Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1899-10-13
A STORY OF BARBARlTY.
ENGLISH PRESS ASSERTS THAT THE
BOERs MALTREAT REFUGEES.
specials From South Africa Arouse The
Ire of The British. And May Result in
War--Families of Boer Statesman Fail to
Refugee in Cape Colony.


Refugee In Cape Colony.
London. SO far as the facts go, the
commencement of actual hostllities be-
tween Great Britain and the Transvaal
seems no nearer although it must be
admitted that new element of danger
has arisen in the evaporation caused
throughout the British colonies in
South Africa by the stories of brutal
treatment of refugees by the Beers
Whether these reports are correct or
not. the reports of outrages upon wo-
men and childen are having their
effect and are being accepted in many
quarters hitherto incredulous as con-
firming the anticipations of the saw
agery that will mark the progress of
the war. The dispatches from the
front are mostly concerned with the
movements of troors. There are sew
eral reports that the Beers are rest
less and under restraint and because Of
imperfect provisions made for their
welfare. 1t is said that they have
threatened either to raid or to return
to their homes.
President Kruger, however, appears
to have reiterated his order command
ing the exercise of restraint The
British and Beers are so close to-
gether along the western frontier OF
the Transvaal that their patrols meet
nightly.
From Cape Town comes the curious
statement that many officials of the
Transvaal and the Orange Free State
have sent their families into the Brit
ish territory for protection.
f. w Reitz, the TransvaaI secretary
of state, has sent his family to Natal,
and tho family Of President Steyn, of
the Orange Free State. have gone to
suo Oapo COlOny.
Other Cape Town dispatches describe
the indignation caused by insults heap
ed upon refugees trsversing the Trans
vaal and the Orange Free State and the
sufferings caused to passengers travel
ing in exposed trucks by the jeers and
insults OF gangs of armed burghers,
who have prevented famishing travel
ers from obtaining food, ."black-snak.
ing" the men and striking the women.
The appearance Of many of the
sufferers is said to be deplorable. The
exodus OF Cape Dutchmen towards the
Transvaal increases. All seem to be
smuggling arms across the frontier.
Pretoria, the dispatches say, pre-
sents most deserted appearance. The
government has ordered all the saloons
closed throughout the republic. Gen.
Kroange's forces, near Mafeking have
moved closer to the border.
A green book just issued contains
President Kruger's reply to Mr.. Cham
berlain's dispatch referring to the petit
tion of the Uitlanders to the Queen.
Her majesty, in privy council Bal
moral has assented to the calling Of
parliament. the mobilization of the
reserves and the continuance In the
army Of all soldiers now serving who
in ordinary circumstances, would be
entitled to discharge or transfer to
tho reserves.
The Transvaal objects to Great
Britain's interfsrences in it's internal
affairs and explains that if the Uit-
landers had first addressed the Trans
vaal, instead Of the British govern
ment, their complaint would have
been immediately needed 1T also al
leges that those complaints emanated
wholly from q small body OF British
who are breeding race hatred and
revolutionary movement and whose
membership and newspapers only boast
Of the influence exercised by them upon
the policy Of the imperial government
The reply adds:
"The Transvaal is bound to credit
these boasts when 1t sees blue books is
sued consisting of documents drawn up
by the revolutionary members of the
South African League and Of lying ar
ticles and reports from newspapers
which are organs of the league II the
real character Of the league could be
known 1t would soon lose its influence
and the tension between the two gov
ernments would speedily disappear. .
The reply concludes as follows
The Afirkanders would then no
longer fear that the interests of the
British empire necessarily implied the