Newspaper Page Text
;
An Extraordinary School
Will Be Described in Next Sunday's
Republic, With Half-Tone Pictures.
Arc You Following Frank Carpenter
Through the Philippines? S O
Beautiful Pictures
Of the Season's Bathing Suit:,
Posed by a St. Louis GirL fi -
One of the Many Brilliant Half-Tons
Features of Next Sunday's Republic
THE ST. LOUIS REPUBLIC
e
NINETY-SECOND YEAR.
ST. LOUIS. MO., WEDNESDAY, MAY 2. 1 !)()(.
-.---.-- ,-.-. ft" '- I.enils. Olio Cent.
I I? TlTFi i Ontsiele- M. I.onli. Ttmi Cent
-"J-V-,J-J (i Train-, Three t'nta.
TWO HUNDRED
LIVES GO OUT.
LETTER WRITTEN
BY JESUS CHRIST.
BOERS 0EU
ITAGKI
-Vi rx t. .
- M 'I r.
fillip
ITEPi I
to - 1 'I -i . X-
s
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V
Pleasant Valley Coal Mines
Utah Blow Up With Fright
fill Force.
Whole Mountain Is Shattered 137 Bodies Re-
covered and Only a Score Out of 250 Are
Known to Have Escaped.
JACK HJ-'OX.
I: T KVAXS
X'iTTl'. e inti'lfETT.
- .IjronitSON.
j.mi':s wiiix.
will v.'1x:stbi.
- I4.IIiV ANI tov.
Th. .ove.res'y injurcel ar-:
joiin k';rton
thomas tjvsuv and i-on.
WIUJAH llKWKTEIt.
TiioUA-i si:i.lJ-:rts
Thomas' r.i'.oTOf.
r.crrni.ic special.
Salt Lake City. Utah, May 1. More- than
2"o men w--ro killed and more than a score
of othrre will be crippled for lifo as the ro
s.i! of .in explosion in tunnel No. 4 of the
l'lc.u.int Valley coal mine.". located at
Winter Quirter., 2 miles south of Salt
1-ake. this morning.
"he Utile town of Schofield. half a mile
from the scene of the accident, is tinned
Into a morgue. The people are jiaralyzed
Mlth horror, for not a family in the village
rcaped without tho los of a neir relative
or a close friend.
Of 23) men who went to work on the S
o'clock ihlft. ies than thirty are knonu to
liave escaped. Nearly 110 bodies have been
taken from the wreckage.
Two hundred coffins have been ordered
through local undertakers to be sent at
once to the scene of the disaster. A speciil
train bearing the seriously wounded has
Started from Schofield 'for Salt Lake.
It is Impossible to set a list of the deal
at this time. So overcome are the people
by the scope of the olamity that they seem
to ba In a trance. Not cne Is able to glve
an intelligible story as to the extent of the
disaster.
The explosion is believed to have been
VIEWS CENTURY OF WORK.
Methodist General Conference Convenes for Four
Weeks' Session in Chicago To-Day.
fcEPLT.LTC srnciAL.
Chicago, 111.. May 1. A hundred years
Bgo this week tho General Conference of
the Methodist Church began at Baltimore.
It preceded and Inspired a revival, the
- Effect of which has been felt to the end
Of the century- The aged and Infirm A
fcury. tho father of the church in Ameri
ca, called that meeting to order and
iindied tho fires of a fervor that lifted
Methodism out of the colaness into which
it had sunk.
To-morrow morning the venerable Bishop
Thomas Bowman will open the twentv
ninth General Conference of the cliur- h
end the twenty-third of the delegated
congresses In one of the raot mag
nificent halls in the New World. From
eight conferences the denomination has
grown to forty-seven. From 2S2 ministers
It has Increased to IS.vJO. Its membership,
that was 63.000 in 1SW. is now 3.OJU.0W.
The conference of 1M Is a delegate on
and will admit the laity to equal pla. e
with the clergy In the government of the
church. The conference, which will open at
the Auditorium to-morrow for a four
weeks' session, will liavo- a place in the ht
lory of the church for Its ilevatKn or the
laity.
The lay question will be brought up short
ly after the opening of the first st&sion. It
is complicated by the presence of a woman,
and the fact that delegates were elected
provisionally in advance of the ratification
of the vote by tin: general conference-. The
Consensu is that the woman delegate will
withdraw and that the scruples as to tho
constitutionality of the election of tho de-Ie-Eutes
will not bo powerful enough to kee-p
them out of the session.
Bishop Mel rill, who will preside lo-iuorron
morning over the di'ciissmn of the jdnii -fion
of the laymen, is said tti be the onlj
representative of the old Ideie on the Itish
Cp's Bench. Ills rulings are awaited by the
laymen with expectancy and trepidation. If
fie yields to tho preponderance of te'iiimcul.
the waiting provisional delegates will lie in
lull fellowship before the noon adjournment.
