The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, June 06, 1900, Image 1
IHK suMTKR watchman, E?t?Miehad April, isso. "Be Just and Fear not?Let all the Ends thon Aims't at, be thy Country's, thy God's ;and Truth's." the tree soutbkon. Established Jone ISfce
Consolidated Aug. 2,1881
SUMTER. S. a. WEDNESDAY. JUNE 6, 1900.
New Series?Vol. XIX. No.45
Fublislie? Wednesday,
NT. G-, Osteen,
S?MTER, s; c.
RMS :
$1.50 per annum?in advance.
advertisement:
One Square first insertion.$1 00
Every subsequent insertion. 50
Contracts for three months, or longer wil
he made at reduced ratee.
AU communications which subserve private
interests will be charged for as advertiements.
Obituaries and tributes of respects will be
charged for.
TBE WAR IN AFRICA.
GEN ROBERTS CAPTURES
A SUBURB OF JOHAN
NESBURG.
London. May 29?The following
dispatch bas been received from Lord
Roberts: Germistoo, May 29, 6 30 p.
m.?\\ e arrived here this afternoon
without being seriously opposed. No
casualties as far as I a? aware in the
main column, and not many. I trust, in
ths cavalry and mounted infantry. The
enemy did not expect us till tomorrow
and bad not, therefore, carried off all
their rolling stock We have posses
sion of the junction connecting Johan
nesburg with Natal, Pretoria and
Klerkedorp by railroad
"Johannesburg is reported quiet,
and no mines, I understand, have been
injured.
"I shall summon the commandant in
the morning, and if. as I expect, there
is no opposition, I propose to enter the
town with all the troops at noon "
Germistoo is a suburb to the south
east of the Johannesburg railway juno
tion.
Additional evidence that the mines
are intact comes in a message received
by a mining company here today from
its Johannesburg representative, dated
May 28, via DeUgoa bay, saying "all
rights
Lord Roberts' dispatch is regarded
28 announcing the virtual occupation of
Johannesburg, and apparently the
Boers have again effected a retreat, as
there is no mention of any prisoners
or captares except of rolling stock
There will be some tittle anxiety
pending the actual occupation of Jo
hannesburg, as there are rumors that
the town has been mined with the in
tention of blowing up Lord RDberts
aod his staff on their entry into that
placa.
London, May 30, 3 30 a m ?Lord
Roberts is bivouacking in the suburbs
' of Johannesburg and icter.ds to make
a victorious entry at noon today
fudging from h:s dispatch, be must
have private information regarding the
disposition of the garrison in the fort,
as be does not seem to expect opposi?
tion
Lord Roberts' cavalry have flowed
on beyond Johannesburg A portion
is understood to be at Zarfooteio, sevea
miles north of Johannesburg and with
io 20 miles of Pretoria. Lord Roberts,
although with a broken bridge at Ver
eeniging and a wrecked railway be
hind him has somehow managed to get
forward sofnoient supplies for bis large
foroe.
As he has been able to do so mncb,
it is considered possible that he will be
oatside of Pretoria Friday. The rapid
ity of bis advance is thought an extra
ordinary achievement, even by grudg
ing continental critics. The Boers,
who were expected to fisht ajlong tbe
line of hills known as Klipriversberg,
abandoned the eastern end tbe range
near Lord Roberts' advance iiop, but
they stood their ground on the extreme
right near Van Wyckrust, where they
met Gen French's turning movement
The fight continued all day aod the
result i* as yet mere conjacture. Prob
ably the Boer rear guard succoeded in
keeping Gsn. French off and is cow in
the hills northwest of Johannesburg.
PORTS EVACUATED AND
KRU?5E7* AND TROOPS
LEAVE CITY.
London. May 31, 2 a. m.?The
Daily Mail publishes tbe following dis
patch from the Earl of Rosr-lyon who
vras a prisoner at Pretoria, but who, as
a civilian, appear? to bave been re
leased :
"Pretoria, Wednesday, May 30,
11.45 a m ?Pretoria will be occupied
in about two hours, without resistance.
