The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-24
BOER SECRET SERVICE
TT is SAID TO BE UNEoUALED ron
ITS CUNNING AND
DEVICE
IT'S AGENTS ARE WELL PAID

sensation Created In Cane Town nv
the Publication of What PurDorts
to BE the Inside History of the
Development and Maintenance ne
the COrps-PrOminent Men Are
Mentioned as Being Interested,
cape Town has been startled bv tha
issue OF brochure on the Transvaai
secret service system. The existence of
tnls system and the application of its
FUNDS Tor the furtherance of the interests
VI the A1rlkander bond In Cape Colony
nave long been matters of notoriety hut
the charges which from time TO time have
peen made In this connection against
persons in prominent positions have hith-o
erto never been definitely s11bstant;ata+ s.
The revelations now made. according III
the New York Times, are of the most
sensational character, but of the writer's
veracity there can be little doubt Not
only does he append his own name hit
gives those OF persons implicated (many
Oh Wnom are on the spoO,. with the dates
Oh the various transactiors and the means
by which he was enabled to obtain the
facts recorded
the complications which rather more
than ten years ago arose between the
United States and Germany will still be
fresh IN the minds of Americans. and nos
slbly the name, of Dr.. Wilhelm knappe
who had previously been consul general
ror Germany, may not be unfamiliar to
them. At any rate, in consequence of his
cruelty and acknowledgements, Bismarck
found 1t necessary to recall him. 10
F His next appointment was a .remarla-
bic one. In 1889, through the understand
Ing That existed between Bismarck and
Dr. Leyds, the state secretary to the
South African republic, DR.. w. Knappe
and Herman Milttz were appointed Joint
general managers of the National Bank
of the South African Republic. In April.
tSSl, there was a very heated discussion
between Dr. Leyds and certain members
OF the Volksraad as to the advisabifity of
having two German instead Of two HoI-
lander gentlemen as responsible heads of
the government bank, but Dr. Leyds as
usual, succeeded in carrying his point
1t was the two German managers of the
national bank who laid the foundation
OF the Transvaal secret service system
the administration of which, as to cum
ming and device, has yet to find it's
equal
PLOTTING AGAINST BRITAIN.
The writer Of the pamphlet gives a.
copy of document dated at Pretoria
Aug. "A, 1892, and bearing the name of
Herr Won Herff, then German consul at
Pretoria, showing How a few regiments
OF Prussian infantry could be landed at
Delagoa bay and force their way into the
Transvaal territory" and, "'once In defy
British suzerainty and, for all time hang
the annoying question Of paramountcy on
the nall
1t was by Stimulating stupidity that the
author of the pamphlet, who was in the
service of the bank, was able to gain
much information, the plotters being in
consequence less careful in his presence
than in the case of an ordinary outsider.
The names of those attending the secret
meetings at the bank are given, and in
clude, besides several prominent men in
South Africa (some of whom were d.
rectors of the bank, the two managers
and DR.. Leyds, state secretary. Presi-
dent Kruger, who was present with his
son-in-law, Jan Eloff at one of these
meetings, said: England must not be
the supreme power in South Africa I
feel sure that, provided we have Germany
the colony, we shall win the day" This
statement was received with loud cheer
Ing, and the posse Of zarps stationed at
the landdrost court adjoining rushed to
the bank wondering what had happened.
The rumor next day was that an attempt
had been made to break into the bank
About the same time the feeling be-
tween the progressive and bond parties In
Cape Colony being very bitter, and the
former being short of funds for election
purposes in connection with two seats In
the house Of assembly that had become
vacant member of the present Cape
ministry 1t is alleged, received in April
1892, eight hundred-pound notes Of De Ma
tionale bank, signed by w. Knappe, man.
ager, and g. Meintjes. accountant, the
notes being taken from Book A. 1892 A
prominent Cape politician, sometimes
termed the dictator and ministry maker,
received during the general elections of
1894 from 5000 to $4,000 for electioneering
and like purposes from the Berlner Han
delsgesellschaft chamber of co-n.nerce).
Among other like instances mentioned, it
Is stated that in consequence of GER
tain mission intrusted to a man named
Erasmus, from Pretoria, in May, 1892, the
present treasurer general returned home
one afternoon considerably better off
financially than when he left in the morn
ing Bond politicians have frequently
been accused of being the recipients of
large sums Of money from the Transvaal
for political purposes, but have always
emphaticaTly denied receiving such finan-
cial support
CONTEMPORARIES IN EUROPE.
It is said that the mysterious meetings
at the National bank chambers were ini--
tiated at the express desire OF the Han
delsgeSeilschaft at Berlin, and that the
emperor used his Influence in connec-
ton Herewith. The secret service agents
were at work, not only in Cape Colony,
but in the Portuguese provinces and at
Lisbon, where every effort was made tn
obtain port a Delagoa bay The whole
of the decorations in connection with tn