The Washington herald., 1920-12-28
Legends Surround Old Fort
Built by Haytian Negro King

Twenty miles inland from the
some traveller struggles into a
mountainous wilderness threaded
by a few rugged trails and finds,
on the summit of Bonnet a rExeque
(the Bishops Hat). one of the little
known wonders of the Western
here-Christophe's Citadel,
once called La Ferriere" Con-
structed a century ago OF solid
masonry. occupying the entire top
of the mountain. its walls in some
places sixteen feet in thickness and
eighty feet high, this extraordinary
fortress exists as a monument to
the tyranny and genius of a negro
king of slaves, Henri Christophe,
self crowned Henri ! of Hayti.
Henri Christophe was born on the
island of st. Christophe in 1863 1t
is supposed that, working as a
waiter in Cay Francaise (now Cape
Haytien), he picked up a smattering
Of English from British naval Of
f1cers and some sort of an insight
into military science. At any rate,
he must have been blessed with an
unusual amount of native intelli-
sence and a bold spirit. When the
| uprising of the Haytian slaves
against their French masters came
about, Christophe appeared as a
| trusted lieutenant of the romantic
chieftain, Toussaint LOuverture.
Following LOuverture's betrayal
and death. the revolution was
brought to a successful conclusion
under the notorious Dessalines in
1904. Dessalines had himself de-
| cared emperor of independent
Hayti and the following year was
assassinate6 Christophe was then
elected President.
Christophe Becomes King.
1t appears. however, that Chris
tophe objected to the consti-
tuition as drafted by a certain Pc
tion. Instead of accepting the Pres
idency, therefore. he declared war
on Petion and the island was di-
vided into sections. the northern
part supporting Christophe and the
southern district Potion. Under
Christophe's iron rule the northern
section flourished and was CONNER
cially prosperous for the first time.
Soon Europe heard of Christophe as
undisputed master of the black re-
public, over which in 1911, he pro-
claimed himself King, taking the
title of Henri !. He seems TO have
established a pretentious court and
a negro nobility. He was supreme,
tyrannical dictator, with a judg-
ment sure, swift and irrevocable; {;
also as became a tyrant. he was
tcruel-fendisily so, according to the
tales told of his reign.
Begun in 1904.
The famous citadel of Bonnet a
lEveque was begun. by Christophe
In 1904 in accordance with the in
structions of the then ruler. Des-
saiines, who ordered that fortresses
be built at various strategic points
of the island against a. possible at
tempt of the French to reconquer
Hayti 1t is supposed to have been
completed prior to Christophe's
ceath In 1920. 1t was built by the
labor of an army of slaves at the
cost, II Is variously estimated, of
from ten to twenty thousand lives.
Writing in the National Geograph-
ic Magazine. Maj. G. II. Osterhout
OF the United States Marine Corps
gives a graphic description of the
remarkable fortress as it appears
today.
The Act of a Tyrant.
1T is believed" he writes, that
the plans for the structure were
drawn and the work of construc-
ton supervised by two captive
French ohicers, who possessed the
highest order of technical training.
When their work was completed
Christophe. in, company with these
officers, is said to have made a
thorough inspection of all parts of
the structure, and then. upon ar
riving at one Of the highest points
Of the edihce. ordered both men
seized and hurled to their death on