Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1913-03-28


lished broadcast Yet many who
have travelled in Stanleys Darkest Africa"-the
territory which witnessed the truly remarkable
end of adventurous career-the details Of the
dramatic chase through the jungles and its still
dramatic conclusion will not be
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 the story brings regrets
for Rogers was a fine type of man. even though
his latter days we're spent in outlawry and de-
fiance of lawfully constituted authority.
In order that the causes which led ur TO the
tragedy may be better understood, 1t neces-
sary to touch lightly upon history and rolitca
facts. Many may recall that the British govern
ment leased the strip Of the Congo territory
known as the Lado Enclave-a long strip stretch
ing along the banks of the Nile from the south.
ernmost extremity of Lake Albert to Kfro
the edge of Sudan-to the late King Leopold of
the Belgians, for the duration of his lifetime On
his death, it passed back into British hands and,
incidentally, under the control of the Sudan
officials.
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 mere farce. Officials were few and
far between and the natives did they willed
without fear of let hindrance 1t must be
membered, however, that if any Of the poachers
were caught red-handed 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 middles other heavy
chains, supporting the enormous leg-irons. All
day these poor wretches worked in the forests
in the open, under blazing sum- goaded on to
further labor by the extreme brutalities of their
hardhearted guards
White man and negro 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 it is not now for the Sudan government
assumed control in June, 1910, and set about ex-
terminating the poaching industry.
On my arrival at Mongolia, the southernmost
post of the Sudan the Nile in those days,
had the good fortune to meet my old comrade in
arms, Capt. c. V. Fox of the Egyptian army, and
discussed at length with him the prospects of rout-
| ing out the ivorypoachers
At the time little thought that, trife 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 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.
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 of what is due to dying mans last
request prevent the eucidaton 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
ad h1y dpath nd fha Of
sealed by dying mans last charge. The doc
tor must go down to posterity as a figure of
mystery, unless the Belgians disclose his name
We know that he was the boon companion OF
Rogers and we have the latters statement that
he was innocent of poachng.
One must sympathize with Rogers even II one
disapproves Of his breaches of the law. His is a
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 was a resident of many cities in California
He had spent many years of his life in an un
Quenchable search after adventure-with a bis
A-until he found his hearts desire in Centra
Africa. He joined in the rush to the Klondike il
the late nineties and after his return he entirely
disappeared until the news came of his death II
Africa.
After trying first one thing and then anothe
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 unde
his control so that they did his every bidding
and acted as his allies. He established OF
ganized administration over the wild, trackles
country and, among these naked savages, VIII
, had hitherto known no master, was virtually
king even If he was uncrowned monarch
Time after time he evaded capture by Sudan an
, Belgian officials And, finally. we know that h
, eluded not pursuit for six weeks.
Entering the Lado Enclave with his white con
, panion, he set to work to make the unruy an
hitherto unsubdued natives subservient to hi
J. willard even than that, for he mad
3 | them stanch allies. On the approach of govern
ment officials the natives would give him ampl
. warning SO that he could escape Then he tra'
. eled about the country until he saw good sit
. for his headquarters, where he could store hi
I.ro..n iAI.... .lInn