He stated he was F F F of R**. He had shot two antelopes, and he had
brought two of their legs to this sentry as a gift. The sentry refused
to accept them, and tied his wife up. The sentry said they were not a
sufficient present for him, and he kept F F F’s wife tied up until he, F
F F, paid him 1,000 brass rods for her release.
Here a young man giving his name as G G G stepped into the ring and
accused the sentry of having robbed him openly of two ducks and a dog.
They were taken from him for no reason save that the sentry wanted them
and took them by force.
Consul again turned to the sentry and invited him to tell his story, and
to give his answer to the charge against him in his own way. Consul
enjoined silence on all, and not to interrupt the sentry.
K K stated that he did not take G G G’s ducks. The father of G G G gave
him a duck. (All laughed.) It is true that F F F killed two antelopes
and gave him the two legs as a gift but he did not tie up his wife or
require money for her release.
Consul: “That is all right. That finishes the ducks and the antelopes’
legs; but now I want to hear about I I’s hand. Tell me what you know
about I I’s hand being cut off.”
K K again evaded the question.
Consul: “Tell him this. He is put here by his master in this town, is he
not? This is his town. Now, does he say he does not know what goes on
here where he lives?”
The sentry states: “It is true that this is his town, but he knows
nothing about I I’s hand being cut off. Perhaps it was the first sentry
here before he came, who was a very bad man and cut people’s hands off.
That sentry has gone away--it was he who cut hands off, not himself. He
does not know anything of it.”
Consul: “What was the name then of this bad sentry, your predecessor,
who cut people’s hands off? You know it?”
The sentry gives no direct answer, and the question is repeated. He then
gives a statement about several sentries, naming three, as predecessors
of himself here at R**.
Here a man named H H H jumped up, interrupting, and asserted that those
three sentries did not reside at R**, but had been stationed in his own
town--his, H H H’s, town.
Consul (to the sentry): “How long have you been in this town?”
Answer: “Five months.”
Consul: “You are quite sure?”
Answer: “Five months.”
Consul: “Do you, then, know this boy I I? Have you seen him before?”
Answer: “I do not know him at all.”
Here the entire auditory roared with laughter, and expressions of
admiration at the sentry’s lying powers were given vent to.
The sentry, continuing, stated that possibly I I comes from H H H’s
town. Anyhow, he (the sentry) does not know I I; he does not know him at
all.
Here F F F stepped out and said he was full brother of I I; they had
lived here always. Their father was U U U, now dead; their mother is
also dead.
Consul (to the sentry): “Then it is finished. You know nothing of this
matter.”
The sentry: “It is finished. I have told you all. I know nothing of it.”
Here a man giving his name as I I I, of K K*, the neighbouring section
of R**, came forward with his wife.
He stated that the other sentries in their town were not so bad, but
that this man was a villain.
The sentry had tied up his wife--the woman he brought forward--and had
made him pay 500 rods before she was released. He had paid the money.
Here Consul asked I I how his hand had been cut off. He and C C C and D
D D stated that he had first been shot in the arm, and then when he fell
down the sentry had cut his hand off.
Consul: “Did you feel it being cut off?”
Answer: “Yes, I felt it.”
This terminated the inquiry. The Consul informed Y Y and the people
present that he should report what he had seen and heard to the Congo
Government, and that he should beg them to investigate the charge
against the sentry, who deserved severe punishment for his illegal and
cruel acts. The things that the sentry was charged with doing were quite
illegal, and if the Government of his country knew of such things being
done, the perpetrators of such crimes would, in all cases, be punished.
(Signed) ROGER CASEMENT,
_His Britannic Majesty’s Consul_.
Inclosure 7 in No. 3.
(See p. 59.)
_Circular of September 7, 1903, forbidding Soldiers armed with Rifles
from going out on Service without Europeans over them._