The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-10

I'm place OF Gen. Piet Joubert,
sJI ~ commander-in-chief Of the
N Boer forces. In the narrow
three-story brick building at
11oi Arch street the man who
outsencraied the commander of the British
trocru at Ladysmith first saw the light.
TSS building has been altered somewhat
ssscs Il vas occupied by the Joubert family.
hrt IL remains today practically as It was
Al the time OF Joubert's birth.
very little Is known in philadelphia OF
~ joubert family. Francis J. Chilly.
spectal deputy OF the custom house. and
Surveyor OF the Port p. M. Lytle. says the
Philadelphia Times. incidentally learn
"a that the Jouherts were at one time
residents OF Philadelphia A little search
revealed the fact that 1105 Arch street was
their place Of residence. and that Il was
fhere that Piet Joubert was born. The
family was In moderate circumstances.
ana soon after the birth OF the boy, who
hns since earned worldwide fame, they
removed to some little town in the central
part Of Pennsylvania.
Before coming to Philadelphia the Jou-
berts had lived short time in Holland.
M elder Joubert was a Frenchman. but
he fell in love with girl in the south Of
Holland and soon after their marriage
they ehigrated to America.
when the great stories OF South African
wealth reached America, Joubert decided
10 take his family there. He Joined a COLI
ony from Holland and settled at Fransche
Hook, near StelIenbosh. where other MEM
bars Of the family were living.
The Joubert name has been prominent
h Transvaal matters for many years,
and Il was but natural that the Ameri-
lcAn-born Joubert would especially dis
Thrush himself. He has been O leader
81 South African AFFAIRS since early In
the 80.
Gen. Joubert has visited the land OF
hi birth twice. First In 1883, when an
aren't for large financial company, and
again ten years later. when he was the
oficiai representative of his country at
The Worlds fair at Chicago.
Jsubert and Kruger Not Friends.
It IL not generally known that Piet
Joubert and Paul Kruger are not friends,
but enemies, and that the present war in
the Transvsal has largely been urged on
" both because each was afraid that
any lack Of zeal he displayed would cause
biz undcing and the political elevation OF
the other In fact. they are rivals In
every field OF activity. have little in corr
mon and much In difference. They are
both men Of strong personality. and bring
to bear shrewdness and knowledge quite
unusual In their. fight against each other.
Kruger has thus far had the advantage
Of money and position to aid him. This
X the explanation of the success Of his
political aspirations.
Though Kruger Is president OF the re-
ruhlic. Jouhert's political position 10 hard
n le1 notable. He IL vice president, COM
mander-in-chief of the army, a member
Of the executive council. the cabinet Of the
republic. and holds a dozen other offices
He fails only of the presidency, though he
has made two attempts to wrest this from
Kruger. The first time there were those
who said that he had poiled more votes
and was defeated by wholesale swindling
The second time ne was undoubtedly beat
en- by the presence Of a third candidate In
the held.
Joubert Is smart and cunning. In fact,
he bears the nickname OF Slim Piet," or
'cute." as we would say. He il not one to
give up fight. and 4 there is such a
thing as president Of the Transvaal after
the war with England, It is pretty sure that
JOubert will attain his ambition.
Joubert Is an honest man according to his
lights, but they are dim. He never has
deliberately swindled any one; but, being
man Of business first and a farmer or
generalissimo afterwards. he takes the
keenest delight In getting the best of
deal, whether 1t be In mining shares, gold
prize in the conscious sentiment of ''smart-
ness" that is such prominent feature
throughout the Boer character.
One Of Joubert's foibles Is being photo
graphed. Probably he Is the most cam
eraed man In the Transvaal. Owing to this
harmless little popularity his features are
thoroughly well known.
broad. straight. furrowed brow. from
which the whitening hair is carefully
brushed back, overhangs a pair OF power
ful, clear and honest gray eyes. which look
the stranger straight In the face, and are
not sh.fty and furtive as are those In the
head Of the average Boer The mouth is
cold and hard. with no trace Of smile;
the corners droop slightly. and the general
expression is not amable. The nose Is the
striking feature; It inspires respect, for 1t
Is built on strong, commanding lines, and
broadens out at the base into powerful but
sensitive nostrils. The face as whole has
dignity. repose, almost a certain nobility
Of its own
Dom PauTs Relatives i'm America.
President Kruger has several relatives
living In this country. A brother Is
preacher In the state Of Washington;
Niece, Miss Sannie Kruger, and her broth