Tbe president has gone to Waterval
boven. Burgomaster De Souza ia an
thorized to receive the British He,
with an influential commirtee of citizen?,
including Chief Justice Gregor Grego
roweki, has been appointed to preserve
life and property during the interreg
num
"Everything is qo'e^ but crowds are
waiting expectantly in Church square
for tbe arrival of tbe British
"Fearing a possible disturbance and
bloodshed amone the prisoners of war
at Waterval, U. S. Consul Hay and
Leigh Wood insisted upon 20 effimere
being liberated on parole to go to tbe
meo. His action caonot be too highly
praisei.
"I was Dermitted to accompany the
offiaers. Everything was quiet "
Pretoria, Wednesday, May SO.?At
a publie meeting cai ; ed this morning by
! the burgomaster of Pretoria, a commit
tee was appointed to keep the public
order
Pretoria. Wednesday, May 30.?
British officers are now at Johannes
burg dictating terms of surrender.
The British advance guard is half
way between Johannesborg aud Pre
toria.
It is reported that there is a focro
also at Hatherly.
All the forces have been dismissed
? from tbe forts arouod Pretoria.
? President Kroger is now a: Water
vallboven.
BULLER'S MOVEMENTS.
London, May 30?The following
j dispatch has been received at the war
office from Gen Bulier :
Newcastle, May 30 ?The eoemy
haviog formed a laager east of tbe
town at D?rnberg, pressed my right
aonoyiogly. O2 May 27 I direoted a
force under Kildyard, by Woldsdrift
and Utrecht, and another under Lyttle
ton by Schaogadrift, 00 D?rnberg.
These movements have caused the
i enemy at D?rnberg to retire north.
"Kildyard is at Utrecht and the
town has surrendered. Clery is bom
bardiog Laing's Nek. The enemy are
much disheartened and were they not
in such very strong positions I doubt if
thay would sbnw fight. The railway
was opened to Newcastle on May 28:h.
?Pretoria Not Yet Occupied
! and Large Bodies of Boers
Resting Roberts^
Advance.
London, May 31 ?The following
dispatch from Lord Roberts has been
received at the war office :
"Johannesburg, May 31, 2 p. m.?
Her majesty's forces are now to ooeses
ston of Johannesburg and tbe British
flag floats over the government build
ings "
London, June 1, 3 55 a m ?Belated
messages from Pretoria confirm tbe re
ports of the departure of President
Kroger with hie cabinet and staff offi
cials Tuesday night and the selection
at a meeting of citizsns of a committee
to administer the city provisionally.
Since these telegrams ieft on Wednes
day nct?iog apparently has reached
Lorenzo Marques by telegraph from
Pretoria
P-.jssibly the wires have been out.
Possibly the B^er censorship a: some
inter eciiate point intercepte telegrams.
Although the war effije has net re
ceived a word about it no one in Lon
don harbors the idea that the Boer
capital is not already in tbe hands of
tbe British or about to be there. The
possession of Johannesburg, at ali
events, as Lord Roberts has telegraph
ed, is a fact. State'?? Attoroey Smuts
did not depart with President Kruger,
but remained in Pretoria
The present seat of the Boer govern
ment, according to a dispatch from Lo
re Deo Marques, dated yesterday 13 Mid
dleburg, but it will probably be shifted
further eaet
Tbe Boers lately confronting Lord
Roberts appear to bave gone eastward
also, toward the Lydenburg region.
The defenders of Laing's Nek, when
their position becomes too perilous, will
probably trek straight northward to
ward Lydenburg When tbts concen
tration takes place there will be pos
sibly 50,000 meo who may bold 00c for
a time, with scattered bands of guer
riU* elsewhere,
j Mr. Pr?vost-Battersby, io a dispatch
to the Morning Post from Germistou,
dated May 30, says: "The enemy
fcught a rear guard actio-', retiring
from the seuth tD the north of the town
with their pompons and artillery io rbe
morning and withdrawing tneir rifle
j men throogh tfce to:vu in tbe afternoon.
: We captured nine engines and over a
hundred wagons Two trains are leav
icg tonight for the Vaal.
"We succeeded in cutting the iioe
i in three directions and it rifocing all
! tbe rolliog stock in Johannesburg It
j was a si'iendid piece of work The
j enemy crcrc astounded at, tbc rapidity
? of cur advance
Another ccrrespor;dent telegraphiog
?rom Gert2;-ton the ?am^ dav; says :
; "The B'iers are messiug six miles
j south ci Pretori-? for a new and des
; peratc stand with a front of 12 miies."
