New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-06
THE REFORM COMMITTEE.
THEIR CONNECTION WITH JAMESON'S
RAID IN THE TRANSVAA1..
THE CHARGE OF CowARDICE BROUGHT AGAINST
THEM REFUTED By RICHARD
HARDING DAVIS

THEM REFUTED By RICHARD
HARDING DAVIS.
An article has been sent out by the uni'ed frcSs'
written by Richard Harding Davis, on Jameson y
raid in the Transvaal, and the part played !" Il.
b. tho Reform Committee Of Johannespurs' u
which John Hays Hammond wac member us
object is to refutc the charge Of cowardice against
the committee in connection with the capture OF
Jameson. After recting the intolerabe condiuo'S
under which the Uitlanders lived In the TrahsVaa''
Mr. Davis describes the formation or the REFORM
COMMITTEES and IFS objects-to change the laws of
the country and to smuggle arms into the country 10
accomplish the purpose. He then continues III
part:
Six weeks before the Jameson raid the REFORM ,4nI
Committee had MAPPED out tner pan, ." which
they expected would outlast two months sleGo
they had arranged that the water ero Spb Tr
and they had ordered rifles and Maxim guns ana
were Ssss While 'nem the guns for defence
slowly coming in that DR.. jameson, the admins.
asked by them if he would in case they needed d, ms
assistance come across the border TO the ana OF ms
fellow -countrymen. bringing with him his moun'od
police and 1900 extra guns. which they "ou'u so'''
jameson gave his consent readily. and agre gre
the conditions under hch Ne Mere vas s9
important and exceedingly explicit ne WI fop
Rm to 01 o s %hs end nf hey as the the
plot and the men having the most at s' tha mc
bsd DC come or If he should come at ali that when
he came he must bring 100 men with him ana me ne
EXTRA | 500 guns on which they counted ms ne
promised to do and asked in return that they ,,
should write him letter inviting HIM acr ns,o tne
'T during the six weeks which interviewed between cen
form Committee continued actively IN Its ptrps s 20
declare on beSs sSt on 's one C
some na details and to hurry up the arms 10 wnGh
were slow in coming and without Wrirm Wy Lnt as
ahsol,tely impotent in fact as an empty dynami'e
can When at the Cape this menneI1 ,b Reform
c c,Gm III sne and this samuel ameso a,
5C 9 g, 'S %a ssld sne '00"
TT Is absolutely necessary to postpone be
through unforeseen ya must mo-, move until
have received instructions to- dave hoforo
tho rad on december 81 a telegram was receit s
in johannesburg by Jameson's brother 10 "''' 'o'-
pr jameson saws he cannot give extension al
refusal for Aotation for December, as TranS'""'
'8 This the first ntmatcm the had fom
,do ~ takfnc the bit between his teeth ana urdh
Gins the reins out Of their hands and hoi IaIrn at
b An pro d S' failure Of long p1 nm
they sent two messengers posthas'e u wan
In 50 spite of this sunday pecemnG5 IS
Jameson started on his rae pn oS and against
me entreaties Of the Reform commute n, ,he
stead of bringing with him the i'S cS ne with only
Hi men and carried no extra arrnS arms, was now
owing to the precpate action OF pr ,a now
in dsoheyng orders. and In forcing r th'" bad ali
tod but 1000 rifles in the town; while me u r sS.a
Government had under arms ana % %'," man
Another circumstance which at the h sam f trl
added greatly to the antiquities OF Ihh ~
Iohannesburg knew that they had invited JanTs o
Jnrgp bN M
to meet him his way. but ~" i|,i ~ ne ,Ins
m,,tre , n,T" lie noicrmen and went TO Jameson. It
woud take every gun there was IN ths Ct.s "" no
noor s"r wbo we're Gathering in large bodies at diff
ferent points surrounding JohanncspuiuE, u,h.n q
uss nroposed in johannesburg to 60 out ana meet
him the Military Conmiiioe wh'c tnro W. waite
ppnd Iameson's brother the last three being Jain'
sons own representatives IN ~, Kim 10 look
after his interests refused for an instant u v"
,ertain the idea that he needed help 49,.
NAN diNercnt reasons are given to explain why
JAMESON started when he aid. against oiH H
kn9wnx mcb an inadequate force. but the reason
that probably is nearest me oru'h 90 6nt 81
| by "A remark he made just before ne 'oue '"' "a
I those men fnklpg it, he sad % eq IS
the real explanation for his rsnafkahle acton;
He wanted TO PLAY the bs part nthc t were AFRAID to
play theirs and that the whole e%ed,i1m wS Sinh
come come, 9oow his invasion of the Transvaa and
he thought that the chance OF his doils so va a,
| he men of johannesburg -. .,,.,.,,n g.,
| The men who ne considered were lurking IL
were In much greater danger for months th"n was
Jameson during the three days OF hs rlee. In ,
offer to jail as hosages ior ms S.i' ,Sor %
treaties required much more courage on NOR ',,
knowing as they ora ,h n me any count han it
would have taken to have dashed across tio YIN .
| gun in hand, 10 attempt an Ade'pm m''o"'""'''
there is one story of Mr.. Hammond which was
| fhf Dcfo