Doctor JrnnliiK Vinillrutrd.
The case of Doctor Jennings w.is brousht
lo a formal close this afternoon with the
leporl to the publishing agent of the alle
gations niacin by Mr. Schncll and others
OTio case had Iwcn held oien to give Com
mitteeman Preston of New York, who was
r.ot present durin? the Inquiry, time to read
the evidence. The vote vindicating loctr
Jennings was 0 to 1. The matter, it is ns
Pcrted, is not regarded as of biiHlcIent im
"jiortance to lay before the General Confer
ence. The day's hi rivals of delegates and of
ficials embraced one-half of thoso who will
tittend tho conference. The candidates' for
the various otllcfs, of which there are near
ly fifty to fill, are conducting a. lively c.in
yass. Nearly every editor, with the excep
tion of Doctor Buckley of New York, is
ppposcd. Tho secretaries of the various
missionary societies and churcli boards
have filled the positions for many years
and aro considered well intrenched in their
Offices.
The forming of combinations U well under
way. and at least half a dozen "rings." as
politicians in tho secular field term them,
havo been formed, which Include candi
dates for lilfhops, publishing agents, editors
itnd mfhers of tho Epworth League
Board Control.
The leading candidates for the Bishop's
bench are: Tho Reverend Frank M. Bristol
Of Washington, V. C; the Reverend Charles
Tattle of Evanston. the Reverend P. H.
Swift of Chicago, the Reverend D. J I.
Mooro of 'Cincinnati. O.; tho Reverend J.
,W. Hamilton of Cincinnati. O.; the Rever
end J. M. King of New York, tiie Rever
end Henry Spcllnieyer of Newark, N. J.:
the Reverend T. J. Nccley of Philadelphia,
the Reverend T. J. Palmer of New York
and the Reverend W. V. Kelley of New
1'ork.
FroTlslonsts Act.
Lay delegates, regulars and provisional,
put their desire for an equal voice In the
government of the church into a set of
resolutions at Recital Hall, tho Auditorium,
to-night, and arranged to present them'at
the opening pes-sion to-morrow. Equal rep
resentation right away is what tho laymen
jit't. Xhcy rtcltc that a straw bal'ot of the
in
caused by g.t ard dut. It la thought that
some mt-mWr of a surveying party which
was at work In the mine carneil an "open,"
or unguarded, lamp.
The first the workers on the outside knew
of the calamity was when, at 10:13, the e n
tirc top of the mountain over the tunnel
seemed to lift, i treat masses of stone and
tall trees were hurled hundreds of feet in
the air and fell in every direction, some of
them half a mile from the ndncs. i'or
twenty minutes debris fell; then came a
deathly stillness.
While It was known at once that an awful
catastrophe had occurred, the extent of tho
disaster was not first appreciated. The
first report sent out was that only twenty
live men had boon killed. All the damage
j seemed to have bfen done in Tunnel No. 4,
but a hasty Investigation showed that N'o.
1. which adjoins ami connects with it. also
had been destroyed.
Help was telegraphed for in every direc
tion, and responses were prompt. Within
an hour after t,he explosion a hundred men
were swarming Into tho wreckage. The
fight was against terrific odds, for tho
blast had let loose volumes of gas. which
el'ked the rescuers and frequently com
pelled them to desist fiom their efforts
Gradually, however, the air cleared away
and the mournful task became ea.-ier.
At 13 o'clock to-night 117 bodies had been
taken out arid a number more wero within
easy access. It will bo several hours before
I a list of the dead can be obtained. The
I scene of ho horror is inaccessible to tclc
! graph lines, and it is difficult to get com-
Iplete reports as to the real extent of the
accident.
Methodist clergy developed an overwhelm
ing entlmenl to admit them to the church
councils on an equal footing, and announro
that 111 provisional delegates were elected
l:i the belief th.it the conference would
teat them.
The resolutions request the conference to
make the propoaed amendment to the rules
tho law or the church and to provide that
the amendment be given Immediate effect.
j and that the prov Clonal lay delegates efcet-
4 A.I ..-I,t. .1... ...1 .L-. ..
u mm me eAjMeiauon inat me proposed
amendment would bo adopted, be admitted
to seats la the General Conference of 1SW.
They were adopted without dissent.
Woman Delegate QneMion.
In the ranks of the piovlslonal" the ca-
of Mis. 31. Y. McMahan. the Griggsvilii.
