Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1900-05-22

PUBLIC MEETING IN PRETORIA
Boer Families May Stay on Their
Farms. But Men Remain
with Commanders
BETHuNE IN A BOER AMBUSH

have arrived at the veerenigining,
(Transvaal). The bridge across the
Vaal was found intact. Twenty-seven
Free State and Transvaal locomotives
were captured
Pretoria, May 21--An open air meet
ing was held today by Hollanders, 200
OF whom were present. to consider the
situation In the event that Pretoria
should be beleaguered. A committee
was appointed to secure a place of
safety for the women and children
Consul general Of the Netherlands, Mr.
Nieuwenhuys, was asked to advise his
government to protect its subjects.
One speaker said the position was
most dark. The British would be mas
ters capitalists would dominate, the
poor would be sufferers and the Hol-
landers would have no chance.
DIR. Heyman says the health Of Pres
ident Kruger is good. In accordance
with an understanding with General
Botha and President Steyn. the gov
eminent issued circular stating that
should the enemy succeed in gaining
a position in the Transvaal and take
possession Of one or other districts,
the inhabitants will be free to decide
NH okh6r ~ md ~ 1oaxr<. AI,oi.. Co.., ftto..
on farms. but the men must remain
With their commanders
London. May PA dispatch from
Pietermaritzburg, says the Beers are
reported TO have entirely left Natal
leaving Laing's Mex free. II this is
true 1t leaves the way open for Gen.
'eral Butler to advance into the Trans
vaal as soon as repairs to the railroads
are sufficient to insure good communi-
cations. Lord Roberts is still at
Kroonstad, reorganiEing his forces
General BUNDLES forces are encamped
at Trommel. recuperating. A. patrol
four miles from Trommel. was attack
ed by the Boers. One man was wound
ed and some ihOrses killed. The af-
fair was unimportant except showing
that the Beers are stin in the neigh
borhood ON the lookout for any chance
of sniping.
Further details of the fighting at
Mafeking say Commandant SareI
Eloffs followers deserted him, where
upon Eloff fred on them himself and
then surrendered with eighty follow
ers. The dispatch also says that one
party of Beers was driven out Of the
staat and allowed to escape as 1--WE
had sufIicient prisoners" The cap
ture OF Eloff and his followers cost
Baden-Powell three men killed and
seven wounded.
/ London, Eng, May 22-It Is official
ly announced that Col. Bethune report
ed that while marching in the direc-
tion of New Castle, Natal, yesterday
he was ambushed by Beers, six miles
west Of Vryheid. in the Transvaal and
very few Of his force escaped. His
casualties numbered sixty7six.
London, Eng, May 22-Lord Rob
erts reports to the war Office In a dis
patch, dated Kroonstad. May 21st, as
follows: "Mahon reports the flying
column entered Mafeking at a. M.
May 18th. He was stubbornly oppos-
ed by 1900 men May 18th, nine miles
Effrom Mafeking. but the Beers were
driven from their strong positions af-
Fter five. hours of fighting. thanks, he
Esays, to the magnificent qualities of
his troops. A detachment of Canad-
kian artillery, by series of forced
Gmarches, reached him on the morning
Of the fighting and rendered very val