South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-03-19
By WHfred ]. Riley

%HERES little white house on
George av. neat. coy. and
- unpretentiOus. which. though
ii is within the hum OF the grinding
wheels of industry that necessarily
churn in the nearby factories. is Sc
Guided and quiet by virtue OF the
romantic and adventurous character
who resides therein. Seven hundred
and twenty-fOur George av.. is the
exact number. and John r. c. De-
Man, who is the only known living
member OF the exploring expedition
1 headed by Capt. Henry N. Stanley in
Emin Pasha, Belgian Congo. 50
years ago. is the romantic character
who lives there.
1t was just so years ago when
Capt Stanley made the heroic rescue
OF Dr. David Livingstone, in Darkest
Africa. in 1872 and preparations are
being made all over the world for
celebrations in commemoration Of
this event.
Mr.. DeMan. his face lined from
the many hardships and privations
he has experienced in his s. years
of life. and his hair white from
worry and strain. is spending the
declining years of his life gathering
data concerning his experiences
which he ropes to put into book
form,
VIII Visit Holland
When we found Mr. DeMan ne was
seated IN a huge morris chair in the
coy living-room Of his home. busily
engaged in examining application
papers for passport 1t seems that
he is a native of Amsterdam, Hol-
land. and in May he hopes to make
his first visit to that country since
he came to the United States %
years ago
On being questioned about his re-
lations with Capt. Stanley, Mr. De-
Man was reluctant TO talk. Not be-
cause he has any fear of publicity
but rather. as he explained it, be-
cause he would rather keep such
stories for the book he is writing. He
did. however. give us a brief outline
of his life and a few interesting in
cidents I'm connection with the STAN
ley expedition.
Mr.. DeMan was born in Amster-
dam. Holland. g. years ago. and he
| lived there up until he was IS years
Of age. At that time the lure Of ad-
venture filled his veins and the ir-
resistible call OF life on the ocean
beckoned him. During his youth he
had learned the trade of steam en-
cheering so it was comparatively
easy for him to secure a position as
a sea going engineer.
His first position was on a ship
plying between Amsterdam and the
| East Indies. This trip proved TO be
| fun of mystery. tragedy and adven-
ture and was the beginning of what
proved to be life of ceaseless won
| der and interest 1t happened that
| Mr.. DeAIan. the captain. and the
chief engineer were the only white
men on the crew Before striking
| the West Indies on this maiden
voyage a spirit of unrest manifested
itself i'm the crew and as the days
\ passed the feeling became the more
| intense. Conditions rapidly grew
worse until one morning Mr. DeMan
woke to find that the captain Of the
vessel had been thrown overheard.
| Mr. DeMan said that investigation
l
| positive evidence could ever he
brought to show that the pilot had
| been murdered.
My second trip, said Mr. De-
| Man. took me to the Bay Of Biscay.
one OF the most treacherous places
in all the world and a spot feared by
/ the most hardened mariner. There
we ran into a huge fishing net which
/ became eutangled i'm the propeller
and for two days and two nights we
drifted helpleSsly."
Even such a discouraginE begin
ming as these two disastrous trips
failed TO dampen Mr. DeMan's ar
dour for the sea and his passion for
| the usual led him to seek some new
| lands ne could visit For several
years . worked on ships plying the
| Mediterranean. but this life soon be-
| came monotonOus.
At this time i'm Mr. DeMan's life.
! the Belgian government was Outlin-
! ing a plan of constructive work in
the Belgian Congo They were in
| great need Of navigation engineers
and he found it easy 10 obtain a pO-
sition providing ne was willing to
sign a contract for three years ser