Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-08-09
Easement WAS IDOL
Of SOUTH africans
Loved By Natives For His
Splendid Work--Poet and
Scholar Jovial.

London. (by mail.)--The Roger Case
mant of other days is described by one
who FOR some time was his %noighbOr in
Africa. He writes:
y, the time of the Boer war. ltosei.
Case1nen, was consul Cor Southwest
Africa ana had his Headquarters at
San Paul dc Loanda. the capital OF
Portuguese Angola. Among The few
EngliS!llnen there he was az outSJand-
ms figure and was known MI up bud
down tne coast. He was an deal ON
sui. He had Il strong and a charming
personality. 'ran. 1.-THE. and umstand-
in&. With magnetic eyes and !" pointed
beard. full OF tire!ess energy ana sen
erous enthusiasm. h" was ~ or tho
Sir Richard Crerville type. Usually
gentle md suave he was capable .,
rage. He would boil with indignation
at the wrongs 81 some poor sefvical
whose tale of misery and suffering UNI
der the crl,el system Of indenture,i ia
bor came to his attention He fnn-nt
for them and strove to yelicv. th.m
of his iater work in the !~seicinn Co~go
ard in Brazil. His early work tn West
Africa Is less known. bal it WAS rqu:.liy
's'va.. perhaps greater, because 1t Mas
done quietly and out Of 'he iiMeliaEt
II W. true pioneer work. Euh,ic o;in-
'rn naL NOT then been roas"t. and The
existence of ;h!s form of slavery was
I" most people EpkEown.
Purser on Steamer.
He had considerable experience OF
the west coas: Of Africa. Before JOIN
iHs the colonial service IL" was for
some time puiscr on the F.;tsr Demp-
stei' steamers 1t was while employed
by The Niger coast Irotectoratc hat nc
climbed the Cameroons mountain-a
feat which he celebrated IN an excel
Heat sonnet written at III" summit. Il!
appeared in the Spectator. 1t is tNpi-
al of the man that he chose this
method of expression. \ sordid soul
have described the adventure III
prose and have made money.
Fl gained much insight into tn.
native labor problem OF West Africa
ON these voyages. a knowledge which
he put to very good use in his consular
work afterwards.
easement lived a: Lnanda in a small
bungalow. his sole companion p large
Irish sheepdor called Rags, and the
were ins"parable. The consul was nuite
unconventional. He would frequently
go out for a stroll at sunrise with an
I'D shooting jacket over his paiamas
and Rags lurchine at his heels, ard
return III sunset, tired ont and happv.
f'aNiNe Jared through the day upon n
rev bananas. He was much addicted
{" these lonely ~wanderings and Was
known to all the country round. The
native children especially We're attract
ed 10 hlm. sure thai i'm his capacio1s
pockets lnrked biscuits and small cop
per coins which We're theirs for n grin.
Full of the Joy OF Life.
An excellent companions. witty, goot;
humored and virile. Easement was
fun OF the JOY Of life. He had inany
eccentricities. but they were all harm
less and many OF them lovable. He had
many pensioners. No hcagar appealc,;
Ia him in vain. His influence was an
ways for good. He WAS a keen athlete.
{. strong swimmer and IL good cricket.s
lie was widely and w"ll read. an artist
and 4 poet of no mean order. AT that
time much OF his leisure was devoted
To compiling "A book of simple rhymes
and delightful sketches for some chill
dien i'll ireland, and ii was a rare priv
Ilege to watch this grow under his
hand.
Easement was a home ruler because
he MAS an lrishman and upon this sub
ject he was f~iercely eloquent. His usu-
nlly soft voice would grow strong and
deep and his eyes would flash on the
are occasions when he allowed him
self to be drawn into u discussion upon
the subject of his beloved ireland.
III has been stated that he had pros
Roer sympathies at that time. This is
the reverse of the truth. No people
who tolerated oppression in their deal
lhss With native races had any sym.
pathN from Roger Easement.