The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-07-22
rH1 PANIC Ar PRETORIA.
Scenes After ne Government Fled From the
1fAnsvaal Capital.

Scenes After he Government Fled From the
1faasvaal Capital.
From The SUNS Correspondent al Pretoria
PRRToRiA May si.-This has indeed been q
morning Of excitement confusion and national
Generalization. Never before did Pretoria
witness such scenes; never do l wish 10 See o
dty's population 30 psnic-stricken o. the people
here were up to noon to-day.
Early this merning It became known that
johannesburg would be surrendered on con-
diions made by the acting special commandment,
d. Fritz Krause. who though appointed only
q couple OF weeks ago has shown the greatest
energy and discretion In his difficult ofIce.
The terms were that no troops should enter
the city. that al private property should be
respected and that women and children. re-
ceiying rations from the Transvaal Govern
msnt. should continue TO DO fed from these sup
plies. which should not Be- used for the troors.
To all these terms Lord Roberts agreed, and
he has by this frst Off cial act Of his In Repub-
ican territory justified the great confidence
which neutral residents have had in him and
the respect which the non-combatant burchers
have felt In the famous Field Marshal.
Fierce fighting had proceeded around Jo-
hannesburg and along the kand-Pretoria
Railway line since Monday. heavy casualties
occurring on both sides. and more especially
on the British. The fighting area, reaching
from Krngersdorp 10 Boksburs. and prscu-
cally along the whole Witwatersrand reef. Wa
90 extensive and scattered that detailed 10
ports have not - yet come In, a We are oUs
OF from telegraphio centres. The nsw Com
mandant Gen. Louis Botha, and Gems. L0ke9
Meyer. Delarey. Lodewioh. Pretorius Of the a.
tllery. Lemmer and DeWet have come up 70
the finest traditions Of the Afrkandef Boes
Of both republics and amid . general panic
have done many marvellous acts to rally tn
commands and resist the advance Of the RrS.
ish. The CommAndant-G General ives here ~
night for a few hours rest after being In tn
saddle from Sunday morning TO Wednesday
midnight without sleep. He saidi
Our men who are fighting are doing Won
ders; our artillery have behaved - heroes
to the last powder monkey. I have psrson-
ally kicked and whipped hundreds Of cowaE6
who we're anxious to retire from the nelds
But the overwhelming numbers and repeahsd
fresh assaults Of the troops have worn our
fighting men out after three days Of incsssanS
battling. Last night. with 300 men, I rode right
into . British force near Elsburg. An officer
called out, What regiment do you belong TOT
We replied. Hands up!' Tableaul We took
Ave prisoners in the twinkliDg Of an eye and
with a yel dashed through their lines out into
the darkness. Two hundred Of my men were
with me when We reached safe ground. Ths
others. l believe, also got AWAY In safety
1t was a sad, a shameful spectacle We wtt-
messed here this morning at 10 A. NJ. Women
and foreigners broke open the huge Govern
ment stores opposite the late Gen. Joubert's
residence, and for three hours footing proceeded.
Eyary lnu-olass rasidapt of tho Transvaal oapftal
including natives. turned up with the most
wonderful vehicles. wagons. carriages. spiders.
wheelbarrows. Everything and anything on
wheels was utilized TO carry away foodstufs
stored by the Government. Coffee. meal.
sugar. rice and canned meats. blankets and
cooking pots were taken. Some sharp ind1-
viduals proposed TO raid the bank for gold coinA.
but before many minutes had passed strong
bodies OF armed burg townsmen formed
themselves into guards for the threatened in
situations and with their Mausers and filled
bandoliers looked like ugly customers to tackle.
II was not the Governments cash that was In
danger. That TO the tune Of one and a half
millions sterling had been removed two nights
before TO the rugged mountain Businesses Of
the Iydenburg district. an action which would
not have been criticised at all had the Govern
ment checks for salaries for the current month
10 the army of local officials not been disho nored
on the following morning by the Governments
own bank, the National. The consequence 10
that most deep and intense anger toward the
Government has been aroused here among
some of its most loyal and trusted officials and
employees.
This morning at II an immense dust cloud
on the main road from johannesburg created Q
panic. Men, women. Kaf1rs ran screaming
through the streets: The English are oom-
ing" Save yourselves" The column emerging
from the red dust cloud turned out TO be the
Emelo horse commando. retreating toward
Middelburg and its own district TO guard the
DelaGoa Railway line-the only one still I'M
interrupted, which connects us with the OUT
side world.
Suddenly twenty armed artillery orderlies
and burghers dashed up near us from the tele-
graph office. followed by the burgomastsr
and remaining Government Commissioners.
Piet Polgieter. who. standing up in his carriage,
read out In clear tones a stringent order re-
ceived from Commandant-Gen Botha that
all footing Of supplies must be instantly stopped:
otherwise the mob would be fred upon. No
notice being taken Of this order the patrol
fired a blank volley over the crowd. which action
produced n panic. Some kaflrs still continuing
TO take away stores were promptly shot.
A retreat Of the looters then set In and
900 special policemen with cooked rides
were ordered to guard the great stores. which
In early morning held more than Goo, 900 worth
Of goods. Other bodies Of special polico
searched all houses In the lower parts Of tho
town 10 Yeoapture tina phindar