111., delegate, was the cause of much spec
ulation to-day. Sne bas not arrived, and
whether or not site will retire In favor of
lur alternate, a man. Is still left to the
future. By so doin. it is said among the
prov i-donaN, sh would simplify their posi
tion, for. by seating her as a delegr.te'. the
members of the conference would aNo sanc
tion the election of women delegate's.
Of the eighteen Bishops comprising th
Board of Bishops, nil but Bishops Thohurn
and llartscll were hero to-dy. They met
during the day and ratified th- Bishops' ad
dress, a paper containing 13.nof) words. It
will be read Immediately following the pot
tlemcnt of the provisional dele'-ate prob
lem, according to present plans.
loleresl In .Vtrl Moil i I nloo.
Interest In the Idea of reuniting the Meth
odist Church, South, with the main body,
was Intensified to-day, by the arrival of
elghtv-five delegates from smith of Mion
and Dixon's line. Of these sixty-five were
colored.
LEADING TOPICS
-IN-
TO-DAY'S REPUBLIC.
Vli.sotiri l.rnernll- fnlr Wilnr-lnj-
noil Thiirsdii.o : vnrinlile TTlnds
lie-e-oniinc lifirlherl,
Illinois l-'nlr Wodne-xlnj : Tlinrs
tlny fnlr nml cooler In northern por
tion, brisk nonllierly Mhirtlngr to nrat
erl ssinds.
.irkniiaim I'nir 1 cdnesilny nnd
Thiirsdnj ; -variable winds.
Page.
1. I'.oers Delivering Counter "Attacks.
"Thin. Red Unc of Boers."
Two Hundred Live Lost in a Mine.
Letter That Christ Wrote. '
. Flames Rmch Thirty Miles.
The Lynching of Mindo.
3. Dewey Greeted With Ringing Ovations.
Holiday in Honor of the Admiral.
4. Tho Railroads.
Rock Island May Cauw Trouble.
5. Tanner Faction Win3 a Victory.
6. Race-Track Results.
Baseball Scores.
7. Bowling Games.
A "Sapho" Incident.
New Ocean Fiver.
S. Editorial.
Senator Vest's Defense of Quay.
Morning Choral Club's May Concert.
3. Excessive Rains Damage Corn.
Crop Reports from Several Stales
11. New Corporations.
Transfers of Realty.
12. Grain and Other Markets.
13. Financial Nev s.
Think Filtration Scheme Behind It.
N. G. M. Brigade Encampment.
H. Meier Inquiry Resumed.
Democrats Renominate Jett.
Mr. Hodges Favors Retrenchment.
J'l'oof Found of (ho v'orii'.Nnnndeiict
With Ahfianis Fifth of
Kdessa.
DORIC - GREEK INSCRIPTION.
Discovery of ihe llijfhcMl livable
Sijpiille.'uitv Over Hie Gate-
way of the Old Palave
of KjrilCMIr.
SPECIAL BY CABI.i:.
1-ondon. Wednesday, May 2. (Copyright.
J:j0. by the New York iiirald Company.)
A remarkable story comes from the Rome
correspondent of the Dally Evpress. who
sends an authentic facsimile of the wonder
ful Dorlc-Gre'ek Inscription, the discovery
of which on the gateway of the old palice
of Ephesus was announced to members of
the Archaeological Congress In Rome by
Professor Bohrniann of Vienna University.
He submitted tho facsimile to Professor
Murray of the British Museum on his re
turn from the Rome congress yesterday,
oral Professor Murray declares the inscrip
tion undoubtedly genuine and of the high
est possiblo Importance, tending as It docs
to establish the authority of tho corre
spondence alleged by Euseblus to havo
passed between Abgarus V of Edcssa and
our Iird. The Utter from Abgarus runs as
follows:
"I havo heard of theo and of tho cures
wrought by thts without herbs or medi
cine?, for It Is reported that thou rctoreth
tho sight of the blind, maketh the lamo
walk, cleanseth the leper, ralaeth the d. ad.
casteth out devils and uncle-an spirits and
restoreth the health of those tormented bv
disease's of long continuance. Hearing all
this of thee. 1 am fully persuaded that thou
art a very God come elown from heaven to
do such miracles or that thou art tho son
of God and perfortneth them; wherefore I
havo sent thee this few lines cntroa'tr.ir
thee to come hither and cure my disea-e.
Besides, hearing the Jews murmur tainst
theo and continue to elo thee ml-cnief, I in
vite thee to my city, which is but a liitl
one, but beautiful and sufficient to enter
tain us both."
Christ's reply Is thti' translated:
"Blessed art thou for be-lievins in me,
whom thou hast not seen, for it is written
of me that they that have seen m shall not
believe, but they tli.it havo not soon me
shall bellevo and be saved. But. concern
ing tho matter thou bast written about,
this will acquaint you that all things for
which I was r'nt hitiitr must be fulfilled.
