IMPRISONED WITHOUT TRIAL

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2158, 26 May 1914, Page 5

IMPRISONED WITHOUT TRIAL

NATIVE CONVERTS IN PORTUGUESE COLONY. By TelesraDh—Press Association—Couyrislit London, May 24. The Rev. J. S. Bowskill.-in a letter to the Baptist Missionary Society, states that nativo helpers are still imprisoned without trial. They haye been closely confined for.five days without food or water. Portuguese soldiers have burnt nativo villages.and mission chapels built by nativo converts. Letters received and miblished in Ensland from the Bev. J. S. liowskill. Baptist Missionary in Portuguese Congo, throw soiuo light on what has been termed tho "Bowskill Affair," which created considerable stir in tho Press some time ago. Mr. Bowskill came into conflict with ■Senlior Paulo (the Portuguese Chef do Porte), in connection with certain troubles with tho natives, and was arrested, but subsequently released on parole, and informed that ho would bo courtmartialled at San Salvador on a charge of having supplied the natives witi; ammunition, and with having permitted the natives, who revolted against tho taxes, to firo from the mission station upon the Portuguese garrison. Tho Baptist Missionary Society appealed to the Foreign Offico to prevent Mr. Bowskill being court-martialled. A Ministerial/ announcement was made in Lisbon on April 2 to the effect that tho missionary would be tried at a Civil Court, in the prascuco of the British Consul.