_
! PRETORIA NOT OCCUPIED,
j London, May 31 ?Lord Roberts'
i latest, dispatch shed a somewhat differ
j ent light on tho military situation
j Before they were received celebrations
j were organized ?0 tbe country towns in
? honor of tbe fail of Pretoria In Cbes
ter a public bolidey was declared,
! while at Djver, Portsmouth and many
j otoer places in tbe provinces flags were
; fiowo and rejoicings were gcueral.
j Pretoria, however, is not yer in the
I bands of tbe British, though there i?
00 reason to doubt tbe authenticity of
j the report that Kruger bas evacuated
j tbe place and that tbe municipality is
ready to surrender when confronted by
superior numbers.
Though the British seem certain to
reach Pretoria withio a day or so they
are not likely to occupy it without
fighting. Lord Roberta* forces will be
placed to the south, west aod north of
Johannesburg. These units will prob
ably be reconoentrated while Gen
Freooh makes an advance.
Pretoria should be reached by June
2, opposition or no opposition.
Gen Brabant's loss of 40 men is
striking evidence that the annexation of
! the Free State by no means implies its
! pacification.
So thoronghly is tbe country here
imbued with tbe belief that Pretoria
bas fallen that Mr Joseph Chamberlain,
the secretary of state for the colonies,
speaking today at a meetiog of the
University of Birmingham proposed a
message to tbe queen congratulating
her upon tbe capture of Johannesburg
and Pretoria, which was sent to tbe
afternoon newspapers.
The afternoon newspapers all ac
knowledge tbe prompt friendlinesss of
the ?oited States consui at Pretoria,
Mr A. S. Hay, in insisting on the
release of a number of British officers
to take command of the British prison
ers in order to avert a disturbance
among tbe latter.
Lord Cecil Manners, son of the Doke
of Rutland and who is acting as a
newspaper correspondent, was among
the prisoners captured by tbe Boers
during Lord Roberts' advance May 29.
London, June 2. 3 45 a ro ?Lord
Roberts continues 3?leLt regarding Pre
toria, probably because he cannot wire
of events from his own knowledge
Lorenzo Marques, whore all the news
from the Boer side is rehandled, cables
that communication with Pretoria is
now suspended.
Some messages by courier have
reached Lorenzo Marques, but none of
later date than Wednesday. These
assert that the burghers are in a state
of panio and that Pretoria is being
controlled by a vigilance committee
Lorenzo Marques again sends a report
tbat President Kruger has been cap
tured
Tbe news blank gives rise o a suspi
cion that a citizen committee r?t Pretoria
may not have been able to carry out
their plans for securing tbe peaceful
entry of Lord Roberts and sparing the
city the horrors of a siege.
Tbe peace party appeared to be in
the ascendant ; and, as soon as Presi
dent Kruger and bis cabinet left Pre
toria to organize a new capital, tbo
citizens' committee persuaded the com
mandants of tbe forts to withdraw
some of tbe troops from the defenses,
perhaps with the view of keeping order
in the towr-j. It looks as though there
was a Boer force between Pretoria and
Johannesburg.
These soldiers' trekking back toward
Pretoria, some of them fresh from the
fight with Geo Kamilton would have
brought a new element into tbe situa
tion aod would probably overrule the
peace committee taking the direction of
affairs out of their hands.
The Boers, according to a special
dispatch from Lorenzo Marques, have
reentered the northeastern territory of
the Free State aod are engaged with
tbe British near Petersburg aod Har
hismkb.
It is reported from Amsterdam that
the best rooms at Hei Haasje. one of
the principal hotels there, have been
engaged for President Kruger's occa
paney from June 25.
Gen Buller is moviog siowly against
the Boer flanks.
A dispatoh from \rryburg dated May
30 says : "During the occupation of
this place by tbe Beers they flogged the
natives for slight offenses. A whip
and several cords knotted and salted
were found at the police station. A
boy who brought a letter to a woman
received 25 lashes aod another who
sympathized with him reocived 15."
j Lidy Georgiao? Curzon has cabled
I ?17.000 to provide comforts and luxu
I ries at Mafeking.
