The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-05-17
ARRESTS ANNOUNCED.
Details of the Biggest Sensation In
South African History.

South African History.
CAPEToWN, May 1.-THE Argus, of
this city, today publishes dispatch from
Pretoria, capital of the Transvaa South
African republic, saying that P. w.
Reitz, secretary of state, confirms the
report that a number Of unusual arrests
have been made there, and 1t is rumored
the prisoners are British officers. Ae-
cording to reports from Pretoria the
charge against the prisoners is that
while staying in the Rand privately they
We're really engaged in enlisting men for
the purpose of rebelling when they were
ready to give the signal 1t is said that
the enlistment roster included 1000 men,
and that number of incrimIneting doc
uments were found at the time the ar
rests were made.
JOHANNESBURG, May ia number
of men have been arrested here on the
charge of high treason. The officers ar
rested, who are eight in number, instead
Of seven, as previously cabIed, are Capt.
Patterson. formerly of the Lancers; Col.
r. f. Nichols, Lieut.. E. j. Tremlott, G.
A. Ellis, lately private detective at
Johannesburg; Lieut. John Allen, former
ly of the horse artillery; tQuartermaster
Mitchell, former Sergeant j.. Fries and
former Sergeant r. P. Hooper. None
of them have been in the employ Of the
British South African Chartered COM
pany.
1t is said that the commissioner of po-
lice, who had the affair in hand, had
been working up the case for months.
Mr.. Beattie. the detective who effected
the arrests, received his instructions last
week and secured the necessary warrants
yesterday.
The executive council Of the Transvaal
is sitting in secret session this evening,
considering the arrests. Further war
rants have been issued.
1t Is said the officers already arrested
were also preparing to organize corps
in Natal the British colony between the
Orange Free state and the indian ocean,
to assist at the projected movement at
johannesburg.
LONDON, May 16.-The foregoing dis
patch probably explains the telegram re-
ceived by the Argus, of Capetown, today
from Pretoria, saying the Transvaal sec
retary of state confirmed the report that
a number of unusual arrests had been
made, and that 1t was rumored that the
prisoners were British officers. The ad-
vices from Johannesburg are also prob
ably connected with a mysterious dis
patch received at johannesburg from
Pretoria on May 12, saying a special train
fully equipped with Boer artillerymen,
guns and searchlight apparatus, was be-
ing held in readiness at the capital of
the Transvaal. The statement was then
declared to be without significance, but
today's news throws a more serious light
on the movement and 1t is certain there
will be a great sensation in London when
the news of the arrests becomes general
ly known. The afternoon newspapers
today print special dispatches from Cape
town saying seven men have been arrest
ed at Johannesburg and have been taken
to Pretoria. The government of Cape
Colony, 1t further appears, is considering
the matter secretly. The news has caus-
ed great excitement throughout South
Africa.
The Standard and Digger's News, the
Beers organ In London, has a dispatch
from Pretoria which says that warrants
were issued yesterday evening by the
state attorney and were executed at mid
night The dispatch adds that plot or
rebellion is alleged to have been matur-
Ing for four months, and that the ac-
cused, who are said to have been engaged
by the South African league, had already
enlisted 1000 men.
Cecil Rhodes the former premier of
Cape Colony and resident director in
South Africa of the British Chartered
South African company informs the AS
sociated Press that he has heard nothing
regarding the arrests at Johannesburg.
and that he knows nothing about the rea
son for which they were made.
Joseph Chamberlain secretary of state
for the colonies, who was interviewed in
the lobby of the house of commons this
evening, said he had heard nothing Of
ficialy concerning the arrests in the
Transvaal and did not think that too Sc
rious significance ought to be attached
to them. Mo- Information had reached
him from South Africa, he asserted, that
could lead him in any way to anticipate
or to explain the arrests.
The news caused considerable excite
ment among the members of the house,
but little disposition was manifested to
credit the rumors of rebefius conspir-
acy.
PRETORIA, May 16.-The arrest at Jo-
hannesburg early this morning of seven
alleged former British officers named
Nichols, Patterson, Tremlett, Ellis,
Freise, Hopper and Mitchell, on the
charge of high treason, has caused in
tense excitement here. The prisoners
were brought to Pretoria by special train.
After they had been lodged in jail they
were visited by the British diplomatic
agent here.
The arrests were effected by detect
i've who Joined the movement, which, 1t is
asserted. was for the purpose of enrolling