During the a package 
finalised inside the October 1903, Verner is accredited since the good “special representative” by Louisiana Get Exposition Providers, charged with conducting a journey towards African interior locate anthropological question and gives “particular residents the chance of browsing the fresh Exposition truly”. You to adult lady, essentially his girlfriend. ”
McGee stipulated one to Verner must contain the voluntary attendance of delegation and you may go back her or him safely on their belongings to get all of the permissions and also the service regarding Queen Leopold II. A maximum of $8,500 is designated, and additionally $five hundred to own Verner’s payment and an extra $step 1,five hundred arranged having unanticipated contingencies. Verner proposed delivering an effective navy warship otherwise gunboat so you can Congo to “considerably lighten enferences” – a proposal you to definitely apparently failed to alarm the fresh fair’s officials. Rather, he received certified characters away from recommendation finalized by McGee since the chairman of your own Western Anthropological Organization and you can pretending president of one’s National Geographic Society. For good measure, Verner shielded a page handled to Leopold out of John Existe, the us assistant out of state.
One or two infants, of women in the trip,” and you will “five far more pygmies, if at all possible mature however, younger, but including an effective priestess and a beneficial priest, or medication medical professionals, essentially dated
Inside later November 1903, Special Broker Verner set cruise off Ny harbour. Because of the very early December, he previously found its way to London – just like the Uk consul Roger Casement is to brand new city to file his statement investigating atrocities up against Congo residents.
On the way so you can Africa, Verner composed to McGee to announce you to King Leopold is “such curious” which he manage sit in the fresh new fair themselves, and you may hoping McGee that the cooperation of your own thus-named pygmies happened to be apt to be given that he’d received “a far more big equipment than I initially considered,” an apparent mention of the military supplies he’d bought in London area. Verner reiterated which he had, during the a past page so you’re able to McGee, “protected the floor of the thing i thought smart regardless of if away from a low-assent of your own pygmies”; but not, one to page wasn’t located.
McGee responded: “As you are now set, you are a laws unto your self and i also provides implicit depend on regarding skills of your own legal.” This new letter implicitly approved whatever are essential Verner to-do to take care of his purpose.
Seven days later, Verner stated his first achievements. “The initial pygmy could have been secure!” the guy exclaimed to the February 20 1904, the afternoon Ota Benga’s life create radically change. Verner told McGee you to Ota Benga try taken from a village where he had been kept captive, at the a remote site regarding forest “several days february out-of one white settlement”. Although it’s possible you to definitely Verner ran by yourself toward good remote place seeking their prey, the space, Bassongo, are your website of a well-known servant market and you may bodies post in which human trafficking are pervading.
Later on, retelling the newest facts from Benga’s capture in an effective Harper’s Per week article, Verner said that when he receive Benga, he had been held captive of the Bashilele, which the guy stated was indeed cannibals. “He was happy to come with our company,” blogged Verner, “to own he was of a lot kilometers of his some body, in addition to Bashilele just weren’t simple professionals.”
Verner got prevented to dress themselves which have tropical and you may google search gizmos: however motorboat at least 80 cases of provides – as well as rifles and you may ammo – to help you Congo
Samuel P Verner took Benga captive for the Congo and you will lead your back to the united states. Photograph: University off South carolina
However, the guy informed the brand new Columbus Dispatch that he is actually awaiting an excellent watercraft ahead from inside the as he ventured an initial length and you may watched Ota Benga, including several people in his tribe. In this inconsistent retelling, he told you he generated preparations with a frontrunner when deciding to take Benga which have your. “He had been happy as well as nervous to choose myself, to your thoughts from their terrible escape from the newest starving cannibals was not forgotten of the him.”