the Story 10 Full
Of Interest--skepticaI Of Details
In Roosevelt's Hunting
Trlp.

| In RooseveIts Hunting
-4 Trip.
| "A tale that Is at least rather strange
] to enumerate from prison, Is told by
| who refuses to disclose his name, but
/ shows by the construction Of his yarn
| to be out Of the ordinary class Of dusky
criminals. The TT. Madison Demo.
crat referring to the prisoner and his
story has the following:
! In the penitentiary at Fort Madison
! is q picturesque character who claims
to be the son Of an African chieftain,
and in response to numerous requests
he finally consented to divulge few
Interesting facts in regard to his ma.
tivity and his subsequent wanderings
which eventually terminated in his be-
ing incarcerated in the state peniten-
tiary. AS he claims as his native
heath a territory through which Elk
President Roosevelt hunted in his "a
nous African trip, his story is doubly
interesting in that he is in touch with
many of the tribal manners and GUS
tops which the noted hunter, orator
and ex-president had to meet with in
his trip. The ebony-hued foreigners
story is as follows: &f
II do not care to have my name
mentioned in connection with this
story, as I have had plenty of no.
toriety which I did not care for, but
besides withholding my name there is
nothing which object to telling. l
was born in Mombasa, Soudan, Ger
man Southeast Africa, July 16, 1880,
and lived there up to the time OF our
family moving to Germany, where I
attended school for a few months.
Our moving to Germany was the re-
suit Of our tribe being converted from
heathens to the Catholic religion by
one Of the German Catholic priests
who was doing missionary work in
the part Of Africa where our tribe
lived.
"My fathers name is Alonzo Nam
DO, chief Of the black Sudanian tribe
more commonly known as the black
Kafars, who are used in the German
and Freich armies. The Kafllrs are
not like their neighbors the Zulus, who
live across the border, as they are not
man-eaters. The Zulus always eat the
enemies whom they kill in battle, but
this has never been the custom Of our
tribe. The native dress Of the Kafiirs
is .girdle worn. around the waist,
called a boola, both mon and women
being clothed alike. The Kaflrs are
known the world over as one OF the
bravest tribes in Africa, being abso-
lutely unafraid Of danger and death,
and for that reason they make won
derful soldiers.
after spending my early boyhood
in Africa, our family moved to Berlin,
Germany, at the request of the Cath
Ole priest who converted our tribe,
and it was in Germany that acquired
my first education. After living In
Germany for several months we moved
to Lancanshire, England, where my
schooling was completed. It was here
that I met p. T. Barunm, world re-
nowned circus owner, and after nego-
tiating with him It was agreed that I
was to return to Africa and procure
for him some animals which Ne de-
sired for his show.
"My tribe assisted me in the cap
turing of the animals, which were two
bull hippopotami, four elephants, two
lions, two cubas and one white rhi-
noceros, which delivered to Mr.. Bar
mum in England. After returning from
my hunting expedition to Africa, ac-
cepted position in side show of the
Barnum circus, doing an acrobatic
song and dance, then coming to this
country. My brother was also men,
Der Of the cirrus, he being in the side
show, too. My brother is the tallest
negro alive, measuring 7 feet az
inches in height, and he did strong
man act besides being on exhibition
as the tallest man.
after being In this country for a
year returned to Europe once more,
but again returned to this country
with Barnum and have not been back
to Europe since. travelled with the
show for several years, but while In
Davenport with the company l was
the unwilling victim Of plot which
resulted in my being sent to prison,
but will be liberated in March. after
which have no definite plans.
I'm regard to Roosevelt's trip
through my native country, cannot
see how he was able to get through
that section OF the dark continent in
the time which he says he did, as the
formalities through which stranger
must go would hardly make it possible
for the ex-president's party to nego-
tiate the distance in such short
time. The tribal customs in regard
to strangers passing through are
somewhat extensive, as the traveller
must stop with each tribe and smoke
the peace pipe and hunt with the
members of the tribe for few days.
then the chief grants an escore to the
next tribe, and once more the same
formalities must be undergone. So, 1t
seems to me. it Is rather strange that
the Roosevelt party was able to get
through that section Of the country
80 rapidly. Should party incur the
Of the chief Of any Of the
tribes, an escort Is not given and the
:, r<,, y,,,,e} r,,r Tho r}c ~ oonS, don.