WARREN SURROUNDED.
Capo Town, May 31.?Gen Warren
witb 700 men occupied a strong defen
6?ve position a: Fabersput on May 29.
At dawn he found that he was sur
rounded and he was fiercely attacked
by 1,000 rebels.
The hordes were stampeded, but the
force concentrated and the Boers were
repulsed.
A small party in a garden cootioucd
co fight tenaciously, but evacuated as
thy charge be^an, leaving a number of
I wounced
The British lost 15 killed, iooluding
Coi Pence, and 30 wouoded
REPORTS ARE CONFLICTING.
London Juoc 2, 4.30 a. m.?Tbe
j Times has tho following from Lorenzo
Marquen, dated June 1 : "Reports of
tbe most ccofiictiog character are cur
rent here, due to tbe activity of the
Boer agents. While one section declares
tbat President Krnger has returned to
I Pretoria for the purpose of arraogiog
terms or surrender, another asserts that
tbe British have been repulsed outside
of Pretoria. Nothing autbentio is
Known here regarding Mr Kruger's
whereabouts jr the situation in the
Transvaal."
I Anarchy And
Bloodshed in China.
Minister Conger Asked for
Marine Guard for Consu
late.
Washingtoo, May 29,?Such ad
vices as have reached here indioate tbat
che situation in China has assumed a
very critical phrase, aod one calculated
to tax the entire resources of the
Chinese government. The state
department has been in close communi
cation with Mr Conger, our mmi?ter at
Pekin, and the navy department is
doing its share, haviog placed tbe
flat-ehip Newark as far up tbe Pie Ho
river as tbe Taku forts, which is the
nearest point to Pekin that the ship can
reach.
Tbe operations of the "boxers" are
increasing in magnitude. Their de
monstrations are no longer local and
they appear to be governed in their
movements by some well settled design
They have murdered nine Methodist
missionaries in one province, at the
town of Pacbow, aod have dosed in
on Pekin Meanwhile the Chinese
army is suspected of disloyalty, this
belief being strengthened by wholesale
desertions of the soldiers to tbe
"boxers."
Minister Conger has appealed to the
state department for tbe protection of
a marine guard for his legation. Tbe
department bas promptly cabled him
an authorization to call upon tbe near
est United States naval vessels for a9
sistance. it is not koowo yet whether
he bas availed himself of tbe pcrcnis
sion. The embarassing feature of the
situation is tbe cutting of comma
nication by rail between Taku and Tien
Tsin and the capital, for the "boxers"
have burned tbe railroad bridges aod
there are probably only two courses
open to marines who wish to reach
Pekio : a long overland march through
a hostile country away from supports or
a tedious voyage up tbe ewift aod shal
low Pie-Ho in shore boats in tow of
steam launches
According to report tbe Chinese gov
ernment has done everything in its
power to meet the demands of the di
plomatic body at Pekio for the disper
sion of the "boxers," but it appears
that the uprising is far more serious
tbao w:i9 at first apprehended, and even
the resident ministers at Pekin are
inclined to admit that the task is not an
easy one for the Chinese government
So far all of tbe measures taken by
the etate department lock to the limpie
orotection of the American legatioo at
Pekio, the American consulates in the
vicinity, and the lives of euch Ameri
caos as may be obliiged to take refuge
therein in the event of general noting
The state department is closeiy adher
ing to tbe practice it has always observ
ed of ooo interference in these Chinese
disturbances, and it is not contemplated
that our naval forces sball take any part
io tbe contest between the Chinese
government and the "boxers,7' though
it is assumed tbat Hear Admiral
Remey, the eommander-io-chief of tbe
Asiatic station, will take immediate
steps to supply Rear Admiral Kempff,
the senior squadron commander, with
such naval force as ha may need for
safeguarding American ioterests at the
treaty ports.
Half a Dozen Powers Land
Troops at Tien Tsin.
