New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-23
GENTLEMEN RAIDERS.
A srATF, TRIAL IN A POLICE COURT, WITH
GIdMPsEs OF JAMESON AND HIS MEN.

GLIMPSES OF JAMESON AND HID MEN,
London, March TO-
mia ,r.a, =, the Transvaal raiders can hardly
go o,,,ona1 In the same breath with the historic
f,rction in Westminster which Macaulay has
described with vivid realcm ana spiehoor OK
d,ct;on DR. Jameson IL not Warren Hastings,
and the Bow Street Police Court is shaooy
scene for a state trial. The environment outs'os
Is famous indeed, with the Covent Garoeh opera
House directly opposite the ponce COURT WIN
Drurv Lane Theatre only a block away. and
with the sites Of the historic coffee-ncuses' WIFE,
ro,n,s and Buttons, close at hand; but the IN.
,sror Of the stufry and dingy little courtroom 10
a, or,v for the ordinary criminal practice by
hicb nickpockets and wife-beaters are renamed
% tsmnorary obsc ur.ty. Nor is Sir Richard Web
stsr another Burke nor Sir Edward clark DE-
10 ted Sheridan. and all the pageantry and pomp
~ tho celebrate trial Of century ago are lacking
to-day Sir John Bridge. as police magstnate'
10 att,red in a comfortable morning coat, and the
learned counsel for the State and the defence
nov. neither wigs nor robes There IL notable
array Of eminent counsel. Otherwise there are
no indications Of great state trial.
When Jameson and his fourteen military as
soc,otes filed into the courtroom TINS morning
they could hardly have been impressed Win
sorse ~ judicial solemnity They were In the pres
whose accommodation the solicitors benches and
- 49, dock had been surrendered. In front OF
.Lo,,, was the bent figure OF gray-haired. KIND
49,, wa ,strate and in line with him, occupying
= o,, ~ seats in front Of two unpretentious
,oLcases were a dozen titled or fasnlonapie
,.,ords NJ the men from South Africa Inc
Gathers in the ladies' hats waved, ana ther iaces
br,rhtened with smiles as the nrteeh PRISONERS
entered the courtroom. These were the ohiy
.o,cn.s ~ color in the gloomy place, where the
docket Of disorderly cases Is ciedreo oa"y'
r,o., uas neither cheering nor clappng OF hands
wben Iamesons thoughtful race, Win i's haro
lines and cold expression. appeared. ihe'e was
s,nnIv a momentary hush-a brier pause ourns
which every one was quiet Inc" "''
| ,nps opened tamely enough
CONSPIRACY CHARGED.
Sir Richard Webster, the Attorney-Genera1
with his hand deep in his trousers pocket ie'
| marked that the case was one OF cohsioeiap'e
importance and that ne had the sohcitoF- "eh'
oral with him. Sir Edward Clarke Hiehtioheo t"s
names Of three or four Of his associates lot tue
| aoronc. and promised to submit the remainder
!, voting Then the Acknowledgement IN the
mos, mosaic. conversational manner read the
o,,.n. =, the Foreign Enlistment act. and pro-
ducnr several maps Of South Africa, proceeoed
n,,,h an elementary study Of geography Inc
ohiec, ~ this excursion was plain enough. II
u.s n establish the fact that the fifteen gentle
| ,,or hef,r. the bar Of the Court had organized
an british territory military expedition aga'ns.
| . ,r,endIv State Jameson and his companions
| n.ver smiled when this lesson in geography was
Going on Even when the learned prosecutor
| stumbled over the pronunciation OF some Oh inc
most cratic South African names they stared al
him In silence without changing Color
p,,, u was not long before they were deeply IN
J +.r..+.d IN his recital. They found themselves
charged. not with bad Judgment IN responding
N a ma sty call from Johannesburg FOR succor ana
! rescue but with deliberate conspiracy against
the Queens authority and the peace or ireho'y
State. They had started on December ~ IN NOT
h,.,s from Mafeking and Pitsani Potingo with
their clothes on their backs and win hunoie"
rounds OF ammunition to a man. That was tho
ord,r.r, exclamation Of their movement. But as
tho Attorney-General produced his version OF tns
exnedition. there was q predetermined plan OF
onarations which had required thirty days for oe-
,,e,onment The military force at the two camps
had been gradually collected recruited. orsah']eo
and drilled for this special service; Improves
arms had been supplied during that PERIOD: MAX
inns and field guns had been procureui INV
stool, Of ammunition had been increased and re-
laws Of horses and supplies OF forage ana tnneu
meats had been arranged on the line OF march 70
johannesburg There was cumulative array o.
evidence in support Of the theory that the 'h'a-
sion Of the Transvaal was not an accidental &C.
currence but preconceived expedition, deiioer-
ately planned and carried out The two columns
started simultaneously; the telegraph wires were
cut messages Of recall delivered before the oat'e
| were d,sregarded and war was made IN most
| determined way upon friendly State. But apart
from the evidence OF actual warfare and disooedi-
ence OF the commands of the Crown, there were
clear proofs Of generalization and organization
several weeks in advance OF the invasion OF tho
Transvual. Indeed. It was matter OF common
report at both camps that an expedition against
the Transvaal was imminent.
PROVING TOO MUCH.
The newspaper men. who had IN large pa
made up the audience. listened inteh.y ~
this opening speech because the line TAKEN
by the prosecution was unexpected. IL hau
. | been assumed, as matter or course that
prirna -facie case OF invasion OF the
| Transvaal would be made out. and na'
every one Of the fifteen prisoners wouid DC GUN,
nected with 1t by direct testimony; but IL mao "o'
been supposed that the law officers OF the crow
: would take pains to demonstrate that there had
been a deeply laid plot occupying In It's various
sta ees thirty days II was evident to the dulless
observer that the degree Of generalization requl'
site for 90 deliberate and protracted conspiracy
would inevitably dscredt the Colonial once anu
the Imperial authorities II It were a matter "
. current report at Mafeking and Pitsan' Pot'hso
for weeks that men were collecting with arms anu
. ammunition for a raid into the Transvaai no"
? did II happen that neither Sir Jacobus de WEI
8 nor Sir Hercules Robinson. nor Mr.. Chamberlain
knew anything about It? A great colonial omce
ought to have something besides q ruling IN
8 telligence at the centre. 1t ought also to navs