Then I shall be taken up to return to him
that sent me. But after mv aseenion I
will send one of my disciples that ha!l
euro thee of thy rtUtemper and giv life to
all them that abide with thee."
RUSSIAN INTRIGUE.
Czar's Hand in the Danish West
Indies Deal.
REPUBLIC SPECIAL
New York. May Z The Times' Washing
ton special says:
"Public men at both nds of rcnnpylvanli
avenuo were much excited this morning by
the account of the attempt by ceitain spec
ulators to bring about a purchase of the
Danish West Indian Inlands, and the sug
gestion that the German Government Is In
terested to defeat the sale to the United
States in order to be able to acquire the
Islands Tor Germany. The most important
suggestion made was that by a high officer
that the foreign Government arxious to get
possession of the Danish WVst Indies w.is
Russia, and not Germany.
According to that official, who talked
freely to-day about disclosures, Russia Is
or has been negotiating with Denmark for
the purchase e.f the Danish West Indies.
Whether this Is known in Germany or not.
he docs not know. The wujs of Russia In
diplomacy are much darker and more si
lent than those of German diplomacv. and
thus It is that whilo Germany has allowed
her hand to be seen, Russia has been kept
from view.
"Tho official pointed to tho attitude of
King Christian, who informed his ,oplr
that at tho end of this session of Congress,
If nothing had been done about the Danish
West Indies, ho would not sell the islands to
the United States, and upon this Htatement
It Is said that tho German Government re
new ed negotlatior.a. Tho gentleman referred
to pave It as his opinion that this statement
or King Christian s was made for its effect
on Russia, and intimates that the King is
playing off the two Empires against each
other"
vr.MMitn on- ivri:iti'r.
i:i:ii'iti.i: si'KriAL
New York. May :. -Henry 11. Rogers of
the Standard Oil Company ImiciI a state
ment to-night in which ho denied mil
ling in the- nffalrs of the Government and
characterized tho story printed In the New
York Times as ridiculous. Mr. Rogers,
however, on his eiwn admissions, estab
lished clearly tho active part taken by the
Standard Oil Company In th proposed pur
chase of the islands.
He admits that the Standard Oil Company
was a prominent factor in th- eUal thre-e
years ago, and that It would have taken up
tho negotiations again had the conditions
been favorible. Hiforo the breaking out of
the Spanish War the Standard Oil Company
secured an option on the Danish West In
dies for JS.eiO.W). It was then understood
that it could luilm oft the Islands on the
United States Government for $13.(w).i), but
with the breaking out of the war tho deal
fell through.
The story published in the Times to-day
charged Mr. Rogers with having taken i.p
the negotaltieins again m his own account,
but instead of th Government of the
United States being victimized to the e-xtenl
of J12.t").iJ. it was expected that .Mr. Rog
ers would rees-ivc U jsr cent of the pro
por.d purchase price-Jt.om.ouo or less than
half a million.
FREE STATERS FIGHTING.
Humors of Their Submission De
clared rntnic.
Amsterdam. May 1. At a banquet given
here this evening to the members of tho
Boers' Peace Commission, the president of
the Transvaal Committee proiiosed the
toast, "Success to the Mission."
Mr. Fisher of the delegation, who re
plied, expressed the thankH of the envoi
for the sympathy that bad been shown to
them by a pecple of cr.mmon origin with
themselves.
M. Deerdyn. secretary of the mission, re
pljing to the toast to the health of Presi
dents Krugcr and Sttyn. said that although
some of the Boers might have returned to
thtir home for a brief visit, no commandos
of tho Transvaal or the Free Stale had
permanently returned. He declareel also
that the rumors of the submission of the
Free Staters were absolutely without foun
dation. The envoys" complained of the false state
ments published iy the BritLh press and
praises! the Dutch nnd American papers
lac their efforta to ascertain the truth.
34 "V S "
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vV''I
.MAY FLOWEKS.
"THE THIN, RED
LINE OF BOERS."
Mrs. Reitz, Wife of Transvaal Secretary of State,
Describes the War to the Wife of American
Consul at Lorenzo Marquez.
Thn Jtr&uMie Bureau,
llth Ft. anI lfejin-lv.uua Avi.
