The Scranton chronicle. (Scranton, Miss.) 1897-19??, 1900-11-24
HELPED BY A BoER MAID.
Romantic Tale of Two Lovers and =
Barsher Plot 10 seiEs the City
OF Johannesburg.


Writing from Springs. South Africa.
on August 1. correspondent in the
first Canadian contingent gives the fol-
lowing romantic history OF the failure
OF Boer plot TO rccapture Johannes
burg which had a prospect of being sue
eessful, says the New York sun, until
the love of Boer maiden for Briton
overeame her patriotism and saved the
British garrison;
"a couple OF weeks ago the Beers
within aud without johannesburg ar
ranged for a rising there by making all
our officers prisoners, and then by at
tacldng the soldiers, who. IL was ex-
pected. would be demoralixed and sur
render. Meetings were held by the
Boer leaders at The Grand National ho-
tel and all arrangements were made
once more to place johannesburg in
the hands OF the burghers. On Satur-
day afternoon, July II, a gymkhana
had been arranged for the officers. TO
be held on the race-track. under the
patronage of the military governor
and major general commanding, for
charitable purposes. II was expected
that almost all the officers of the gar
rison would be there.
"The Beers purposed attending this
meeting armed with reyolvers, and hay-
ing large number of confederates.
armed likewise with Mansers. hiding
in buildings in the immediate vicinity
of the rneetraok. ready 10 act upon the
given signal. II was planned that when
the officers had been made prisoners
other Beers in the city would concen-
trate at a point fixed upon and attack
the British soldiers.
while this was going on lnrge
number OF Beers from the outside
would rush into the town and assist
their eountrymen. IL was anticipated
that the soldiers would be utterly de-
moralizcd by the absence of their ofii-
aers. and with no one 10 direct them
would easily be overcome and made
prisoners. The whole plan was care
fully and secretly concocted, so that the
military authorities were in entire ig-
noranee of the plot on the morning OF
the day for putting II into execution.
The total miscarriage of the Beers
bold attempt was brought about by
woman In a very simple and yet inter-
estlng tale OF love.
ut appears that pretty Boer maid
en- in johannesburg had two lovers, one
an Englishman and the other burgh-
er. They were both very pressing for
the hand of this young girl. On the
morning of the gymkhana day the
Iioer lover visited her and urged an inn
mediate marriage that very morning,
and for reason of such urgency, he
unfolded the Boer plot TO seize Johan-
nesburg. As he was to take part in the
stirring event of the day, he was afraid
that possibly he would be killed or
wounded, and consequently wished 10
make the young woman his wife. The
girl asked for two hours 10 consider the
proposal, at the expiration of which
time he was TO return TO her for his
answer.
"As soon as the Boer lover was well
out of sight the girl rushed to the mil.
itary governor and gave him all the in.
formation she had just received. IL
can readily be understood how such n
tale would startle that officer, and he
at once took action. On the young
| woman's return home she was accom-
panied by some of the military police,
who followed a short distance behind,
and when the Boer lover returned for
his answer he was at once arrested and
taken before the military governor. On
the prisoner incriminating papers and
letters were found which bore out all
that the young woman had told and a
great deal more. A list OF leaders was
discovered among the papers secured,
and other important information.
"The governor acted promptly. cam
celled the gymkbana, and had all the
Beers whose names appeared on the
lists arrested and at once sent TO Cape
Town. More than 500 Beers were made
prisoners. A general search for arms
was ordered. and hundreds Of Mausers
were found hidden under mattresses
and in other places. There is little
doubt but for the information given
the military governor by the Boer
maiden the Beers would have been
successful in retaking Johannes
burg. 1t is only fair presumption
that the young maiden's tastes were
for her English lover, who will. no
doubt. now run a winning race for the
possession of her hand, as his compet-
itor is out OF it effectually."