The Topeka state journal., 1900-03-21
An All Day Fight at Warren
town on Sunday
Results In the Retreat Of the
Beers Under Shell Fire.
MAFEKING is WAITING.
Relief of the Town Not Yet Ac-
cOmplished.
Defense of Free State to Be
Wholly Abandoned.

London, March 21-2:2O p. m.-The
only news from South Africa showing
activity on either side comes from War
rentown. north of Kimberley, where de-
sultory fighting occurred all Sunday,
resulting in the retreat of the Beers
towards Christiana, under shell fire.
The progress of their column towards
AIafeking has either almost ceased, or
IS forbidden to be mentioned in dis
patches. Nothing new comes from Col
Onel Plummer. and Mafeking apparent
ly still awaits relief.
The Pretoria account of the skirTnish
ut Fourteen Streams March 16 says
that a Boer command was preparing to
destroy a railroad bridge and that the
engagement lasted half an hour. with
the result that one bugler was slightly
wounded
The same dispatch announces the ar
rival at the Transvaal capital of Cen
eral SchaIkburger, from Natal
The second edition of the Times to-
day, publishes a dispatch from Bloem-
fontein dated Monday, March 10, which
says:
THE blowing up of bridges by the
Beers is an evident sign that the
Transvaa1ers intend to abandon the de-
fense of the Free State
All is quiet in the south and west
A corps Of young Beers from the farms
surrounding Bloemfontein, under an
imperial officer, has been detailed for
police work and to prevent the further
looting of abandoned farms by the kaf-
ffrs.
1t IS said that when President Kru-
ger left BIoemfontein President Steyn's
do not catch you, or you will get better
quarters at st. Helena than T."
Rudyard Kipling has gone to Bloem-
Iontein The Beers at AliWal North
are reported to be still holding posi-
ton in the big hills on the Free State
side.
From a Pretoria dispatch it appears
some misunderstanding regarding Lord
Salisbury's reply to Americas offer of
mediation exists there. 1t has been
quoted to the effect that Lord Salisbury
said he could accept the Intervention
of no other power, which leads to the
belief that the American representa-
uons would be listened to in the final
settlement
Private Cole, the Canadian whom the
queen visited at Nettley hospital, re-
turned to South Africa today, fully re-
covered from his wounds
RAILWAY OPEN TO GLANDS
LAAGTE
New York, March PA dispatch to
the World from Pietermaritzburg says:
A temporary bridge across the Tugela
at Colenso is now open for traffic and
there IS at least a direct railway service
between Durham and Elandslaagte The
first train to cross the bridge was the
Princess Christians hospital train. This
magnificent train has been badly
wanted in Natal since the beginning Of
the war Major Brazfer Creagh's i'm
prOvtsed hospital train has removed
about 1000 wounded, but though every
IA 41,ar Il,
carriages and the humping and shunt-
ing has caused much pain which with
the appliances now at hand may be
avoided. There are still over 1000
patients in the Ladysmith hospital. so
the train is not too late.
OCCUPATION OF PRIESKA
London, March 21-The war office
has received the following dispatch
from Lord Roberts dated Bloemfontein,
Tuesday, March 20:
Kitchener occupied Prieska yester-
day unopposed. The rebels surrendered
their arms The Transvaalers escaped
across the river.
Mr.. Steyn is circulating a notice by
means of dispatch riders, in reply to my
proclamation, to the effect that any
burgher who signs a declaration that
he VIII not fight against US again will
be treated as a traitor and shot
The Bloemfontein people are afford
ing US every assistance in the matter
of hospital accommodations We have
300 beds. -''
"Thtrty-three prisoners were taken at
Prieska, 200 stands of arms and some
supplies and explosives.
THE Beers have begun to surrender
on the BasutOland frontier
A dispatch to the Daily Mail from
Donkerspoort, dated Monday, March
19, says:
"A reconnaissance toward Phi1ippoIis.
twenty-five miles west of Springfontein.
found the farms all flying white flags
ri Oh
celved- 1t IS reported that Mr.. Steyn
is trying to rally the Beers. but the lat
ter say they have had enough"
DISFRANCHISEMEN PLANNED.
New York, March 21-A dispatch to
the World from London says: It is said
IN Lohdon that the plan likely to be
adopted for the further pacifieation of
South Africa viii be to disfranchise all
rebels Colonial Dutch), Free Staters
and Transvaal Beers found in arms
captured or accused of rebellion thus
throwing the two republics and all the
colonies into the hands of the English
and the Rhodes syndicate
This would break the power of the
Atnkander bund in Cape Colony and
at all other points
When the British army evacuates con-
quered territory, the governing power
would be with the English and the onIv
military strength with the Rhodesia1
field force and the artillery promised
by Cecil Rhodes for Kimberley and the
British garrison at Cape Town and
Durban' and, perhaps, at Pretoria
Influence of the Higher Literature
Yebsley-'B BY the way, Nudge. what is
yeut opinion of the influence of the
magazines on American life ?" Nudge
oh, it is simply great. The brew
cries would not have thought of get
ting out book beer in the midst of win
Ter II the magazines hadn't the habit of
getting out their Christmas editions in
tAe early fall. .'-IndianapOIis Press