Tien Tsin, May 30 ?Tbe rescue
party of Frenchmen and Germane
returned from Cbang-Hsin-Tien this
afternoon They confirm the report
that the besieged Belgians are now
safe at Pek?n They found several
thousand "boxers" about tbe mine
of In Kow Chiao and Chang Hsin
Tien stations. The bridges bave
been damaged and the roiling stock
destroyed At both places the
damage done is considerably greater
than at Fiting Tai. The members of
the rescue party saw several bodies
of Chinese tearing up the sleepers
and in one case a mandarin was
looking on. They further report
that the coramiesionariesr and others
escaped from Pao Ting Fu in boats
The imperial railway directory is
endeavoring to fasten the blame for
the damage at Fang Tai on the foreign
employes, practically the British,
whom, they say, should not have left
their posts. The foreigners, how
ever, did not leave until they saw In
Kow Chioa station, five miles away,
in flames and an attack bad actually
been made on an engine from Fang
Tai which was running on the Han
line in an attempt to rescue the
Belgians
The foreign men of war have ar
rived. Five Russian warships and
two Russian gunboats; one French
warship two British warships and
one Italian warship. They are all
landing men.
Tien Tsin, May 30.?American,
British, Japanese, German, Italian,
Russian and French troops to the
number of 100 each have been order*
ed to guard their respective legations
at Pekin but the viceroy here will not
alloiv them to proceed hence to Pekin
on the railway without the authority
of the Tsuog Li Yamen. One hun
dred and eight Americans with a
machine gun and a field gun landed
here last night amidst great enthusi
asm on the part of the residents.
Five Russian and one British have
arrived at Taku and the British are
now landing
Other warships are hourly exoect
ed.
Three thousand Chinese troops
from Iu Tai are expected here today
en route to Fang Tai.
Their is a disposition here to be
lieve that the "boxers" will disperse
before the foreign troops are ready
to act. .u
lien Tsin is lrfno danger
Arrival of Foreign Blue jack
ets Improved Situation.
Washington, Jane 1 ?Minister Con
ger at Pekin reports to the stat9 de
partmsnt today that tbe arrival of 350
guards for the legatioEs of Russia,
Fraoce, Great Britain, ItaUy, Japan
and the United States has had the ef
feet of improving tbe situation. He
says that Pekin is much quieter but
that tbe ' boxers" are still active in the
surrounding country.
It is hinted in diplomatic circles bere
that the sudden increase of activity on
tbe part of the "boxers" is nothing
more than part of a well conceived
plan by one of the great European
powers to seoure a permanent trade
lodgement in Pekin and to seize a posi
tion giving it full control of the great
Pei-Ho river, the approach to the Chi
nese capital. It is further intimated
that tbe plan has proved abortive,
owing to tbe alertness of the other Eu
ropean powers represented in Chinese
waters, particularly to the readiness of
the United States minister, Mr Con
ger, aod the American rear Admiral on
board the Newark, which at once gave
the movement an undesired interna
tional aspect, and so tended to prevent
the particular nation concerned from
aggrandizing itself at tbe expense of
the interests of tbe otber nations.
Therefore, it is assumed, that the ex
citement will rapidly abate, and tbe
"boxers" will disperse, temporarily at
least.
Tiie Southern's Rates.
New York,May 31.?The new South
ero freight classification will go iato
effect tomorrow, superseding tbe classi
fication made last winter, and which
went into effect Feb 1. Tbe latter cia3
sifioatioa wa3 made in uniformity with
??osc made by tbe roads iu trunk line
and western territory aod by which a
large number of goods were raised ?rom
a lower to a higher grade, thus increas
ing freight rates considerably over
what they had been before
At that time protests were entered
agaiost these obanges on the ground
that they widened the differences in
rates already existing in favor of the
large shippers as against smaller ones
As a result the trunk lines isfued an
amended classification which remedied
to some extent the causes of tbe com
plaint. Tbe Southern classification
committee held a meeting to consider
these protests, but the result was not
acceptable to tbe shippers, as ther6
were no general modifications made
before the classification of Feb 1 re
maining in effect without any material
changes. The new olassificatioo which
is to go in effect tomorrow is still iess
satisfactory to tbe shippers than tbe one
which is to replace.
? I in inn -
Timmoosvilie, May 29.?John L
Bjrd, a tenant on th? plantation of ex
Senator J. W Beasiy, of Darlington
County,was killed last night in Darling
ton County 15 miles nor?b cf this place.
Particulars are megre, but it is asccr
tained that Mr Byrd was shot while
sifting in bis house The bulle: went
through a broken window paoe. The
j person who shot him is not known, but
it is supposed that, a negro with whom
be recently bad trouble did the work.
