Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1890-11-01 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

THE MASSACRE AT VITU.  PUNISHING THE MURDERERS.  Telegraphic news from Lanni and Kipini, says the Times correspondent at Zanzibar, states that the Sultan of Vitu having positively rejected the terms offered by the British Consul-General, two naval armed expeditions, under Captain CurzonHowe and Commander M'Quhae, were sent by the Admiral to attack and destroy certain villages on the Vitu coast, distant about 14 miles, which were directly implicated in the murders of the Germans Karl Horn and Behnke. The expeditions suffered no casualties. The villages were feebly defended, but were speedily evacuated and were then burned. On September 25th the Admiral and the British Consul General left Emu for Kipini, where the entire British fleet,numbering 10 vessels, anchored. Vice-Admiral Sir E. Fremantle advanced on Vitu with nearly 1,000 fighting men at dawn on Sunday. His advanced posts under Commander Montgomerie were attacked, and three bluejackets were wounded on Saturday night. The British Company has assisted the naval expedition with 200 Indian troops, under the command of Captain Eric Smith, who accompanied the Admiral. It has also rendered most valuable aid in providing porters, Ice. The Berlin Reidisan:eiger publishes a detailed report from Consul-General Michahelles upon the massacre of the Kuentzel Expedition. The report on the whole confirms the statements made some time ago, but it appears now that Kuentzel, by his movocatory attitude, incensed the population of Vitu. Herr Meuschel, one of the survivors, is the only one who disputes this. He says: "What lam about to state is the whole truth, which I am willing to confirm by oath at any time. I know nothing of Herr Kuentzel having had a violent scene with the Sultan or any of his officials." In another part of his evidence, however, he says that Kuentzel had on one occasion been greatly exasperated and had shouted out something on the square before the Sultan's residence, but he did not understand what, because the expressions were in Swalwli. The Sultan, on the other hand, accuses Kuentzel of having violated his authority by insulting him in a gross manner. When the Sultan refused to give his permission for the clearing of the forest without authorisation from the British Consul, Kuentzel exclaimed that the Sultan and his people were dogs. They could not order or restrain him. He was prepared to fight and the Sultan had better be ready to do the same. The people got very excited and wanted to shoot Kuentzel down, but the Sultan interfered and informed him that he would do well to leave the town. Soon after shots were heard, and when Omani Madi, the Sultan's Minister, heard them he left his house asking what was the matter. He ordered the soldiers to stop firing, but they replied, " They shoot at us and we will shoot at them." When Kuentzel, with his seven companions, armed with two rifles and three revolvers, left the house and came to the gate the guard asked the party to wait till he should receive permission from the Sultan to let them pass. Kuentzel, instead of replying,drew out his revolver and shot the man. Before the party could open the gate,however,all the soldiers fired. Four of the Germans were killed at once, and three more outside the town. Such, says the hady News Berlin correspondent, is the account given by the Sultan. He expressed his regret at the event, the responsibility of which he said reed only with Kuentzel. When asked to allow the bodies to be buried, the Sultan replied that he would willingly do so, but the soldiers would not permit it because it was not usual to bury persons who had offended the Sultan. Of course the Sultan has every reason to find an acceptable version of the affair and an excuse. But what speaks for him is that, according to the report of the German Consul-General,he had written to . .  Herr Toeppen, asking him to come to Vitu to adjust his quarrels vcith Kuentzel. Added to this that Kuentzel is known to have been of a very choleric and aggressive nature, it seems that he. at any rate in some measure, provoked his own fate and that of his companions.  311.-