V.'ashlngton. May 1. Webster Davis, until recently Assistant Secretary of the In
terior, has received from the United States Consul at Lorenzo Mirquez the following
interesting letter, written to the Consul' wife by Mrs. Reit, the wife of the Secre
tary of State of the South African Repuhlle:
"Pretoria, llth March, ISO. My Dear Mrs. Hollis: Many things have happened
since 1 wrote to you last. We did not mind losing Ladysmith and Kimberley much, an!
we were very ivirry about Cronje. We knew him to be a bravo man and wo all prayeel
God that It might please him to restore hint and his burghers to us. The President
askeil tho peoplo to pray for him on three successive nights, and which we hoped that
he might fight his way out. My husband was busy nnd I went to ehurch alone that
night. Many people stood up and offered prayers for Cronje. I sat in a dark corner
and had a good cry. Will God utterly forsako us? Perhaps, he will still hear us In
Ills own good time. We cannot "turn baek now and we do nut mean to. May God
have mercy on us.
"I fco In to-day's paper that &t.00 more troops are chiming, and last night tho
Portuguese Consul fold Frank that his Government at Lisbon has dio!del to allow
England to lind troops at Beira, which Is a breach of neutrality on Portugal's part
nnd a great blow to us. The outlook Is certainly not Lrlght now. I suppose you havo
heard that Baden-Powell at Mafeklng threntenesl to nend armed Kafkrs to Invade the
Rustenburg and Marlco districts if we did not withdraw our fi'rc.-s before the Jrd of
March, and ho has actually de,ne se Our General warned him that he would have to
take tho consequences. Khnma's Kaillrx aro well armeel and cruel beyond words to
women and children. The men there aro mostly away on commando. English officers
with cannon are leading the Kaffirs. Tou know that they tried this experiment be
fore nnd how they themselves had to acknowledge how completely tho Kaffirs sot out
eif hand. I heard to-day how two women were murdered there. A s.hot was heard, the
man took his gun to see what had happene-d, and on coming back he found his wife
dead on the doorstep, horribly mutilated. The other woman he found stabbed far away
in the garden, wlnre she had fleel. She was a yours woman and In very delicate
health.
Why Botha Retired From the Tugela.
"O.ir bovrf ar: all well sttll and o.- the BIggarsberger now. The weio fighting at Co
lenso when Gvneral Botha gave the order to retire. He sent such a pHthutlc little te-le-gram
to his wife, saying that they had kept all th-ir positions, but had to give them
up whe-n the Middelburgers und the Kruifrsderpcrs lot thilrs. But how did they lose
them? Dear Mrs. Hollls, one's eyes grow dim when go!n over this awful strugglo
again. Owing to Crouje's surrender, over a thousand in.n had to be taken away there,
and there were no re-enforcements, and our lighting line (tho thin red line, as the Eng
lish call It) hid grown very thin Indeed In semo parts. Of the second division Krugers
elorpers, which conslste'd of fifty men. only two wcro left: the others were all dead and
wounded. Forty bU ships' cannon were shelling this handful of men for a whole day.
When Duller broke through here. Bo'.ha had to retire, else he would havo been sur
rounded. Now they aro all on the Blggarsbtrger. In Natal. In very strong pex-Itlons.
with still stremger i"'sltIon, the Drnkensburgers. behind them. They will have to de
fend about fivo passes there.
"But tho dangtn Is not there at all; It is the Freo Stato and our southwestern
bonier we aro anxious about. We think Itlocmfonte-In may have to go; we are qtilto
prepared for It; the country Is very Hat there. Yesterday the English, who count
70.0U0. have been fsur times repulsed at Modder River (by Is Wet with S.X"i. This
Is as much as we havo there now that Cronja's force Is gone. It Is necessary for
us more to concentrato our forces now. This morning the1 report came that it was
Impossible for De Wet to hold his positions, but they will still mako a stand an
hour rom Blomfonteln. I e-xpect we shall have tho women and rhildre-n from
Bloemrontein and the surrounding farms Imto In-d.iy or to-morrow. Tl-ey will make
Kror.iist.id the sent of the Free Slate Government now.
"I expect round there and round Wlnbuig there- are many hills and kopjes,
which are great natural fortifications. If our men will stand, it Is going to be a
desperate fight. Our everything Is at stake. If God means the English to crush thl.
emr iioeir peeple. I do not think they will find many mm left. We do not fe-ar tho
gre-at number of English troops they cannot shoot; but it is the cannon wo can do
so little against.
Compared With the American Revolution.
"When tho English fought America, Was hington had but lO.) men against AW at
one time. I know It well, but the Engll"'h had only about twenty cannon of an inferior
make, whilo they have over CM here, all tho newer nnd the best makes, laird Roberts,
when he surround-d Cronje. had over a. huudrtd big cannon, and Cronje stood them
for e-ight dajs with 4.0f0 against CO.Ooo. and It was mostly on account of the women and
children in his laager that he surrendered. They had mostly come In from the farms
nnd the places In the neighborhooel, as they wero afraid of falling into the hands of
the English soldiers. Cronje had feuir cannon and two small Maxims, anil his ammu
nition had been set on lire by the enemy. He had no positions to speak of, and lay
In the embankments of Modder River.
