Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1899-05-20
ACTED UNDER ORDERS.
Statement of Eng glishman Under
Arrest for High Treason.

London, May 1S.--The consul Of the
Transvaal here has received the follow
ing telegram from his government, dated
Pretoria:
Richard Nichols, describing himself
&C colonel; George Patterson, captain;
Tdward j. Tremlett, Charles Ellis and
| John A Mitchell, lieutenants, and Fries
and Hooper were arrested Monday
| morning ON the sworn declaration OF
three Englishmen on the charge of high
| treason in connection with the alleged
| object of enrolment of troops to create
revolution, seize johannesburg fort
and hold possession of the town until
British troops from Natal could come to
| their assistance.
lone of the prisoners alleges that ne
was acting under orders from the Brit
lsh war department.
A reporter saw number of 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, indicating. they added, that the
| affair was "trunped up by the Boer po-
! lice" and that in any case the men ar
rested were irresponsible nobodies, with
| fictitious military titles affixed by the
Beers, with the object of discrediting the
British in the eyes of the continental
| powers.
1t is now believed that Trcmlett was
| formerly Il captain of volunteers in Cape
| Colony, and that he is now mining
| agent Patterson is described as IL
| butcher and labor agitatOr. Mitchell is
said to be a storekecper. Cooper is
classed as carpenter. ELLIS is alleged
| to be q private detective, and the cccu-
pations of Fries and Nichols are un-
| known.
| According to the correspondent of a
LSndon news paper, the grievances of the
foreign residents, or utlandars, of the
| Transvaal are as follows
First-They have no vote in the levyine
Of taxes.
Second-No voice in the payment OF
| officials.
Third-No control Of the education of
the country.
Fourth-No power in the municipal
government of their town, Johannes
burg.
Fifth-Their newspapers are gagged.
| If an editor offends Mr.. Kruger he may
be sent to prison, or sent to live at
Pietpotsgetersrust to die Of fever, or
sent out of the country altogether.
SiXth-They are not permitted to hold
public meetings.
Seventh-The period when they can
acquire rights of citizenship has been
extended from two to II years after they
have taken the oath renouncing British
allegiance; and this only by the vote OF
three-quarters of the burghers in each
mans individual district.
Eighth-The juries by whom they are
tried are not their peers, but 'burghel s
their political masters.
Ninth--Thcy pay almost the entire tax
alton of the country.
Tenth-Their interests in the country
are burdened by monopOlies. OF such
| to take one instance, comparatively
trivial-is the aerated water concession
To protect the monopolies to whom this
was granted tax of Sd a bottle is placed
on all other waters.
Eleventh-Their children. born in the
republic. have been deprived of the
birthright of citizenship.
Twelfth-There Is a law which would
deprive them even of the right to COM
plain.
Thirteenth-The president of the re.
public may expel from the country any
member OF the community whom he may
} wish to get rid OF. This without trial.
Fourteenth-Doles loans-given as ii
personally.
Cape Town. May 1s.-The expected
q. T.
of the Transvaa! Republic and Sir AL