The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-12-22

| had no business to tell II 10
me. or to any other. may
credit the seductive influence of an
old vintage upon the narrator for
the beginning of 1t, and my own
skeptical incredulity during the days
that followed for the balance Of the
strange tale.
When my convivial host discov-
cred that he had told me so much.
and that I was prone to doubtful
ness, his foolish pride assumed the
task the old vintage had com
menced. and so he unearthed writ
ten evidence in the form of musty
manuscript. and dry official records
of the British Colonial Office TO
support many of the salient features
Of his remarkable narrative.
do not say the story is true. for
1 did not witness the happenings
which il portrays. but the fact that
in the telling of it to you 1 have
taken fictitious names for the pr.n-
cipal characters quite sufficiently
evidences the sincerity of my own
belief that it may be true.
The yellow, widowed pages Of
the diary of man long dead. and
the records of the Colonial Office
dovetaf perfectly with the narrative
of my convivial host. and 50 I give
you the story as I painstakingly
pieced it out from these several
various agencies.
II you do not find It credible you
will at least be as one with me in
acknowledging that it IS unique, re
markable, and interesting.
From the records of the Colonial
Office and from the dead mans
diary we learn that a certain young
English nobleman, whom we shall
call John Clayton, Lord Greystoke,
was commissioned TO make q pc
culiarly delicate investigation of
conditions in a British West Coast
African Colony from whose simple
native inhabitants another European
power was known to be recruiting
soldiers for its native army. which
il used solely for the fOrcible col
lection of rubber and ivory from the
savage tribes along the Congo and
the Aruwimi.
The natives Of the British Colony
complained that many Of their
young men We're enticed away
through the medium OF fair ana
glowing promises. but that few If
any ever returned 10 their families.
The Englishmen in Africa went
even further; saying that these poor
blacks were held in virtual slavery,
since when their terms Of enlistment
expired their ignorance was i'm
posed upon by their white officers,
and they were told that they had
yet several years 10 serve.
And so the Colonial Office ap-
pointed John Clayton TO a new post
In British West Africa, but his con
fidential instructions centered on a
thorough investigation of the unfair
treatment Of black British subjects
by the officers OF A friendly Euro
pean power. Why he was sent. is.
however. Of little moment to this
story, for he never made an in
vestigatiOn. nor. in fact. did he ever
reach his destination.
Clayton was the type OF English
man that one likes best to associate
with the noblest monuments Of his
toric achievement upon a thousand
victorious battle felds-a strong,
virile man mentally, morally and
physically.
In stature he was above the aver
age height; his eyes were gray. his
features regular and strong; his
carriage that Of perfect. robust
health influenced by his years of
army training.
Political ambition had caused him
to seek trausference from the army
to the Colonial Office and SO we find
him, still young, intrusted with 4
delicate and important commission
in the service Of the Queen.
When he received this appoint
ment he was both elated and APP
palled The preferment seemed to
him in the nature Of a well merited
reward for painstaking and in
telligent service, and as a stepping
stone TO posts Of greater importance
and responsibility; but. on the other
hand. he had been married TO the
Hon. Alice Rutherford for scarce a
three months. and it was the thought
of taking this fair young girl into
the dangers and isolation Of tropical
Africa that dismayed and appalled,
him.
For her sake he would have re-
fused the appointment; but she
would not have it so. Instead she
insisted that he accept. and. indeed.
take her with him.
There were mothers and brothers
and sisters. and aunts and cousins
to express various opinions on the
subject. but as TO what they sew
orally advised history IS silent.
We know only that on a bright
May morning in 1888 John. Lord
Greystoke and Lady Alice sailed
from Dover on their way to Africa