The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-04-03
OUR REICHMAN.
Representative of Z. s. War
Department in Africa
Reported to Be Fighting ON the
Side of the Beers.
WASHINGTON SCARED.
Such a Course Would Lead to
Diplomatic Trouble
And Cause Court Martial or Dis
missal of the Captain.
Beers Still Hang On to the
WaterWOrkS.

New York, April 3.-The Journal and |
Advertiser assumes that the American !
named Reichman said to have been in
command of the Beers at the Bush
mans kop ambush, was Capt. Carl
Reichnan, L S. A The Journal and
Advertiser says
Captain Reichman was detached from
command of a company of the Seven
teenth infantry when ordered to South
Africa on January 5. He was sent to
the Cape to report on all military op-
erations and is virtually a United
States representative. He reached the
front about four weeks ago, and like
the French and German attaches. is
believed to be helping the Boer forces
in W hatever way he can.
Capt Reichman was born in Ger
many He came to America in 1881 and
the same year joined the United States
army. He was first in barracks at Fort
LeaNenwOrth, Kansas.
During the war with Spain he was
assigned to duty with the bureau of
military information in the adjutant
generals office at Washington.
At the beginning of the Spanish war
! he was made an assistant adjutant gem
eral with the rank of captain of Volun-
/ teC1S and was present at the Santiago
1 campaign. On his promotion to a cap
! taircy in the regular army, he was
! signed to active duty in the Philip
! pines He served at the front there
foT several months.
Capt. Reichman is a graduate of
1 Heidelberg university, where he
| proficient duellist His face is marked
| with many cuts as a result of this sport
A Washington dispatch said last night
that the war department had received
no report recently from Capt. Reich
man. The report that he was fighting
| with the Beers was a startling an
nouncement to the department. CaI4.
| Raichlnan is still officially connected
| with the United States government. and
such an act of his might bring on grave
diplomatic difficulties
| The cables giving this report were
handed at once to Adjutant General
/ COTbin.
Such a thing as this" said the gen
eral, lis inconceivable. l cannot be-
lieve that Capt. Reichman has done
tFis without first forwarding resg-
! nation to the war department. I can
not believe that he would take part in
the Transvaal battles without first
leaV ing the United States army.
Capt. Reichman is one of the most
conservative officers in the army That
was one of the reasons why he was
sent to the Transvaal."
II Capt Reichman has Joined in the
fighting without first resigning from
the United States army he will be liable
TO court martial on his return. If he
from the service in disgrace if it be
found true that he Joined the Beers
while still holding a commission under
the United States.
BOERS HOLD WATERNVORKS.
Bushman's Kop, Monday April p
The Beers are still occupying the wa
terworks, which the British shelled yes
terday afternoon. the Beers replying.
CHARGED TO KAFFIRS.
London, April 3-The Bloemfontein
| correspondent Of the Daily Chronicle
teIegraphing Sunday, and describing the
loss of the convoy, says:
The Beers opened with a murderOus
fire 1t was simply slaughter. The Kaf-
fir drivers of the convoy ran away ,IeaV-
| ing their teams, and it was impossible
for our men to hit the hidden enemy.
.'Our gunners fought bravely trying
to save the guns, but our people were
) greatly hampered by the Kaffirs. who
ran hither and thither. looking for COW
| er from the fearful fire that poured il
2 on all sides. Meanwhile the enemy Were
l hotly pressing Col Broadwood, whose
mounted troops were completely sur.
z rounded.
l THE British showed magnificent
? | bravery. The officers were quite coo
2 ana composedly directed operations The
oppOrtune arrival of reinforcement;
: saved Col Broadwood from annihila
/ tion.
/ The water supply was out and tn,
z | pumping gear destroyed as we'll as tn,
a | field telegraph. One hundred wagons
= were lost through the cowardice of thl
4 Kaffir drivers.
: 1.-The whole force is retiring on Bloem
fontein.'
The latest news from the front add
o little to the public knowledge of th
4 convoy disaster No credence is giyel
= to reports that the Beers numbered be
\ tween eight and ten thousand men. TIL
p general belief is that there could no
n have been more than One-half the mum
/ Der, but the mere fact that even s.
: many as half could have been collecte
so near headquarters without tn
o knowledge of the British commanders
. provOkes much uneasy criticism.
+ The disaster is regarded as a direc
= result of the inability of Gen. Frenc
,. to cut off the commando of Gen. Olivie
4 and the other commandos when escap
= ing from the Orange river.
Kenhardt was formally reoccupie
\ Saturday The report that the Boer
c are massfEg in the vicinity of Taung
- and KIipdam is confirmed
Z Lord Methuen's difficulties are appar
= / emily increasing. He has Roer Iaager
or guerrilla bands on three sides of hir
c and he Will be obliged to watch careful
2 ly his communication with Orange riv
= er.
= BOERS LED BY AN AMERICAN.
# Bushman's eKop. Sunday. April l.
! The Beers who We're hidden in tn
n Spruit when the British guns were cap
% tured, were commanded by Reichman,
American.
N A BOER VERSION
v Pretoria, Saturday. March 31-Ther
le has been heavy fighting between Brand
; fort and Rloemfontein. The Walker
i stroom and Ermelo Commands attack
> ed 1000 British and drove them bac
If with heavy losses:
According the TeDOTfS of