VICTIM OF NATIVE SAVAGERY

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 10 March 1934, Page 11

VICTIM OF NATIVE SAVAGERY

XT is reported from Nairobi that a young Englishman named Theodore Powys, who disappeared in October, 1931. is now believed to have been murdered. Police investigating murders in the Laikipia district have been informed that primitive iSamburu warriors killed Mr Powys in blood-spearing rites.

•Mr Powys was employed at a farm owned by Lady Eleanor Cole, second daughter of the second Earl of Balfour. When he disappeared it was at first assumed that he had been killed by a lion. Mr Powys is a son of Mr T. P. Powys, the novelist, author of “Mr Tasker’s Gods” and other well-known stories of rural life. His grandfather tlic ißev. Charles Francis Powys, was formerly headmaster of Sherborne School, Dorset.

Two natives of the Samburu tribe have been arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the murder of Mr Powys. 'Six months ago a series of murders by the Samburu were investigated. The police then learnt that it was common knowledge among the natives that Mr Powys had not been killed by a lion (as was supposed by the authorities), but had been murdered.

A. native employed in the district

White Killed in Blood-Spearing Rite

I gave the police the definite information that Powys had been killed in the course of blood-spearing rites by which the warriors test their manhood. A curious feature of the tragedy is that Mr Powys’ skull, which was not- found originally, lias now been discovered some distance from the scene of the l murder. It is suggested the Samburu | warriors removed this evidence and returned when the police became active. •‘This is the first suggestion I have heard that my son was murdered,” Mr T. F. Powys said. “My son,” he said, “went out to Nairobi seven years- ago as an under-manager on the estate of Lady Eleanor Cole .He was a -very friendly fellow with the natives. He spoke tlicir language, and was very just in his management of them. Two vears ago I received news that when out, on the plains in the course of his work lie had been killed by a lion. The accident occurred during the daytime. This seemed a little curious to me at the time, for lions do not prowl much during the daytime. But whatever views I may have held, there was the fact that my son’s pony galloped home in a state of terror. Immediately the animal reached the encampment he collapsed. There were marks on the pony •suggesting that he had been torn by the claws of a lion.”