Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1898-12-30
A SURE CELTIC KING.
THE BIG IRISH BOSS OF THE
TRANSVAAL.
GilIingham Is His Name and He Is the
"Introducer of Foreigners" -kDows
When to Keep stiII-A Democratic
Nabob.
Especial Letter.

! Two Americans. one representing d
Dayton, O., carriage factory, and the
other a marble quarry, have recently
been in the Transvaal. The former
while there attempted to sell Dom
Paul a phaeton and the other desired
to build a mausoleum for the president
and his family. Their efforts to reach
| the presence of the celebrated Dutcn-
man revealed the existence OF a very
important and interesting parsonage III
Pretoria. This was no other than an
Irishman, named P. Dillingham;, who,
besides being a baker and justice Oh
the peace, also enjoys relations WIN
the president, which may best be de-
fined, perhaps, as "introducer or Tor
eigners." Mr.. Dillingham; gained
great prestige with Kruger by oppos-
ing the Jameson raid, and since that
time 1t has been necessary for any
one desiring to carry a point with the
president to approach first his most
intimate friend, P. Gillingham, Irish
man, baker and justice of the peace.
After much difficulty the two Amer
leans succeeded in obtaining an audi
ence with this potentate and found
that he had already posted himself as
to their mission
Eventually they were ushered
through the bakery into a small Sit
ting-room, where the presidents right
bower receives all his callers, and met
man with keen blue eyes, light hair,
mustache and chin beard, of well-set
figure, square shoulders and speaking
warmly and got right down to bust
ness.
1--WE told his honor about you," he
said, "and he is anxious to meet you.
If you will come to my house at 6
O'Clock tomorrow morning l will take
you down and you can talk to him as
long as he desires. He is in good hui
NOR now, and will talk if you know
your business. Gillingham was not
disposed to speak of himself and evad-
ed all questions bearing on politics, but
told his callers with no little pride that
he was but SO years old. He was born
at the cape, of Irish parents, and there
absorbed the customs of the Dutch so
thoroughly that he is regarded in Pre-
toria as stanch Eurgher and a good
Dutchman.
Though born under the English flag,
he has no love for it, and that is the
secret of his popularity with President
Kruger, who, though mighty shrewd
old hunter and politician, has points
NJ maa knacc hordorino or, fot,,itv I'll
bingham made his first coup with
Kruger at the time of the Jameson
raid, when England threatened to wipe
out the little republic With the hosts
of England arrayed against the Trans
wall, and no friends, this plucky Irish
man got together some of his country
men and offered to raise a regiment to
fight for it against the British. Fur
thermore, he communicated with Irish
men in America and proposed that
they equip forces to send down to aid
the Beers. Dom Paul, who is just
as generous as he is vindictive, was
quite overcome by this offer, and he
has ever since kept a warm spot in his
heart for the Irish.
More than this, however, Gillingham
has long head, knows when to advise,
when to keep quiet, and is so genial
and adaptable that he is always ''in
he know" This is appreciated by
Dom Paul, to whom the Irishman is
oyal, for such is the political strife in
he Transvaal that Kruger is often at |
| loss to know whom to trust. Gill |
Justice Of the peace, seeks for no public |
lonors, is never written about and |
,oses as a strictly neutral person. In
his capacity Kruger accepts his adj
ice on the most important national