Documents suggesting that Boy Scout¹ founder² Lord Baden-Powell illegally executed a prisoner-of-war have been sold for £3,740.

文献资料显示，童子军创始人巴登·鲍威尔勋爵非法处决战俘。

Scouting³ movement in 1907" width="226" height="170" src="/upimg/091210/4_061352_1.jpg" />
Baden-Powell founded the Scouting movement in 1907

Papers relating to the Second Matabele马塔贝列人 War in 1896 say Baden-Powell, then a Colonel in the British Army, ordered the shooting of an African chief.

The chief, Uwini, had been promised his life would be spared if he surrendered.

The papers reached double their expected price at auction⁴ in South Cerney, Gloucestershire.

An inquiry⁵ at the time of the conflict into the affair exonerated使免罪 Baden-Powell.

'Old school tie'

However, the inquiry papers, which were originally owned by his commanding officer, Sir Frederick Carrington, make it clear that the future scouting leader knew Uwini had been promised safe conduct.

Baden-Powell said he took action to save lives and because his commander was too distant to consult.

Uwini led a rebellion by Africans against white settlement in what is now Zimbabwe.

Auctioneer Chris Albury said: "The character witness statements give a strong sense of the old school tie network banding together结合起来，团结起来 and making Baden-Powell a hero rather than a villain坏人，恶棍."

Robin⁷ Clay, Baden-Powell's grandson, told The Times newspaper: "We all make mistakes. In time of war emotions are aroused and you do what you think at the time."