The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1899-10-19
BATTLE RUM0RS
Persistent Reports of Heavy
Fighting Between British
and Beers.
Engagement at Mafeking Said to
Have Resulted in a Boer
j Repulse,
With a Loss of Three Hundred
} Killed---British Loss Re-
! ported Small.

LONDON, Oct. ia special dispatch
from Capetown says that 300 Beers
and 10 British have been killed in a
battle at Mafeking.
Colonel Baden-Powell made a sortie
from Mafeking in force and attacked
the Beers, who were investing the
town. After fierce fighting, the British
carried the day.
KIMBERLEY, Oct. 18.-An armored
train, while accommodating near Spy
fontein, engaged the Beers, killing FIVE
and wounding seven.
LONDON, Oct. 18.-The skirmish near
Spytfontein, says a special dispatch
from Cape Town, was quite lively. The
armored train, with detachment of
the Lancashires, approached unmo-
Tested until within range, when the
Beers opened fire. The Maxims were
instantly set to work, and did great ex-
ecution among the burghers. The lat
ter also used artillery, but ineffectively.
The armored train returned to Kim.
berley unframed.
/! PRETORIA, Oct. 15.-[Delayed in
transmission Further dispatches re-
ceived by the government say that
fighting continues north Of Mafeking.
The British, after the second engage
ment, retired in the direction Of the
town, but they resumed the attack
shortly afterwards, two burghers being
killed and three wounded.
The commando engaged was impeded,
owing to the want of heavy artillery,
which was subsequently, obtained from
General Cronje.
Commander General Joubert has es-
tablished his headquarters at Charles
town and opened telegraphic communi-
cation with the Transvaal by way of
Laing's Mex. IA
Guns and food stuffs found secreted
in the mines of the rand are confiscated.
LORENZO MARQUEE, Oct 1S.-Refu.
gees who have just arrived here from
the Transvaal report that the Beers
have been repulsed at Mafeking, sus-
tanning heavy losses.
CAPE Town, Oct. 18.-It is reported
here that the Beers have had an en-
gagement with another armored train
from Rhodesia.
PRETORIA, Oct. Delayed in trans
mission Heavy fighting took place
this morning north of Mafeking. An
armored train sent to repair the rail-
way line opened fire on the Boer COM
mando. One burgher was killed and
two were wounded.
A second engagement followed, in
which nine British were wounded.
Yesterday, while General Cronje's
troops were near the broken railway
bridge, nine miles north Of Mafeking,
an approaching train, loaded with dy-
Mantle, was fred upon and blown up.
There were no casualties on the Trans
vaal side.
LONDON, Oct. 18.-Belated dispatches
from the scene Of action in South AZ
RIGA throw little fresh light upon the
situation. The Beers appear to be
strengthening their position in Natal
and biding their own time for attack.
The Orange Free State burghers are
apparently threatening to invade Cape
Colony, by way of Norpalpont and Ali.
wal, both Of which are at their mercy
If they possess artillery.
So far as is known the only British
force stationed at Aliwal north is de.
tachment of the Royal Berkshire regi-
ment.
News from the western border prob
ably reduces the alleged heavy fighting
at Mafeking to ordinary proportions.
Apparently the earlier sensational story
originated in the skirmishes between
the armored train and small detach-
ments of Beers, although since then
much may have happened to the little
garrison.
It is difficult to understand how refu-
gees arriving at Lorenzo Marquez should
have come into possession Of news Of
serious Boer losses at Mafeking. At the
same time it must be remembered that
much news from the Transvaal is likely
to come by way Of Delagoa Bay, as
most other channels are strictly GEN.
sored.
! l. rs +
i. Trainload Of Mules for England.
KANSAS CITY, Oct. 18.--Twenty-five
carloads Of mules for the Transvaal,
purchased on this market by the Eng
1ish government within the past 10
days, were started for New Orleans
during the day. Another trainload
will follow for the same point within q
few days.
Transvaal Entirely Cut on.
j WASHINGTON, Oct. IL. The state de-
partment has been informed by the
cable companies that Geographic COM
hunication with the Transvaal has
Ibeen completely interrupted. The de-
partment is thus cut off from communi-
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