The Pall Mall Gazette of Monday contained a statement by
Dr. Michaux, the only European present when Mr. Stokes was sentenced to death, which is almost final as to the guilt of Captain Lothaire. That officer executed a native chief named Kibonge in the vast jungle north-east of Stanley Falls, and then arrested Stokes, who had nearly a thousand men with him carrying goods. The men, whose significant name for Lothaire is the "man of ivory," for the most part fled; and Lothaire, sitting alone without officers or non- commissioned officers, tried Stokes on a charge of furnishing guns to Kibonge. Dr. Michaux acted as interpreter ; but there was no evidence except that of a few Arabs, who said they had purchased arms from Stokes, but who had probably stolen them. Lothaire sentenced Stokes to death, though he had no power to sentence a European; and though Dr. Michaux begged hard for a reprieve, he exe- cuted him at once while Dr. Michaux was asleep. He had no code with him, and probably was unaware and careless whether he was exceeding his powers or not. Stokes's goods were carried by the porters, under Lothaire's orders, for three days, after which Dr. Michaux, who started sick for the coast with insufficient escort, knows nothing of their fate. That looks like a judicial murder for the sake of gain, but, of course, is subject to the explanation which, if Captain Lothaire ever reaches a civilised station, he will be com- pelled to offer. There are, we fear, more officers like him in the Congo service than the world knows, the difference being that most of them would feel a little the necessity for pro- tecting white men.
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