Beschreibung:

Roger Casement. A Letter and an Archive Autograph letter signed from Casement to a son of his former African colleague Herbert Ward (the son also named Herbert), addressed to 'My dear Herbie,' 4pp (single folded sheet), written at the Duke of Hamilton's house at Strathaven, dated 13 Sept. 1913. With a covering letter to the historian Roger Sawyer from the recipient, Rev. Herbert Ward (junior); and also with two magnetic tapes recording interviews conducted by Sawyer with persons who knew Casement, including Rev. Ward and Corporal A.E. King, a former soldier who guarded Casement in his cell in The Tower of London, with a transcript of the King interview and some related items. Casement first met Herbert Ward senior in 1885, when they both worked for Henry Stanley's Congo International Association, which sought to develop the Congo for the benefit of its indigenous peoples in an uneasy partnership with King Leopold of the Belgians. When Casement uncovered and publicised evidence of human rights violations by Belgian rubber barons, Ward was one of those who supported him and spoke highly of his character and motives, and the two became friends. Ward became a distinguished sculptor and went to live in France, where Casement visited him. At the outbreak of the First World War, however, the two fell out over Casement's contacts with Germany, and in 1916 Ward declined to support an appeal for clemency for Casement. Casement writes from Strathaven in Lanarkshire, a shooting box beside a grouse moor. He asks about 'that infernal car of yours' - actually a G.W.K. cycle-car (see Rev. Ward's covering letter), and enthusiastically discusses local pastimes including shooting for rabbit and wild duck, a variant of billiards called 'Splosh,' the Duke wearing his kilt at dinner, a piper waking the household at 7 a.m., etc. - a last glimpse of a life of comfort and ease on which he was about to turn his back (within a month of writing this letter, he was in Ballymoney, Co. Antrim, urging Catholics and Protestants to unite in pursuit of Irish Independence). A good and interesting letter, vividly illustrating the life of luxury which Casement could have enjoyed had his political views been different. The transcript of the interview with Corporal King records that he was wounded while serving in France, and after convalescence was assigned to guard duty in the Tower of London, where he was sent to guard Casement (then awaiting trial and execution on a charge of high treason). He got into conversation with Casement, who said he was dying. According to King, Casement told him he had swallowed bent nails he had removed from wood in the fireplace, and also had tried to poison himself with a capsule given him by the Germans. 'I'm supposed to be a traitor', Casement is said to have told King. 'I'm not a traitor. I'm an Irish rebel.' With a photograph of Corporal King in uniform, a photocopy of a notice of his injury, sent to his mother, and a few other items. A most interesting collection. The historian Roger Sawyer has written several books about Casement. We can not give any guarantee with the tapes. As a coll., w.a.f. (1) Roger Casement. A Letter and an Archive Autograph letter signed from Casement to a son of his former African colleague Herbert Ward (the son also named Herbert), addressed to 'My dear Herbie,' 4pp (single folded sheet), written at the Duke of Hamilton's house at Strathaven, dated 13 Sept. 1913. With a covering letter to the historian Roger Sawyer from the recipient, Rev. Herbert Ward (junior); and also with two magnetic tapes recording interviews conducted by Sawyer with persons who knew Casement, including Rev. Ward and Corporal A.E. King, a former soldier who guarded Casement in his cell in The Tower of London, with a transcript of the King interview and some related items. Casement first met Herbert Ward senior in 1885, when they both worked for Henry Stanley's Congo International Association, which sought to develop the Congo