The mnii Is leaving this aftcrmwn. and I have told jou mere or less how matters
Hand. Your missionary brought us yesterday Mr. Davis's photograph. Will jou pleaso
thank him when you write to him? Will your peoplo not help us? Perhaps your Gov
ernment will not let them. I shall pray God night and day that he may raovo tho
heart of your President and lay such words in tho mouth of Webster Davis as will go
home to tho people of America to make them listen to the cries of the little child
that Is being murdered here by a big and strong man. as our President expressed it.
"Paul Krugcr Is an old lion. Thank God that we have him at this time! When he
left hurriedly for Ladismith to tell tho People not to retire too far, and when we
liearil all sorts of wild reports here of the English chasing our men, some one said
to him that the danger was too great, and what would becomo of him? Frank
heard him reply, 'What becomes of my little personage Is of no importance, but my
people!"
"While I am writing this, my husband reads to me a telegram, telling us about
yesterdaj's fight at Modder River. Elgnty of our men fought against thousands of
the enemy. They retired when thirty of them were killed and wounded, and only
when they were Icing surrounded and after having kept It up for netjrly the wholo
day.
"Write nnd tell Mr. Davij. You may tend tny letter If you have not time to write
by this mail
"1 received the vJPers- Many thank?. Witli kindest regards to Mr. Hollis, and
love to yourself. Yours faithfully, CORP.IE REITZ."
GERMAN SHIP SENT
TO VENEZUELA WATERS.
Itei-lin. Mny 1. The German MeoiidH:is cruiser Vineta litis been
ordered to Venezuelan waters, lo protect German subjects in those
waters.
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Fighting Near Thaba
N'Chu Becoming
Heavier.
HOLD TIIE i:irci.s.
Immense British Forces
Unable to Oust
Them.
CONVOY'S ESCAPE.
Luck" Chance Saves It
From Boers -.Hafe-
king News.
BY MILTON V. SNYDEK.
SPECIAL BY CABLE.
I-ondon, Wedsesdaj-, May Z (Copyright,
1500. by the New York Herald Company.)
General Roberts's dispatches In respect to
the recert operations near Thaba N'Chu
show th..i the Boeis are by no means dis
pirited by the turn events have taken sinco
Saturday and Sunday. Their attacks ore
described by the Commander-in-Chief as
havirg been very persistent.
A daring attempt was made Sunday night
to cut off the convoy moving up from Do
Wet's Dorp, and it nearly succeeded. The
escort, composed of the Yeomanry and
Scots Guards, was fired upon in some bro
ken grounJ. Only the opirartune arrival on
the scene of Brabazon with a strorg force
of Colonials, returning from a visit to Wcp
ener, extricated tlnni from their perilous
position.
Evidently the convoy belongid to Rundle's
division, which hurr!.-dly marched from De
Wet's Dorp a few days ago. The district
now is thought to be clear of Boers, but
this is another reminder of the ceaseless
vigilance nnd extraordinary mobility of tho
Lurgherst and Is so conalde-red In London.
Meanwhile. It Is to be observed that some
Important movements are In progress. Ian
Hamlltun, with a body of mounted infan
try and Sraith-Dorrie-n's brigade, marched
out of Thaba N'Chu on Monday In a north
erly dlrcctiDn. Hamilton found himself op
posed by a strong force of Boers, command
ed by General Botha In person. It may be
gathered from this and from a telegram
forwarded by the Dally Telosraph corre
spondent that the Boers have quitted, at
le-ast partly. thlr alm03t Impregnable po
cltlons on the road from Thata N'Chu to
Ladybrand. and are moving away to the
northeast toward Wlnhurg. The explana
tion of this step may be found :n their de
sire to protect their right flank, which is
threatened by Hamilton's movement and
the advance from Wepener.
Brabant's cavalry Is with Hart's Itl-h
Brigade, and their cut. were heard south
cast of Thaba N'Chu on Sunday evening.
To avoid being taken In the Hank, the
Boers discreetly movent away.
Hamilton has been considerably strength
ened from Thaba N'Chu and elsewhere by
ravalry. infantry and artillery. Rundla
continues to hold a strong position near
the town and Maxwell's brigade has occu
pied an Important row cf kopjes on the road
from Bloemfontein lo Wlnburg. It looks,
therefore, as if Roberts and his divlsluual
e-eimmanders anticipate some stiff fighting In
this neighborhood, and that the Boers are
d.'terrnlnfrd not to bo ouste-d from the re
gion, whieh favors their tactics and meth
ods of fighting, w ithout stubborn resistance.
