The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1899-11-03
HOW KRUGER
FACED A MOB
HIS EXHIBITION OF NERVE
Threatened Nth Violence tOr Defy.
lag the Railroad Builders
OF johannesburg,

ger, writes a contributor to Collier.
Weekly. was March 4, 1890, remember
that date we'll and always will. for then
I witnessed an exhibition OF couragN
that was superb. Historians have dwelt
at length on kruger's bravery In bat.
tie and when hunting, but doub,
whether he ever excelled the moral and
physical courage shown ON the da,e
mentioned.
| At that time, the Transvaal was In
t. state bordering on anarchy with Jo-
hannesburg the center Of the trouble.
overcapltalzatlon Of the mines, gross
mismanagement and criminal short
comings had caused a state Of financial
, collapse, Money was scarce, provisions
high, work aim ut unobtalnable and
hundreds were on the verge OF starva-
| ton. RailrOad connection with kim
barley was deemed the panacea for all
existing Ills, and accordingly an agita-
tion fer the building Of such a road was
begun with enthusiasm.
Now Il happens that the Beer is first
cousin to the most mulish Of mulish
mules and viii not be driven And the
Boer feared that the grasping. greedy
Uitlander would overrun the Transvaal
the moment a railroad began opera
tions. Hence there was a strong oppo-
sition to the project, headed by Dom
Paul
But, like the late amented Banquo's
ghost, the project would not down. and
murmurs OF a revolution were heard.
They reached the capacious ears OF the
presiden, and he determined to face the
JohannesburgeI-s and have the matter
settled. Accordingly a TGss meeting
was arranged TO take place March 4th
on the grounds Of the Wanderers
Athletic Club. at the foot OF Hospital
Hill.
Long before the hour OF meeting the
grounds were filled with a bowling, wild
mob. capable OF any excess. They car
rled arms. too, and open threats against
the president Were freely made Time
passed and the head Of the republic did
not appear. Murmurs grew into cries
Of derision. At last, when the mob was
on the verge Of open violence, the pres
idert arrived. He was accompanied by
about a hundred burghers. Slowly and
with evident effort ne assembled the
platform erected for him in the grand
stand. Then, uncovering mis- head he
faced the mob
Epithets too vile 10 be repeated were
hurled at him. They cursed and swOre
and all but spit at MIN He stood un-
moved, calm and almost unconcerned.
Then, when the fury Of the mob abated,
for a moment he began a speech in
Dutch, in his rasping unpleasant voice.
And what he said was still more un-
pleasant than his delivery. for he told
the mob that re would grant railway
just as soon as he was ready and not
moment sooner.
When the purpOrt Of his words dawn
ed upon the crowd its members made
rush for the president. He never
moved. The mob. awed by this display
Of fearlessness, fell back. The president
had wont
That night the lawless element made
an attack upon the house in which the
president was staying. The police drove
the attackers off.
Were you not frightened by the at
tack last night?" I asked Dom Paul
the next morning as he was starting
for Potchefstroom.
No" replied the president with a
grim smile, for had they touched me
the Stats Artillery on Hospital Hill
would have blown Johannesburg off
the earth"
This is the Dom Paul who has sent
out call to his burghers to defend
their country and preserve the integrity
Of the Transvaal.