St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-04-30
CAPITAL SENTENCES OF THE RE-
FORM COMMITTEE AT PRE-
TORIA COMMITTED.
THE QUALITY OF MERCY"
IN THE CASE OF PRESIDENT KRU-
GER 1T WAS NOT
STRAINED.
ALL THE TRANsvAAL STIRRED UP
nOunced Was a Surprise to
the Whole Country.

PRETORIA April 29.-The sentences Of
death imposed upon John Hayes Hammond,
the American engineer; Col, Francis Rhodes,
brother of Cecil Rhodes, the former premier
of Cape Colony; Lionel Phillips, president of
the chamber of mines OF johannesburg, and
George Farrar, proprietor of Country Life, Of
johannesburg, has been commuted.
The news Of the sentences was received
with the greatest amazement at Johannes
burg and even at Pretoria, and caused excite
ment everywhere, even though it was gen.
orally understood that the four men SEN
fenced to death would not be executed. Last
night rumor obtained circulation that the
president was carefully going over the rec
crds of the trial and consulting with the
legal authorities here with the result that he
lad decided to commute the death sentences
TO heavy fines and long terms of imprison-
ment, to be followed by Punishment. This
report caused a decided feeling of relief
which was intensified when this morning
from an official source it was announced that
the sentences Of death had indeed been COM
muted.
The president in exercising clemency. has
only followed the course which he was ex-
pected to adopt under the circumstances. but
his impulse in the matter, it was said, was
dictated by his sense of justice alone and
not from any fear of the consequences which
might have followed the execution of the
prisoners. Indeed it is stated upon high
authority that he had decided days ago upon
the step just taken, and that the firm stand
he took in his letter, declining Mr.. Chamber
lain's invitation to visit England, was as
sumed in order that there might be no mis-
take as to the actual attitude of the Trans
vaal towards Great Britain. The step, it is
added, will have decidedly beneficial effect
upon the relations between the British and
the Beers, even though 1t was anticipated
and to a great extent discounted. But the
strain will be resumed when the question of
Great Britain paying an indemnity to the
Transvaal comes up. Dr.. w. ]. Leyds, Sec
Rotary of the Transvaal, has informed Sir +.
A. Dewette, British agent at Pretoria, that it
has not yet been decided what punishment
will be imposed upon the reform committee
prisoners, in place of the death sentence and
he also intimated that the executive council
was considering the sentences imposed upon
all the other prisoners. This leads to the be-
lief that the minor sentences will be light
ened.
he had no option but to pass sentence ac-
cordlng to the Roman-Dutch law. Continu-
ing, he said that although DR.. Jameson must
nave come into the country against the wish
OF the prisoners and for his own purposes
or for the purposes of the British Chartered
south African company, the fact remained
that he came to the boarder at the invita-
ton of the reform committee. and If thew had
not invited him. there would not have beon
an lnroad from another country Could the
prisoners reasonably expect mercy for such
serious crime as high treason? After re-
marking that decorum had been maintained
during the trial. he said it was his nainfuI
DUTY TO pass the sentences required by law
AT the same time he expressed the hope that
the executive would show the same clemencv
as II displayed to the members of the lame
son party. Then amid profound silence the
1uoge sentenced, individually and separately.
Llonei Philips. George Farrar Col Francis
hnooes and John Hayes Hammond to death
and in the foregoing order.
Inc prisoners were perfectly calm and
merely bowed to the judge when their sen.
fences were pronounced. The Judge then
sentenced the other prisoners to nav 3nes of
$4,000 each, to undergo two vears' ,r,nrisor -
ment and to three years Punishment al
thougn the latter punishment is made sub-
ject TO the Will OF the executive There Voc
no commotion in court. The prisoners uoro
conveyed back to Jail under strong escort.
Inc sentences pronounced caused conster.
natlon among all classes here. and it was the
general opinion that counsel for the defense
slaue great mistake in not introducing evil
aehce by which the accused would be tried
In proportion to their respective offenses In
stead OF placing them all upon the Same fort
ing Inc Judge did not give weight to the
plea that the prisoners were more guilty ~
Ioiiy than Of crime. 1t was predicted after
tne death sentences had been passed, that II
was more than likely that President KRUGER
would commute to heavy fines, Imprisonment
anu punishment for a long term of years.