The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-04-30
SENTENCES COMMUTED.
johannesburg Men Will Not Be Ex-
ecuted it is Said.
What Their Punishment Will be not De-
clded on-Comment of the London
Newspapers on the Matter.

What Their Punishment VIII be not De-
cided on-Comment of the London
Newspapers ON the Matter.
Pretoria. April e9-Dr W. j. Leyds,
secretary of the South African republic
informed Sir Jacobus A. De Wit, British
diplomatic agent, today, that the death
penalties imposed upon John Hays Ham
mond, Col. Rhodes and others of the
Johannesburg Reform Union, yesterday,
have been remitted, but 1T has not yet
would be substituted for that which has
been abandoned.
The executive council are now in
session considering all Of the sentences
imposed by the court yesterday.
In passing Judgment upon the prisoners
yesterday, the Judge said it was his pain
full duty to impose the extreme sentence,
but he hoped that the executive would
exercise the same degree of olemency to-
ward the prisoners that he had shown at
the beginning of the year. All of the
members OF the Reform Union who are
under sentence for high treason. are in
jail here, though at present they are
granted certain privileges.
London, April 29.-The Colonial office
has received despatch from Pretoria
saying that the death sentences imposed
upon the leaders Of the Johannesburg re-
form committee yesterday have been COM
muted.
Cape Town. April 29-The Cape Argus
n, @ +InIa %T1< "a A.
court at Pretoria yesterday, in condemn
ing to death the leaders of the Johannes
burg Reform Union says: ''The awful
sentence pronounced upon these men has
created q painful sensation throughout
the civilized world.'
London, April Accommodating upon
the Judgment of the high court at
Pretoria pronounced upon the members
Of the Johannesburg reform union, yes
terday the Dublin Freeman's journal
says. 1T is with peculiar satisfaction at
the grim irony of the situation that Irish
men now witness the authors of coercion
in the act of making a petition for mercy
Eased upon the principle that political
offences must not be regarded as ordi-
nary crimes"
The Pail Mall Gazette says: "The
condemned reform leaders do not COM
no business to fail as egregiously as they
did; yet the Communication of their
sentence is imperative. Their death in
pursuance of the Judgment Of the
Pretoria court would mean war;"
The ST. James Gazette says: "The out
rageous sentences imposed upon the re-
formers is a mere bluff to enable Presi-
dent Kruger to posture as a magnanimous
executive, but yesterdays brutal in
justices will still remian to deepen the
Indignation of the country"
The Westminster Gazette counseis
patience, but foresees the gravest
troubles, even if the sentences imposed
the sixty lesser members of the reform
committee are earned out.
Johannesburg, April 80. The Digger's
News says the Barney BarnatU, is
very bitter in his feelings concerning the
sentences imposed upon Rhodes, Ham
mond and others at Pretoria yesterday,
and Is showing his resentment by closing
all his mines and selling all his landed
property in the Rand. The people are
paralyzed ot the prospects as the closing
of the Barnato mines will throw
thousands of men into the ra nks of the
unemployed.