The record-union., 1896-05-01
Showing Prearranged Plan to Seize
Part Of the Transvaal.
The Sentence Upon Hammond, Rhodes
and Others Who Pleaded Guilty of
High Treason at Pretoria Reported
to be Five Years. Penal Servitude
and Then Banishment for Life.

SatlOn has been caused mere py Tue pun
Mcation of a series of kilograms that
were entered as evidence at the trial of
| the members of the Reform Committee.
These kilograms it is claimed here show
beyond any doubt whatever that the
raid of DR.. Jameson was not the result
of a desire to protect the women and
| children Of johannesburg in the event
| of a rising there, as has been argued by
certain English newspapers, but was
| the outcome Of carefully pre-arranged
plan on the part Of certain individuals
| of the South Africa Company to seize a
portion of the Transvaal, a portion well
known to be the rich goldreef of Wit
watersrand on which Johannesburg is
| located.
| Some Of the kilograms were in cipher,
and on their face were apparently harm
less business messages that had passed
between different men connected with
| johannesburg and the South Africa
Company.
At the time DR.. Jameson and his COM
panions were captured by the Beers the
| latter found in the doctors bag a key
| for code messages. This was taken pos
| session of by the authorities, who later
| obtained the messages containing words
corresponding with those in the key. In
| certain cases the words in the original
messages could not be deciphered by use
| of the key, and in these cases the code
words were read as in the dispatches.
| The dates of the dispatches ranged from
December 7th to December 29th. Fol-
| lowing are extracts from the messages:
December 11-Colonel Rhodes, johann
| nesburg, to White. Mafeking; Inform
| Jameson not to send more horses before
January. No more room for them"
| December 13-Stevens, Cape Town, to
| Colonel Rhodes, johannesburg: Jane
son wires-most strongly urging no post
poning shareholders meeting. Let Ham
mOnd inform weak partners that, and
delay most injurious"
December 1S-Hammond, Johannes
burg, to Cecil Rhodes, Cape Town:
Cannot arrange respective interests
| without Belt. Floatation must be de-
layed until his arrival"
! On December 10Th Belt replied that
! his health prevented him from going to
johannesburg, and asking where the
hitch was.
December 1S-Dr. Wolff, Johannes
| burg, to White, Pitsani: Il suggest that
you Immediately instruct Major Grey to
forward as soon as possible 200 900
pounds of his surplus ammunition to
Gardner Williams
| December 21-CoIonel Rhodes, johann
nesburg, to Charter, Cape Town: In
form c. ]. Rhodes stated Chairman
won't leave unless special letter invit-
ing him. Definite assurance been given
by all of us that on day f1oatation you
and he will leave. There must be no de-
parture from this, as many subscribers
agreed to take shares on this assurance
You responsible for Chairman's de-
parture''
December 21.-Harris, Cape Town, to
Colonel Rhodes, Johannesburg: 'Beit
has telegraphed urging start floatation
new company. Reply when you can
start float so I may advise Jameson
same day."
Harris also sent a dispatch similar to
the above to DR.. Jameson at Pitsani
December 23-Harris, Cape Town, to
Colonel Rhodes, johannesburg: "Beit
has wired Philips assuring him that
Chairman starts Immediately the float
alton takes place. No invitation neces-
sary."
December 23-Harris, Cape Town, to
Jameson, Pitsani: Company will be
fioated next Saturday midnight. They
are very anxious that you do not start
before nine and secure telegraph office
silence. We suspect Transvaal slightly
aware"
December 26.-Cecil Rhodes, johann
nesburg, to Charter, Cape Town: CAB
solutely necessary postpone f1oatation.
Leonard left last night Cape Town.
On the above date Harris repeated
the last mentioned dispatch to Dr.
Jameson, adding: You must not move
until you hear again. Too awful. Very
sorry"
On the same day Jameson's brother
telegraphed from johannesburg to Dr.
Jameson informing him that it had be-
come necessary to postpone the float
alton" through unforeseen and unex-
pected circumstances, and until we
have c. ]. Rhodes absolute pledge that
the authorities of the imperial Govern
ment will not be insisted upon"
On December 9th Harris sent a dis
patch to DR.. Jameson referring to
shareholders meeting to be held on
January 9Th, and requesting him to
wait patiently.
On the same date Harris sent another
dispatch to DR.. Jameson referring to
the distribution Of the British South
Africa Company's police.
On December 2Sth Harris, in another
telegram to DR.. Jameson, stated that
Leonard and Hamilton had informed
him that the movement was unpopular
in johannesburg. This message con-
cluded: I'VE cannot have a fiasco."
On December 2Sth DR.. Jameson tele-
graphed to DR.. Wolff at johannesburg,
saying: Meet me as arranged before
you leave, which will enable us to de-
eide the best destination. Make Cut
ting tonight without fail. Have great
faith in Hammond, Lawley and miners
with Lee -Metford rifles
The Harris whose name appears in
the above dispatches is evidently DR..
Harris, Secretary in South Africa of the
Chartered Company.
CHAMBERLAIN MADE A TOY OF.
LONDON, April 30.-A vastly differ
ent aspect has been put on the Trans
vaal trouble by the publication of a
number Of cipher kilograms, transla-
tions of which will be found above. 1t
has been claimed BY many interested