A British reconnoltering party has fallen
into the hands of the Boers near Windsor
ton. The German steamer Koenig on April 22
landed a quantity or war materials for the
Boers at Bclrn and embarked a quantity of
Transvaal wool.
llOIIKIITS'S niM'ATCIIKS.
Tendon. May 1. The War Office has re
ceived the following disatch from General
Roberts;
"Bloemfontein. May 1. Ian Hamilton
marched yesterday in a jv.rtherly direction
from Tliabi N'Chu with a Imely of mounted
infantry and Smlth-Porrien'.s Irigade of
Cle-ments's division. At Hautney he found
hlrnelf oppnscil by a Ktrong force com
manded by General Botha in person.
"Ite-enforcements reached this force dur
ing tho day. and I ilirerte'd lrench to
strengthen him during the night frooi
Thaba N'Chu. Thl3 he wa able to do. ns
the number of Boe-rs In the neighborhood of
Thaba N'Chu had considerably decreased.
In addition to these tn-ops. Hamilton
should be re-enforced during the day by
Broadwood's cavalry and Bruce-Hamilton's
Infantry brigade.
"Hamilton mentioned that his casualties
yesterday were about thirty.
"Maxwell's brigade of the. Seventh lMvl
slon vestcrday occupied Viaksci.turs nnl
Schauskraal, a row of kopjes, without meet-
Ing with oppoition. But the- mociitcel in-
fantry were e ng.agnl for s"m' h T.- "
An earlier di-.pr.tch trom L-rel i!o- ri
follows:
"Blcemfonteln. April ."V". TN B- r ni"le
very persistent attacks aroun I Th i-
N'Chu Saturday and Suti'lny. But th-' p ni
tiun which tho Eighth iltundle - Division
holds Is strong, and he had the a"sliane
of Gordon's and Dickon's brigade , the
cavalry under French and Smlth-Dorrien's
Infantry brigade, and a body of mounted
Infantry under Ian Hamilton. Pole-Carew's
division returned from De Wet's Dcrp yes
terday." I.ord' Roberts also reports additional
casualties sustained during the fighting of
April 27 around Thaba N'Chu, consisting
of Lieutenant Geary and tw enlisted men
killed and one officer and three enlisted men
wounded.
MAI'I-.KI.NG CHEUKFI f..
London, May 1. A dispatch from, Mafe
klng, dated April 20, says:
"The Boers have been busy for several
days blowing up the railway southwards.
"Thep was little firing during the past
week.
"The town will respond cheerfully to Lord
Roberts's resiucst to hold out for another
month.
"Fever Is rife, but otherwise tho health,
of tho garrison Is good nnd all are well."
HATING AMIIl'I,..Ci: u.i:.
SI'KCIAL BY CABLE.
Iyjndon, Wednesday. .May 2. (Copyright,
lSuO. by the New York Herald Company.)
ns0O040 ee
gi:.m:ki, no: .m:u.
General Roberts reports, persistent
attacks by the Boers on the British
n.-ar ThaLi N'Chu. An immense
f British army is in the field at this
s l int. but thus far it has been tin
O ah!.- to shake the Boers. The latter
howl the ridges to the northeast and
e. m to cling to them with elogged
s tenacity in the face of overwhelming
eielels.
On Sunday night the Rocrs fell upon
-- I tundle's great e onvoy from De Wet's
Dorp and rractically had It at their
J mercy when a tray British column
returning frcm another scene of
operations happcneil along1 and res-
cued It.
s From Roberts's dispatches, experts
figure that the Field Marshal expects
severo fighting- In the vicinity of
s Thaba N'Chu before tho Boers aro
i forced to retiro to their next line of
O defenses.
s The casualties In Hamilton's bri-
gade Monday numlred about thirty.
s The people of Mafeklng on April V)
were eating" the ambulance oxen, re
s serving the mule3 to tho last. Tho
investment at that time was so doso
that no runne-rs had entered or gone
out In ten days.
Lady Sarah Wilson cables to the Daily
Mail from Mafeking. April 19, as follows:
"The Boers" big gun has disappeared, hav
irg. all together, fired fifteen hundred and
sixty 100-pound shells Into tho city.
"Rumor says that Snyraan, the Boer com
mander, lias gono to Pretoria or Kroonstad.
Otherwise the situation is unchanged.
"The garrison Is now eating tho ambu
lance oxen, reserving tho mules to the last.
"Tho Boers are very numerous and havo
formed a new laager on the south side of
the city, blowing up the railway lino on
that side. Night volleys go on as usual.
So close Is tho Investment that no runnera
havo ccme In or gone out for ten days.