Mr Byrd bad trouble with bim a frw
days ago and is taid to have whipped
him.
The Sons of Veterans
Louisville, June 1 ?The Uotted
! Sons cf (Jonfede-jate Veterans today
! elected Biscoc Hindman of Louisville
oomuaoder-in-chief and after com
pleticg their business adjourned sine
die. The Sons of Veterans will meet
next year in the same city that the
Uuited Veterans meet in and at the
same time.
THOMAS CONVICTED
SENTENCED TO HANG
And Beaufort People Tri
umph Over Lawless
Passions
Beaufort, May 31 ?George Thom
as who criminally assaulted Mrs
Doubleby near Hardeeville, Easter
Sunday, was tried today, convicted
and sentenced to be hanged. Mrs
Doubleby, upon whom the assault
was made, was the first witness.
She testified under greatstress and
feeling, but clearly 3nd emphatically.
She identified the negro absolutely.
Her father, who is a etnrdy and
honest old countryman, wept when
he told of his daughter's misfortune,
and other witnesses testified about
the capture and the identification of
the negro Thomas.
W. J Whipper, the negro attor
ney, who defended Thomas, conduct
ed the defence in a very proper and
considerate manner. Ilia cross ex
amination of Mrs Donbleby, while it
brought ont all the facts possible for
his client, was tactful and unobjec
tionable Tbe defense pot up no
testimony Wbipper, who is noted
for his eloquence, started bis address
to the jury by stating that be would
as soon think of turning loose a
Bengal tiger or a Namidian lion upon
a community as a man guilty of the
crime of which Thomas stood
accused. He rested tbe defence on
tbe fact that Thomas had not been
fully identified
In his Charge, Judge Gary was
brief but forcible. The jary was oat
ju6t so long as it was necessary to
write the verdict of guilty. Thomas
was immediately sentenced to be
hanged on the 29 day of June He
took the sentence indifferently, and
throughout the trial showed no inter
est whatever
Before passing sentence of death,
Judge Gary complimented the
citizens of tbe county upon the law
abiding qualities displayed in having
so orderly a trial in each a case.
There was no excitement or distrnb
ance of any sort.?Tbe State.
W. S. TajToTFugitive
From Kentucky.
Bench Warrant Issued For
Arrest of Former
Governor*
Frankfort, Ky , May 31.?Judge
Cantriil today directed Circuit Clerk
Ford to issue a bench warrant for the
arrest of former Gov. Taylor. The
warrant is based on an indictment
secured several weeks ago charging
Taylor with being an accessory to
the assassination of Win Goebel.
A warrant was issued and placed
in tbe hands of Depoty Sheriff John
Suter.
Tbe issuance of a bench warrant
was the first official notice that an
indictment bad been returned naming
former Governor Tayler ae an acces
sory to the murder of Wm Goebel.
It bad been rumored for weeks that
tbe indictment bad been returned bat
the officials refused to either confirm
or deny it. The indictment was filed
and entered on record April 19.
In our utilitarian age the German
plan of planting fruit trees for shade
along highways is not likely to be
overlooked In Alsace Lorraine the
? wayside orchards, which are ?srmed
j cut by the State, now yield an annual
! revenue of 150,000 francs, and Swit
j zsrland, Belgium *nd Luxemburg are
! successful borrowers of the idea. In
j France the chief shade trees are
I the poplar, the ash and the eim,
which on th? national roads are cut
for timber at the age of about 60
years. Ft pit trees?such as the
cherry, tho pear, the apple and the
plcm?now appear on the road-? for
several departments instead of these
forest trees, and the French govern
ment is likeiy to become one of the
world's great growers of fruit.
Florence, Juno 1 ?Yesterday after
noon at Wioooa a soathbruod freight
train streck two little negro bry^, kilt
in 2 the younger aud injuries ?he
other perhaps fatally. The beys were
sons of Henry Grant, a re^eciable
negro farmer. It is supposed that the
two boys were asleep on the track. As
they were lying betweeb tbe crossties,
Engineer Temple did not see them
until too late.
? 1 &
Powder
Makes the food more delicious and wholesome
ROYAL BAKtWO POWDER CO., NEW YORK.