The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-11-12
A Strange Man Cecil Rhodes.

rica- Many or them are, of course. mere
fabrications. but everything concerning
Rhodes is listened TO with interest in AZ
RIGA The TWO following anecdotes will
give the reader some idea of the charac-
ter OF this great diamond king, whose
life is threatened by the Boer forces.
which surround Kimberley:
In October, 1894, Cecil Rhodes, accompa-
MED by one of his brothers; John Hays
Hammond. the American mining engineer.
and Dr. Jameson, had returned from
tour OF Matabeleland and Mashonaland-
The party left the east coast at Beira and
landed at Delagoa Bay. At that time the
railroad connecting Delagoa Bay with
Pretoria was not completed. but 10 acr
commodate Rhodes sad mis- party the
Transvaal government had some temporal
r. switches laid, SO that the distinguish
ed cOterie could reach Johannesburg via
Pretoria The private car Of Rhodes was
sent from Cape Town TO Delag0a Bay.
The party went from their steamer to the
special train, consisting of an engine,
repair car and Mr.. Rhodes private car.
While this party was being whirled north-
ward toward Pretoria a well-known
wealthy Boer woman, residing at Bronx
horst spruit, which is 40 miles from he
Transvaal capital. received word about
o'clock of the afternoon that Rhodes
special arrived there, that her husband
had met with an accident at Pretoria.
and was not expected TO live through the
night The distressed wife was heart
broken. It would be impossible for her
to reach Pretoria until the next day.
When she heard that the great Cecil
Rhodes would arrive at Bronkhorst Spruit
at 4:90 p. m, she got herself ready and
hurried to the station, with the hope that
Mr.. Rhodes would let her go on his train
to her dying husband. When Rhodes
special arrived, one of the Boer railroad
officials laid the matter before Rhodes,
and asked If ne would take the unfortu-
nate wife on his train to Pretoria. Il can
do nothing of the kind" was the reply OF
Rhodes The decision of the diamond king
was communicated to the woman, ana
on her keees she begged him TO let her
go on his train so that she might see
her husband before he died. After she
%lad pleaded with him for several minutes
he finally turned around and In a gruR
way said: We'll, if you must get TO
Pretoria you may ride on that tool car;
have business TO attend to and I cannot
accommodate you in the private car"
The poor woman was only too glad TO
ride to her husband In that way. She
arrived at Pretoria covered with dirt and
cinders. When the story of Rhodes chiv-
alric conduct became known there was
great Indignation at Pretoria, and many
Englishmen at johannesburg considered
that ne had been most brutal. The Beers,
of course, felt that he had lily repaid
the courtesies that they had extended to
him. Many said that he had simply acted
in that manner to show his hatred for the
Beers, but others said that his hatred
of all women is so strong that he could
not bear to have one especially a Boer-
ess, ride in his private car.
During the early Kimberley days, when
Rhodes and Barney Barnato were laying
the foundation Of their great fortunes,
the two were competitors in a large dia-
mond trade. Barnato was as slick and
as sly as a fox. and no one was known
10 have got the better Of him In a trade
Rhodes was aware of this, and was more
than anxious to get the best of Barney,
who had over $50 300 worth of diamonds
in the rough sorted ready for the deal.
Rhodes went TO him and said: MY what
a fine layout you have, Barney. would
like to see those diamonds all in one
teapp' Before the astonished Barney
could object Rhodes had swept the whole
pile Of diamonds into a large wooden
bucket. 1t took Barney Barnato three
days to resort his gems, and IN the
meantime Rhodes had a corner on the
market, and sold his diamonds before
Barney got through resorting his lot.
Rhodes made about $4,000 by that trans
action. After that incident Barnato took
care that the willy Rhodes had no oppor-
tunity to play the same trick on him
Outside of Paul Kruger, the Ri. Hon.
Cecil ]. Rhodes is the greatest charac-
ter in Africa His achievements have
been wonderful. When a young man the
told his father. who was an
Episcopal clergyman, that Cecil had bet
ter go to Madeira, as he was dying Of
one lung being entirely
gone. 1t was at this stage that the boy
asserted himself, saying that II he had
10 die he would sooner go y HIS brother
IN Natal Before young Rhodes had reach
cd Cape Town his consumption was bet
ter, and two years with his brother en-
tirely cured him. He returned 10 England
and entered college at Oxford. but did
not graduate. as his old consumptivA COM
plant began to return. He again return
I'd to South Africa. landing at Cape Town
and went with the diamond. seekers to the
fields When he arrived there
he had only $50 in his possession but
this sum proved the foundation OF his
great fortune and great power. He IN
iertook to keep the various claims Of the
miners clear Of water for a given sum
He soon had 1000 Kaffirs work
Ing for him. When the miners were IN
able to pay him he got them to deed him
their claims Within two years Rhodes
found that ne possessed the majority o.
the diamond claims, with no capital 10
work them; but he was equal 70 the &C.
,asion. and Ne managed 10 interest En-
yish capitalists. and formed the great
De Beers company. with himself az the
president in 1902 he cast his eyes on
and Msshonalan5. with
soldiers Of his own making he conquered /
bid Lobens7Iia and added the vast terri I
.ory Of Rhodesia 70 England's realm. A. /
, reward for mis- work IN Africa ne was
made a member OF the Privy Council u /
England IN 1894 He has been the Pre- I
nfer OF Cape Colony for 2 number 81 /.
years Such is the man that Is bitterly :
mated BY the Beers and who hates 1hen /
n return with equal feTvor. II may be {
-ruthfully said that he Is more response. /
BE than any other person for the present /.
var in South Africa
Speaking Of Kruger Falf dozen back 3
country Beers once went % Pretoria and
turing the day President Kruger showed .
hem over the government buildings II 1
,us OF the rooms an electric lamp Vas
burning and as they passed out ths (
president. witk Ms hand OF TIE switch. 4
sked them to blow out The Hight from /
where they stood One after another !
rev a deep breath. slew cut Ms cheeks +
md sent forth z tremendous put. but al .
\ vain Then the President bate then .
COX. ard. blowing ont his chseks. s.vIy
urned thu switch. blew. and cut wsa,
he HIGHT The Bears were ssuszr5 snd
q they leSt the building one q thsu7. vn1 .
lad been more observant than re res.
embarked: The Prsstdsnt muse have a
xouderfuliy strong Breath. fo- - yo-
,oeI-e ire iirh. was entirely lnctcsea l. 4