"TLero was a terrifio bombardment oi
the llth instant, lasting from C to 3 o'clock
In tho morning. The guns Included the 11C
Founder and a high velocity Vlckers-Max-Ira.
two ono-poundtr Maxims and rifles. Tho
big guns wero well placed to Insure cross
fire. Our guns made no reply and remalneel
concealed. Except for tho destruction of
houses no harm wa"s done, only three horse
being killed."
FORCES ENGAGED.
London, May Ha. m.-FlghtIng. heavier
than any since Ladysmlth, seems to be Im
minent near Thaba N'Chu. The dispatches
of Lord Roberts, dated Monday and Tues
day, show that the Eoer rear guard, stub
bornly rtsisUns' his advance, forced tho
BrlUsh on Saturday and Sunday to act
chiefly on the defensive.
Genera! Trench, who Is directing tho oper
ations, han at least 13,000 men. Soma esti
mates give hlra 20.COO. The Boers are esti
mated to be at least 6.000 strong, and pos
sibly Iff.ooo.
-According- t a dispatch from Pretoria,
dated April 23. they -were expecting to glva
battle, and havo numerous artillery. So
long as the Boers engage tho attention ot
half of Lord Roberts's forco at Thabo.
N'Chu, his advance toward Pretoria will be
delayed. No one here, however, considers
that Genera! Botha will ho ahlo to staikI
longer than a few days. The feeling Is that
he must bo beaten off by the masses of
Lord Roberts.
IIOEKS rXSIIAKEV.
SPECIAL BY CABLE..
Thaba N'Chu. Monday. May 1 (Copy
right, 1). by the New York Herald Com
pany.) The Boers are still occupying tho
ridges ncrtheast of tha town. Th Bor
guns are in a position on Town Hill, from
whlerh It will be difficult to remove them,
notwithstanding that they are commanded"
Iiy our guns.
CAVALRY TO HE ISED.
London, May . The Bloemfontein corre
spondent of tho Time-s, telegraphing Mon
day, says:
"Tiie fighting at Thaba N'Chu is o
desultory nature. The whole front is now
to be swept by mounted troops, prepara
tory to a definite forwanl movement, for
which the forces may now bo termed or
ganized." IIVE.V EATIXG LOCUSTS.
London. May 2. A dispatch to the Time
from Mnkflng. dated April 30. says:
"A side light Is thrown upon the hungry
condition of tho garrison by the feet that
the unltcel efforts of tho whites and natives
have recently been devoted to catching a
swarm of locusts which passed over tho
town."
itiirriMi AlAiovr Tit iiim:i.
Imdon. May 2. Winston Churchill, tele
graphing to tho Morning Feist from Thabo.
N'Chu, April 2 ami describing the opera
tions there, sajs;
"Yesterday afternoon, upon the with
elrawal f the British ilomonstratlons on
both lUnks of the ene'my, tho Boers pre??c
to closn quarters, and Kitchener's Horsa
nere unable to evacuate their position until
midnight. The suspense caused cat
anxiety.
"To-day's operations were intended to
drive out or to Intercept tho Boers. They
occupied a wido horso-shoc ot mountains,
v.ith the esinvex face toward ia. Gine-ral
Hamilton suceei-eled In crushing tbe- Boers
on tho light and opening a road for Gen
eral Dickson's cavalry brigade, which
elashcel through and hunted tbe enemy from
r'e'.ge to ridge, shelling them with horso
artillery.
"At last wo arrivcxl at the rear of tho
heirsf-nhne. and tho Boers, in parties of
a. eould be seen within tho incioseel space,
running about like rats in a trap. Dickson
be.rxNl to make a bag, and he signaled to
H.imlltein regarding the situation. Hamilton
came at once, bringing up every ro'.dicr he
esiuld find.
"Suddenly, about half past 4, tha Boer
Army, nearly 4.000 strong, moved out of
tho horse shoo and began marching north
east. 1 had never before seen such an ar
ray of Boers. Their order was bo regular
that at first It was believed they were Gen
eral Gordon's cavalry brigade. But they
quickly opened with artillery on Dickson.
At the same time, the Boers who had es
caped earlier In tho day from our Imagined
trap returned In forco on Dickson's left
and rear with two guns. In these circum
stance Dickson resolved to retire, and he
only just withdrew in time."
DECORATED BY VICTORIA.
General While's Xevr Honors
War Oflice Angers Queen.
London. May 1-At the conclusion nf
General Sir George White's visit to Wind
sor to-day tjue-n Victoria decoi-ateil th
defender of Ladvsmlth with the Cross and
Star of the Royal Victorian order.
Her Majesty and the soldier had a
lengths conference.
It was leirnea that t'- t" mor-
angry than for yer Micatlon
of the. Splon Kop el. s
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