The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-08-15
HE WAS QUIETLY TURNED DOWI
CONSUL HOLLIS WAS GENTLY
sNUBBED AND TOLD NOT
TO INTERFERE
BoERs GUERRILLA TACTICS
Are Succeeding in Keeping Roberts
and Kitchener Very Busy Along
the Whole Line-PretorAa
Plot a Trivial Affair.

ports to the war office. under date Of
Pretoria, Aug. 1S, as follows:
Kitchener reports from Schoolplaab,
eight miles east of Ventersdorp, that De-
wet blew up three of his wagons. Six
British prisoners, who escaped from De-
vets camp, state that Mr. Steyn Is con-
fined In the camp under surveillance; and
that Dewet was forced to abandon his
ammunition and thirty horses. They also
confirm the report that Methuen captur-
ed one of Dewet's guns and shelled the
main convoy effectively. Ian Hamilton
telegraphs that he hopes to be at Blaau-
wabank today with his main body. Ma
hons mounted troops are pushing on to
the westward"
Another report from Lord Roberts of
the same date says
"Methuen and Kitchener still following
Dewet, and Steyn yesterday reached Mod
derfontein ten miles east Of Ventersdorp.
Methuen is in touch with Dewet's rear
guard.
"Smtth-Dorrien reports that the shrop-
shires recently marched forty three miles
in thirty-two hours, and the City of Lon
don Imperial volunteers thirty miles in
ten hours, hoping to prevent Dewet from
crossing the Krugersdorp- -Potchefstroom
railway.
'Buller's occupation OF Ermelo is hav-
ing good effect. A field cornet and 1872
burghers of the Standerton commando
surrendered yesterday to Clery."
WAS A TRIVIAL AFFAIR.
NEW YORK, Aug 14-A dispatch to
the Tribune from London says: mo more
particulars have been published concern
ing the Pretoria plot to kidnap Lord Rob-
erts, and it is now believed that it will
turn out to be rather a trivial affair. The
mere fact, as curtly announced by the
eommander-in-chief, that all persons con-
cerned have been arrested would seem
to Indicate that the conspiracy could not
have very wide ramificatIons. 1t Is prob
ably wild scheme got up by knot of
adventurers in Pretoria without consulta-
ton with any influential Boer leaders
Some of the newspapers were so startled
by the first report of this conspiracy as
to indulge in furious diatribes against
Lord Roberts alleged excessive leniency
and moderation, but are little ashamed
of their own violence on second thought,
and now point out that indiscriminating
| severity is not the way to pacify the
Transvaal.
! Dewet is endeavoring to make his way
| across the country to the south of Johan-
nesburg, but his road Is barred by Smith
Dorrien in front, while both Lord Kitch-
ener and Lord Methuen are attacking him
| from the rear, There IS a sanguine belief
now that the best of the Boer leaders
| may be cornered, but it is qualified by
the reflection that his road to the north
! is apparently still open, and that he
may slip away in that direction.
BoERs ARE FOXY.
The retreat Of Gen Darlington from
,Zeerust to Mafeking would seem to show
| that hold of the British 5on the Western
| Transvaal is still very insecure. Gen.
| Darlington appears to have sustained a
| check, and to have been compelled to
retire to wait till further reinforcements
reach him from Rhodesia.
KRUGER WANTED A REFUGE.
LONDON, Aug. 14-President Kruger
| at one time made a formal application to
| the United States to grant him a sane
| tuary in case necessity arose. This oc-
CURED, according to Secretary Reitz, of
the Transvaal republic, the day Lord
Roberts entered Pretoria. The details of
/ the event have been related to a rep
TeSenIdIlVe OF the Associated Press by
Mr.. F. w. Unger, who has just return
ed from the Transvaal, and who secured
| the information from Secretary Reitz and
! others.
After quoting the secretary as saying
that President Kruger would never take
to the mountains on account of his age,
but would retreat down the line, finally
/ escaping to Portuguese territory, Mr.
| Unger said that the day the British en-
! tered Pretoria, President Kruger sent for
/; Mr.. w. Stanley Hollis, the United States
consul at Lourenzo Marques, and Mr.
/ Hollis was taken to Machadodorp in a
| special car. President Kruger asked him
| If his government would grant him
| president Kruger) an asylum in the
Lourenzo Marques consulate until he, Mr.
! Kruger, made other arrangements for his
| departure. President Kruger expressed
| fears concerning his treatment by the
| Portuguese government, and wished to
| guard against any possible British land
| Ing parties Mr.. Hollis asked for time
to consult with his government, and Pres
! ident Kruger assured him he would re-
| ceive weeks notice before putting the
| plan into execution.
| In consequence of this visit to the