Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-17
RMoRtD TRAIN At THE BoERS' MERCY
half Company Of Durham Volunteers and
Dublin Fusileers Aboard.
LIEUTENANT CHURCHILL IS CAPTURED
Son of the Late Lord Randolph
Churchill Displays Much Courage
in the slsirmisb with the
Enemy.

DURHAM, Natal, NOV. 10, lO:oo p H.
(New York World Cablegram-Special Tele-
gram.)-An unconfirmed rumor Is current
hero that General Joubert. the commander
in-cbief of the Boer forces, was killed Fri
day at Ladysmth.
The story as told is that the British naval
guns suddenly opened fire on position
where the Beers had mounted siege guns
and that General Joubert, who was standing
near the artillery. was struck with frag-
ment of shell at the second shot, the wound
being so severe that he afterwards died.
1t is also said that at a Boer council of
war the other generals were anxious to re-
move the army to some other point but
General Joubert desired to capture Lady
smith first.
General James Meyer is said to have gone
to Pretoria, being i'll. STUART.
Delayed Message from Churchill.
Copyright 1889. by Press Publishing Coz
ESTCoURT, Nov. 10. 4;S5 p. m.-(New
York World Cabegram-Special Telegram)
-Delayed about 500 Beers have arrived
at Cheveley station. They blew up the rail-
way line there with dynamite and retired on
seeing a mounted infantry patrol and other
patrolling bodies
The Beers are reported today to be south
of the Tugela river, which runs through
Colenso.
Reports from Weenen (about twenty miles
northeast of Estcourt indicate it is
possible that an attack is intended to be
made upon this place.
The troops here are sleeping in their boots
and the utmost vigilance is maintained, but
general confidence prevails that in the grassy
(open) country any Dutch attack can be re-
pulsed.
The situation is much clearer throughout
Natal.
Further efforts to seize Ladysmith failed,
but the Boer heliograph acknowledged them,
saying:
"Will be with you tomorrow"
The British reply was much shorter.
WINSTON CHURCHILL.
At Mercy of the Beers.
DURHAM, Nov. 10, 1895 a. m.-The arm
pred train which is already reported as
wrecked and captured. arrived at ChieVeiey
safely, only a few Beers having been seen
there. 1t started back and was thrown from
the track two miles from that station by an
pbstructito q. The front car was turned over,
the enemy opening a hot fire at the same
time from a kopje with a Maxim and two
nine-pounders. They got the range accu-
rately. hitting the cars and locomotive, but
did no damage to the vital parts of the lat
ter. The naval gun attached fred thrice
but was then put out OF action.
Lieutenant Churchill with great bravery
md coolness which is described as magnih-
cent. got party of men to clear from the
tracks the overturned cars, and finally the
engine passed by the wrecked cars at the
side of the track, the Dublin Fusieers and
volunteers fighting an unequal battle along
side the deraed cars. Three times they
drove the enemy back. The wounded mems
comrades put them back on the tender and
finally the engine and tender with the
wounded returned. The men who had been
left with the wrecked cars followed the
engine and tender down the railway line,
taking advantage OF all the possible cover.
1t is hoped that the relief party will assist
them in getting back safely
The Boer fire was so severe that telegraph
wires and poles were torn down and the cars
were hit continually. The Boer guns were
posted on kopjes, covered with brushwood,
and the sharpshcoters were hidden in dongas
and behind boulders. Lieutenant Churchill
remained with the retiring party and an
ambulance train which went out returned
with only one wounded man. The doctor in
charge OF the train got to the Boer lines,
but was informed the other wounded could
not be recovered without Joubert's orders.
1t is reported that few men of the retiring
party arrived in camp at Estcourt. Lieu
tenant Churchill is still missing,
over One Hundred Missing.
LONDON. Nov. 16.-Specal dispatches
from Estcourt estimate the wounded and
missing OF the armored train at from 100 to
$50. The missing include Captain Haldane.
1T is hoped that some escaped over the vedt
and will return to Estcourt in few days.
Big Fight AT Ladysmith.
ESTCOURT Nov. 16-10 a. ma mis-
sionary, a native, but reliable man, who
arrived here yesterday from Ladysmith, re-
ports that big fight took place there on
Friday, November 10. He says that yolun
teers went out in the early morning and
drew the enemy from their positions on to a
fiat, whore the regular troops, under Sir
George White. outmaneuvered them, by out
thanking the Beers, administering defeat
with great loss