The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-03-18
THE TRIAL OF Or. JAMESON
Two Troopers Testify Concerning the
Transyaal Invasion.
DOCTOR HAD HIS INSTRUCTIONS
Aid Was Expected from the Natal
Pplice-Ti,ied Women Inter.
estcd In the Trial.

London, March 1.-THE trial of DIR. l..
S. Jameson. the raider of the Transvaal,
and his fourteen companions, was re-
sumed today at the Bow street police
court. before Sir John Bridge. the chief
magistrate. The usual jingo throng
was present, and the court was crowd
ed. Seated on the bench near the Ma
gistrate were the Marchioness Of Lon
donderry, the Duke of Abercorn. chair
Africa company and Ladies Knutsford,
Cuffo, Hartland, Biddulph. Shaw-Le-
fevre. Rayleigh, and Cranbourne. the
Countess of Coventry, Mrs. Henry AS
Quith, and number of others.
The first witness called today was
Sergeant Ruck, of the Matabeleland
mounted police. He testified, I'm sub
stance. that in leaving Pitsani the force
was bound for Johannesburg. He de-
scribed in detail the events on the
march Of December. the arrest of the
young Boer leader, Eloff, who came to
warn the party to return across the
border. and the firing at midnight of
the Beers upon the Jameson party.
This, he said. was the first intimation
they had of the presence of the Beers
The fire was returned and the Beers
fled.
On Jan. l the Jameson party encoun-
tered sixty or seventy Beers. The lat
ter opened fire upon the Jameson col
umn, the fire was again returned, and
the Beers retired in the direction Of
Krugersdorp, followed by the troopers.
HILLS TESTIMONY.
Trooper Hill, also of the Matabele-
land Mounted police, testified that he
heard DIR. Jameson make a speech at
"a no
pose the eXpeditionary column. He told
the troopers they were going to johann
nesburg In order to protect the English
women and children whose lives were
in danger. He said he hoped there
would be no fighting, but If there was.
why, we'll fight" he said. He also
said that he hoped the column would
reach Johannesburg before the Beers
had time to collect. He assured the
troopers that III il comes to push.
the Cape Mounted rifles and the Natal
police will ASSIST U.S." Food and re-
mounts would be collected on the way
to Johannesburg and the column might
be joined by the Bechuanaland border
police.
The witness said that DR.. Jameson.
while addressing the troopers, referred
frequently to Il letter which he held in
tain instructions as to the conduct of
the expedition. The witness said that
Sir John Willoughby, the military conf.
mander of the expedition, also made
speech on the same lines as the re-
marks OF DR.. Jameson. and expressed
the hope that the troopers would do
their best.
\ letter from johannesburg, dated
Dec. 20, and appealing to Dr. Jameson
to assist the Uitlanders against the Op-
preston of the Beers, was introduced
in evidence. A dispatch sent by Ser
geant White with orders to overtake DR..
Jameson, and recalling the raiders, was
also introduced In evidence, and the
hearing was again adjourned for a
week.
ENGLAND'S PURPOSE.
Joseph Chamberlain, secretary of
state for the colonies, was questioned
today in the house of commons regard
ing the dispatch from Pretoria, dated
March l3, which stated that Mr. CHAM
berlain had suggested to President Kru-
ger the possibility of abrogating the
convention of London If the Transvaal
redresses the grievances of the Tit
landers, grants the franchise to British
subjects in the Transvaal, and suggest
Ing treaty of amity by which Great
Britain would guarantee the independ-
ence of the Transvaal.
Mr.. Chamberlain said that President
Kruger had been distinctly told that
Great Britain would not entertain a
proposal to modify the convention.