Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-05-18
A TRUMPET UP STORY.
People in London Take No Stock In the
Allegations of the Boer Police.

People in London Take No Stock In the
Allegations of the Boer Police.
London, May 1.-THE consul of the
TransvaaI here has received the follow
ing telegram from his government,
dated Pretoria, May Is:
Richard Nichols, describing himself
as colonel; George Patterson, cap
tain; Edward ]. Tromlett, Charles FL
lis and John A. Mitchell. lieutenants,
and Fries and Hooper were arrested
yesterday morning on the sworn declar
alton of three Englishmen on the
charge of high treason IN connection
with the alleged object of the enroll
ment of troops to create revolution,
seize Johannesburg fort and hold the
possession of the town until British
troops from Natal could come to their
assistance.
"One of the prisoners alleges that he
was acting under instructions from the
British War Department"
A representative of the Associated
Press to-day saw a number of promi-
nent South Africans connected with
the leading concerns of johannesburg.
They all declared that they had not
received a word from their own agents
in Cape Colony. The absence of advices
indicating that the affair was trumpet
up by the Boer police" and that in
any case the men arrested were ire
sponsible nobodies with fictitious mill
itary titles affixed by the Beers with
the object of discrediting the British
in the eyes of the continental powers.
1t is not believed that Tremlett mot
TromletD was formerly captain of
volunteers in Cape Colony, and that as
he is now a mining agent; Patterson
is described as butcher and labor
agitator; Mitchell is said to be store
keeper; Cooper is classed as a carpen-
ter; Ellis is alleged to be a private
detective, and the occupations of Fries
and Nichols are unknown.
A prominent Natlander said to the
representative of the Associated Press:
MY view is that few unknown and
irresponsible people got together to dis
cuss means of defense in case the neces-
sity for such action arose. Those who
are acquainted with johannesburg
know that such precautions are neces-
sary. There was the greatest unrest
and ferment there when left, but the
statement that there has been a con-
spiracy during the past four months
and that the South African League
was connected with it is untrue. No
Natlander is allowed to possess rifle.
At every corner are policemen armed
with rifles and revolvers. The feeling
of alarm on the arrival of the Boer
artillery can be conceived.
1T is a significant fact that the men
arrested are practically unknown,
showing that the feeling which in '95
was limited to the capitalist class has
now gone lower down and has reached
the ordinary working class of shop
keepers of Johannesburg"
In response to inquiries on the sub
ject, made in government circles, the
correspondent here of the Associated
Press was told to-day that the state
ment that the men arrested Johannes
burg had acted under instructions from
the British war offices was ''too absurd
for refutation."
Pretoria, Transvaal, May 1.-THE
seven alleged revolutionists who pre-
scented the appearance of ordinary
loafers, were arraigned in court to-day
charged with the capital offense of high
treason. They were ramanded for a
fortnight.
Sworn affidavits allege that 1000
men have been enrolled for military
service, and that it was intended to
arm them in Natal, to return them to
the Transvaal at a given signal TO seize
and hold the fort of johannesburg for
twenty-four, hours, pending the arrival
of British troops.