The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1918-08-29
"Capt. Laurene" Again.

ment. His face was wan though re-
fined and he wore his hair long over
his neck and shoulders.
Little groups of men gathered
about him at the fire department on
McBee avenue and this is the story
he tells: He is H. NJ. Laurene, born
in Monroe county, Mississippi, Sep
TENDER %, 1870. His mother was
Miss Sarah E. Pope, of Laurens, S. c.,
a second cousin of Postmaster Pope,
of this city. His father was a French
man, Capt. David Laurene, aid to
the French ambassador at Washing
ton, in 1859, and fought with the
South throughout the War of the
Sections. Capt. David Laurene mar
ried in 1868 and returned to France
with his wife and son in 1876. His
son-the Greenville visitor-was ed
ucated at Christ college, Cambridge
and Brein, France, graduating from
the latter place as civil engineer. In
1890 he went with the French army
to the French Congo country in Gen.
trail West Africa. There he met and
married Miss Lois Hilton, born in
Columbus, Ca, but whose father,
Lebarre Hilton, was of an adventur-
Gus spirit, and went as a prospector
to the French Congo.
A baby girl was born to the cou-
pie. The young husband was order
ed to join the forces sent to put down
the uprising of the Kurds in Asiatic
Turkey by the French government.
In a fight, during which many were
killed, he was taken a prisoner by
Murad Achmet Bey, a Turkish tribes
man and thrown into prison at Am
bole, Turkey. Here Laurene was
subjected to the most inhuman treat
ment, being forced to work-stem-
ming tobacco, shearing sheep, emp
tying Stops, etc., twelve and fourteen
hours a day, and for seven days in
the week. Half of his sleeping hours
were spent in a dungeon with a piece
of sheep hide as his mattress. In
this place he was kept for eighteen
years during which time he learned
the Turkish language and the differ
ent dialects of Arabian tribesmen.
On December 3, 1915, Captain
Laurene was released by order of
Gen. P. Lenair. The prisoner had
forgotten how to speak English but
when he heard it spoken, word by
word it came back to his memory.
He had left his wife and child at
Banzia, Camarun, Africa. Upon his
release he found she had remained
at that place for sixteen years and
then left for America, landing at
Baltimore, September Z, 191 He
has spent nearly $4,000 in the search
for his wife and daughter and be-
sides has received fully $4,000
worth of sympathetic advertising.
He is a Royal Arch Mason, and with
the very highest letters of recon-
mendation. His daughter, if alive, is
now twenty years old, and his wife
thirty-eight. Have you seen them?
The above is from the Charleston
American of Aug. 10. In this, Capt.
Laurene changes his statements in
some details from those given here.
He told the editor of the Advocate
here that his father was H. NJ. Lau-
rene, ST.. Instead of leaving his
wife and baby in France, he now
leaves them in Africa. He sticks to
the statement, however that his
mother was Miss Sarah E. Pope, of
Laurens, who, he said here, was a
niece of the late Chief Justice Y. ].
Pope. On this question, the follow
ing letters are of interest:
Laurens, S. c., Apr. 10, 1918. Mr..
R. L. Freeman, Bennettsville, S. C.
My dear Mr.. Freeman:-I have
your favor Of the 4th, enclosing a
clipping from a recent issue of the
Advocate in reference to Capt. Lau-
rene, who claims that his father a
ried Sarah E. Pope, of Laurens, S. c..
about 1860.
l have made inquiry of the older
citizens here and they have no recol-
lection of any such marriage nor do
they remember anything OF Miss
Pope having lived in Laurens. l
would suggest that you communicate
with Mr.. J. F. J. Caldwell, of New
berry, who can give you more infor-
nation about the Popes than any one
I know who is now living.
With personal regards and best