Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-31
rne Trutb About british Barbarity'


Much of the war news from South Africa
that has come by the way OF COntineh-
tai Europe has been cOlored by SnaI
against the British soldier tendlns 10
show that he had suddenly become re
gardless Of the rules Of civilized wa laaei
we were told that Beers Were massacrc9
after surrcndering at Elandslaagte, ana
that the survivors suffered unspeahaple
indignities while being conveyed as prs
oners of war to the naval station heas
Cape Town. The wording ana detahS on
the charges made showed tnat lney n du
some common source Of origin. A recent
number of the Dutch paper Courant, pun
lished I'm Arnhem, reveals the TACT lna'
this source OF origin was the cape CUT
respondent Of that journal 49,.
In the COurant We find the story OF inc
alleged massacre on the field Of Elands-
laagte set forth with shocking detaiisi
we find the life Of the survivors on podtI
the guardship Penelope set rOltn Witn
such horrors that those OF the Btltlsn
prison ship Jersey at the time or me
American Revolution sink into insignih-
canoe. Says the correspondent: Ihey
stole from the prisoners their watches,
their money. their keys, their pocNet
knives their handkerchief. Ihey pre-
sented a bayonet against the breast OF
one. Heer Mantel, and demanded, Your
watch or we kill you! Another was mace
TO take OFF his shoes 10 snow tnat ne ulu
not have money therein cOncealed. hVth
wedding rings were stolen. They even
cut off the finger OF wounded man 10
get az his ring
In due time stern and authentic denials
of these things VIII doubtless come from
Cape Town. In the meanwhile few eX-
tracts from a Cape paper printed at the
time of the arrival of the Boer prisoners
on board the transport Putiala VIII serve
TO show the existence Of conditions which
tend, in the most convincing manner, 10
show the falseness of the ,monstrous
lon %
the COurant We have before us copy
Of The Cape Times of November 5. With
out dwelling upon the news from the
front I'm which the galantry, the marks
manship. the inyincible bravery of the
Beers are graphically recorded, we turn
TO an article headed prisoners OF War"
10 seems that after the prisoners had
been transferred from the Putiala to the
Penelope. Captain Bruce Of her Majesty's
ship Monarch briefly addressed them,
pointing out that since the fortune OF
war had made them prisoners 1.-The naval
authorities at SimOn's Town will do all
in their power TO make the lot OF those
who are now in their custody as endur-
able as possible" The article continues:
on the way down from Durham ID
SimOns Bay The prisoners gave no trouble
whatever; the officers took their meals
with the Captain and ships officers I'm the
saloon. and the others were well cared
for fOr'ard. though naturally during the
rough passage lOOn0 the coast the ma
jorlty suffered considerably from the IN
evitable NAL de mer. They all speak in
high terms Of the gallantry Of the Brit
ish troops, and particular Of the Gordon
Highanders
Then follows the citation OF Boer opin-
ion on the outcome of the war, which r.
given with the utmost frankness: the
prisoners, while believing that the South
African republics would be defeated In
the long run, "cling 10 the opinion that
the war IS a financial one"
But it may be said that This Is only eX-
parte testimony which. pleasant as n is.
does not Of itself preclude the possibility
Of the alleged atrocities. This idea be-
comes obviously untenable, however,
when we read:
In proof OF the fact that they Che priso-
Dcrs) appreciated the kindness extend
cd 10 them while ON board ship. the Off
GERS addressed a written communication
TO the commander before leaving the
ship. thanking him for the courtesy eX-
tended 10 them during the voyage.
We doubt not that these very prisoners
will be the first TO refute the charges
made by the Cape correspondent OF the
COurant 10 IS also extremely evident
that this mischiefmaker. II discovered
will be properly taken care Of The Brit
ish soldier is not the only soldier who
has been maligned by falsehoods uttered
by contemplate correspondents The men
who are fighting IN the Philippines know
how to sVmuathiZe with him.