The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-11-10

Ii
patriarchal government under which
the Beers lived when they made their
great trek from Cape Colony in 1885,
on which expedition the little band
killed 5000 lions, and fought innumer-
able battles with the savages. And 1t is
for this reason that he is loved so
much by the old Beers.
Mr.. Kruger, however, makes one ex-
ception to the guests at his early levee,
and that is newspaper correspondents.
He will occasionally talk with repre-
sentative of the Johannesburg Stand
ard and Diggers' News, the Pretoria
Press or the VolkStein, all of which pa
pers are subsidized by the Transvaal
but for the correspondents
of foreign papers it is next to impos-
Sible to gain an audience and secure an
interview.
Mr. Ellerthorpe of the London Daily
Telegraph, and a representative OF
Black and White had been working I'M
successfully for two months to this end
when the writer reached Pretoria,
though they were handicapped by Mr.
Kruger's intense dislike for everything
English, so intense that he will not al
low the language to be taught IN the
Boer schools.
1t was therefore with no little mis-
giving that we set out to accomplish
this desideratum, which had peen on
our minds ever since leaving New
York, three months before, and Whlch
was brought about by a man who oc-
cupies such a. unique position in the
Transvaal government that he interest
ed US equally with Kruger himself.
Living in a modest frame house, the
front part of which is occupied by
bakeshop and confectionery counter,
holding no position other than justice
of the peace, and not even having the
merit of being a native Boer or Hol-
lander, this man yields an 1n1luence
equaled by no other resident IN the
Transvaal. He is, in fact, the political
boss of the South African republic. He
is consulted by nearly all the members
of the raad, in both the progressive and
conservative parties, advises the eX-
ecutive council, and is persona grata
with President Kruger, who treats MN
as his most intimate friend and looks
to him for clever advise in ticklish po-
litical crises. And yet Mr.. Peter Cllllhg-
ham claims allegiance only to 1relahu'
though he speaks the Dutch Language
auently, and is heart and hand with
the Roers in their differences with the
English. He has been in the Transvaal
10 years, going there from Cape Colony
in the capacity of a general specuiator'
How we'll he has succeeded IN TINS No
one knows, but Pretorians say that De
hind the counters where he dispenSes
ginger cakes and bread, Mr.. T. Ching
ham. Irishman and Boer, caresses q
goodly fortune, which he has acquired
by brisk Celtic hustle, coupled with tne
advantages provided by the palloIdSe
of the president.
on leaving New York for tramp
through South Africa with fellow
newspaper man on a very limited capl-
tai. one of the most important polntS
as it seemed to us. was to secure JUS
such an interview with Dom Paul. Sew
eral foreign consuls offered to give Us
letters to their representatives IN the
Transvaal, but could not promise tha
they we're in such close touch with the
Grand Old Man of South Africa as u
insure MS q. welcome reception. In this
nredicament we were directed to Z
O'Connor Mclaughlin, well-knoWr
New York Journalist, at that time sec
retary of the Irish National Alliance
who, looking over a time-Worn volume
on his desk, found the name OF NC
Bride. -,
"Here is a man." said he, who viii
put you on the right track. Our Oil
rectory gives him as We1ghmaSter II
the mines of the Landlaagte estate
two miles from Johannesburg, near thu
Simmer and Jack. 1 have no idef
where that is, and L never heard OF tn
man. but if you give him this lette
and tell him you are good Ir1shman
he'll get you the introduction, for w
are very strong in that country.
It was not such an easy matter t
| find Mcbride after getting to Jonah
nesburg. Even after the Landlaagt
! had been located, it seemed to be oper
ated entirely by McBrides. and it wa
/ cl. IL, 10 anor,nh that Me
Bride the weighman was located II
the second level 1000 feet blow tn
surface. whittier the American mana
ger gave US permission to descend o.
a passenger car.
This was not an inviting expedition
! and it was rather discouraging, afte
the run. to have Mr.. Mcbride tell US h
! could not furnish the introduction. :
will give you a letter to Mccain
though he offered, and he Will sen
YOU to Dillingham;, and Gillinghar
owns Dom Paul.
Our next step toward securing tn
interview, therefore, was to meet MI
( e. c. Mccain, proprietor of l1ttl
tailor shop, near the Barnato building
in Johannesburg, and the reception &C
! corded us there nearly turned us froT
our purpose Neither of the two EN-
ployees at work on the counter locke
at or spoke to us for some time. VIVA
do you want?" finally inquired larg
man, with immense shoulders and
forbidding face.
1--WE want to see Mr. McCann," W
replied. modestly. I'VE have a lette
from the national alliance in New Yorl
We're good Irishmen, and wish to gt
an introduction to Mr.. Kruger throug
him.
At this there was a great clatter
an adjoining room, and from the dool
way emerged a tall man, with an e1
ceedingly red nose, gray dragoo
mustache, and enveloped in Ion
frock coat
"Tm Mccain. the tailor" he sal
looking at us keenly. who are you
But without giving us a chance to al
swer, he snapped up the two lette1
and disappeared in the street.
Astonishment gave way to anger ;
this shabby treatment, and we were c
the point of giving vent to the latt
when the tailor attracted our attentiC
from the opposite corner by winkir
violently and reckoning.
You never want to make q bree
like that" he said, angrily. IF you a
good Irishmen, as you say you are, yC
ought to know that the English go
eminent has spies all through Il
Transvaal, and you never know wi
you are talking to- With that he Il
the way to basement saloon on Cor
missioner street, selecting a sms
room in the rear.
"Ben," he said to a tough-looki1
citizen, who answered the electric SUI
mons, you see these gentlemen? We
lock the door on the outside and dor
let them out. until l give the word.
Now" he continued. turning to I
whats your game? If you think Y,
can come it over old Mccain, wi
guess again. You are no more Iris
men than the Prince of Wales. 70
names are not Irish, neither are 70
faces. You are spies, by Cd, al
you've come here to find out he
strong the alliance is in Johannesbur
Well, you got in the wrong shaft.
don't require a stone house to fall
,,