Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1900-05-21

London. May 1.-THE British rellef
column fought the beers at Kraai Pan,
81 miles south of Mafeking, Tuesday,
according to a telegram received
Wednesday night at Lorenzo Mar
aues, from Mlolopo, 100 miles north
Of Mafeking. This intelligence is &C
cepted here with some mistrust be-
cause it is difficult to understand how
the news could have been so quickly
put on the wire from "a place 1872 miles
from the scene Of the engagement. A
correspondent of the Morning Post is
reported captured by beers at Kraal
Pan. In army circles the opinion
seems to prevail that Mafeking has al
ready been relieved, although two
hours after midnight the war office
asserted that news of the relief had
not been received. Douglas Story,
the Daily Nails correspondent at
Pretoria, wires: ''The boer govern
ment is holding back some big news.
Feverish anxiety prevails here. Pres
ident Kruger is working day and
night. The latest boer official bulle-
tin lis that the relief column has been
defeated with great loss.''
Lord Roberts continues passive at
Kroonstad, his cavalry stretching like
a semi-circular screen many miles in
length, without tapping tha tanks.
The railway will probably becompleted
today. It seems that General French's
cavalry had one lively fight after cross
ing the Zand river. A mixed squadron,
composed of Scots. Greys, Inniskilllngs.
Carbineers and Australian horse, TOOK
the kopje, and dismounted The beers
suddenly fired from concealed posi-
ton. killing many horses and stamped
ing the rest. The beers then advanced
in overwhelming numbers and drove
the squadron back, capturing some.
The beers robbed the dead and looted
the saddles. A small brigade of caval-
ry drove them off. Farther north the
hussars charged the beers, killing and
wounding many stragglers. Roberts,
infantry marched 100 miles in seven
days and French marched 80 miles in
one day. The beers when retiring
dragged 80 guns through Kroonstad.
General Butler ismoving toward New
castle. He appears to be using 10000
men against 5000 or 5000. His opera
tons will almost certainl result in
forcing his way into the Transvaal,
possibly in time to cooperate with
Roberts advance, although Butler is
now 252 miles from Johannesburg. rs
days march. A Dane captured by the
south African horse says there are 500
Frenchmen with the beers who are OPP
posing Butler, together with many Ger
mans and other foreigners.
Gen. Rumble is sweeping through the
northeast Free State, and the beers are
dissolving before him, some surrender
ing. Their main force is assembled be-
tween Ficksburg and Winburg, but it
is without close organization. Yester-
days installment war story from every
part of the field is therefore seemingly
narrative of British successes; but
with the beers preparing for a last des-
perate fling farther in the interior and
boer guerrilla parties looting houses
and stores in the northwest section of
Cape Colony, it is not all for the Brit
ish. A telegram from Capetown says
Cecil Rhodes has decided to retire alto
gether from Cape Colony politics.
Kruger Sends Message.
New York, May 17-Chas. B.
Pierce, consul general from the Or
ange Free State, yesterday received
the following cablegram from Preto-
ria: Vessels, Fisher, Wolmarans:
May justice and righteousness be with
you.-Kruger."