The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-05-19
E~ngliShmen Arrested i'm
the Transvaal.
PLOTTING A REVOLUTION
The Arrested Formerly Officers Of Brit
ish Army-Incrlminating ments
Found-A Role of Two thousand
Men In the Plot-Other Arresss 60 be
Made-Detect;ves Mt Work for some
Time-The News Expected TO Cause
Much Excitement in London.


res at Johannesburg early this morn
ing OF seven alleged former British Of
ficers, named Nicholas Patterson.
Tromlett, Ellis, Fries, Hooper and
Mitchell, on the charge of high treason
has caused intense excitement there.
The prisoners were brought to Pre-
toria by special train After they had
been lodged in Jail they were visited by
the British diplomatic agent here. The
arrests were effected by a detective
who Joined the movement which, it is
asserted, was for the purpose of enrol
ling men in order to cause an outbreak
Of rebellion. discriminating documents
were found pOn the prisoners and it IS
expected that further arrests will be
made.
The officers arrested, who are eight
in number, instead of seven, as previ-
ously cabled, are Captain Patterson.
formerly of the Lancers; Colonel r. T.
Nichols, Lieutenant E. j. Tremlott, c.
A. Ellis, lately a private detective at
Johannesburg; Lieutenant John Allen,
formerly of the horse artillery; Quar-
termaster Mitchell, former Sergeant j.
Fries, and former Sergeant r. Z. Hoop
er. None of them has been in the en-
ploy '" III o14IlSI All lSdl
Chartered Company.
It is said that the commissioner Of
police has had the affair in hand and
has been working UP the cas- for
months. Mr.. Beatty, the detective, who
effected the arrests, received his in
Structons asst week and secured the
necessary warrants yesterday.
The executive council Of the Trans
vaal is sitting in secret session this
evening the arrests
johannesburg, May 16.-Further
warrants have been issued. 1t is as
serted that the officers already arrested
were also preparing to organize a corps
in Natal, the British colony between
h Orange Free State and h Indian
ocean, to assist the projected move
ment at johannesburg.
CapetOwn, May 16.-According to ad-
vices from Pretoria the charge against
the prisoners is that, while staying in
the Rand privately, they were really
engaged in enlisting for purposes of
rebellion when they were ready to give
the signal. 1t is said that the enlist
ment roster included 1000 men and
that a number of discriminating docu-
! ments were found at the time the ar
rests were made.
London, May 16.-Joseph Chamber
lain, secretary of state for the colonies,
this evening said he had heard nothing
officially regarding the arrests in the
Transvaa1 and did not think that too Sc
riouss significance ought to be attached
to them. The news caused considerable
excitement among the members of the
! house, but little disposition was mani
| Tested to credit the rumOrS of a rebel
liOus conspiracy.
EXPECTED EXCITEMENT IN LON.
DON.
/ The adviceS from Johannesburg arr
also probably connected with a mystic
rious dispatch received at Johannes.
burg from Pretoria On May 18th, saying
a special train fully equipped will
BOer artillerymen, guns and a search
light apparatus, was being held il
readiness at the capital of the Trans
vaal. The statement was then declar
ed to be without significance, but to
days news brings d more serious ligh
on the movement and it is certain Their
will be a great sensation in Londol
when the new of the arrest become
generally known.
The afternoon papers print dis
patches from Capetown, saying sever
men lave been arrested at Johannes
burg n have been taken to Pretoria
The government Of Cape Colony, it fur
ther appears, is considering the matte
secretly.
Inc news mas caused great excite
ment throughout South Africa
The Standard and Diggers News, tn
Beers organ in London, has a dispatcl
from Pretoria, which says the warrant
wee issued yesterday evening by tn
state attorney and were executed b
midnight. The dispatch adds that
plot for rebellion is alleged to hav
been maturing for four months an
that the accused, who are said to hav
been engaged by the South Africa
League, had already enlisted 1000 mer
Cecil Rhodes, the former premier c
Cape Colony, and resident director c
the British Chartered South Africa
Company in South Africa, informs tn
Associated Press that he has hear
nothing regarding the arrests made
johannesburg, and that he know
nothing about the reason for whic
they were made.