The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-29
KRUGER TO FLY.
Newspaper Man Reports That a
Train Is Ready.
Entered Pretoria Disguised to
Study the Conditions.
GLOOMY FOR BOERS.
Reports Situation of Most Ex-
treme Decentralization.
British Forces Are Only 3 Miles
GLOOMY FOR BOERS.
British Forces Are Only 5 Miles
From johannesburg.

has just returned to Lorenzo Marques
from Pretoria, where he went disguised.
He wired that Kruger has all the ar
rangements for flight, presumably to
Holland. A special train, provisioned,
is always ready with steam up. The
train waits some distance from Pre-
toria.'
London. May 29, 8 a. m.-Lord Roberts
is now within a days march of Johan-
nesburg, and General French and Gen
eral Ian Hamilton fought the Beers
from noon until evening on Monday,
with what result is not known here.
H. J. Whigham in a dispatch to the
Daily Mail dated May Is, says:
THE decentralization Of the Transvaal
is remarkable. Panic and confusion
prevail everywhere. Every one is
weary of the war and full of fear as
to the coming of the British. Op8a-
tiOns We're being carried on for en-
circling Pretoria with telegraphic COM
munications. Fourteen points in the
line of defenses were connected with
headquarters and with the Stats ar
tillery. but this apparently was the only
defensive measure adopted. There
were no other visible preparations
Not much gold is likely to be found
in the treasury. The salaries of the
officials and judges have not been paid,
or have been paid only in national bank
notes, which will be worthless when
Lord Roberts arrives. The seat of gov
ernment will be removed to Waterfall
bOvan, a small station on the Delagoa
Bay railway line, and then if necessary
to Lydenberg.
Both President Steyn and President
Kruger complain bitterly of Lord Rob
erts' unfair tactics in refusing to meet
the Beers In positions chosen by them
and in eternally turning them by flank
! movements.
Around johannesburg few trenches
have been dug, but no other steps have
/ been taken for defense. The railway
| line is blocked with refugees from the
west and southwest, who are packed
| like sardines in trucks
The government is now endeavoring
! to reassure the public by telling them
/ that the British will not outrage and
plunder them, but it is too late. The
! previous misstatements are bringing
their rewards Feed is very scarce and
| prices rule high.
! The proposal to release the British
| prisoners of war is due to this cause.
| Members of the government and of the
! volksraad express approval of the pro
! posal, but President Kruger is violently
| opposed to it.
.'One form of Internal machine which
meets with much approval is to be
laid under the rails of various country
lines. BY the pressure of some tons
| weight of the engine will cause this to
| explodge with most terrible effect.
| Many of these machines are being made
| at the arsenal, and great caution will
| have to be employed in neutralizing
There has been a decided change in
| public opinion which has become quite
| English. The -burghers in command sing
| God Save the Queen and they can not
/ be stopped. All are sick of warfare. In
| the towns the rabid anti-English is less
| rampant. People are thinking of their
| property. The party eager for surren-
der is now very influential and includes
| the principal leaders at the front. The
intelligent public feel that the game is
UP. False news no longer has any eff
! feet Although the hand of the censor
has been very heavy on news of all
kinds recently, every one believes the
worst.
THE government has arranged to
continue the agitation against the Brit
ish occupation of the two republics on
the continent of Europe. in Great Brit
ain and in the United States. Great eff
forts are to be made in this direction
and no expense will be spared have
excellent reasons for believing that the
BeWayarplastSen rights have been sold
to French syndicate without the
sanction of the Volksraad. The govern
ment hopes by this means to bring
about French Intervention for the pro-
| lection of French rights in the WitWd-
tersrand, and thus to cause England
grave difficulties.
''The conduct of United States Consul
Hay is admirably discreet and meets
with universal praise alike from BOer
and British sympathizers."
Another dispatch from Lorenzo Mar
ques, says:
General Louis Botha is at Pretoria,
urging President Kruger to arrange
peace terms. Runaway burghers from
I.aing's Mex passed through Heidelberg
last week. Wounded officials with their
families are leaving Johannesburg AND
Pretoria for Lydenberg. President
Steyn occupies the house of a British
resident at Pretoria.
) Passengers arriving at Lorenza Mar
ques Monday from Pretoria said it was
: believed there that the British would
) not be at the capital for month. New
, ertheless there was much unrest"
London. May 29.-The war office just
: before midnight, last night, published
the following dispatch from Lord Rob
: erts:
; kip River, Transvaal, May %. 50:
P. M.-i'We marched 20 miles today anC
are now IS miles from johannesburg
I The enemy had prepared several posi-
tions where they intended to oppose US
! but they abandoned one after the othel
: as we neared them.
I'VE pressed them so hard that they
had only just time to get their five gun!
into train and to leave as soon as som,
of the infantry dashed into it
4 'French's and Ian HamiltOn'S force:
are apparently engaged with the enemy
about ten miles to our left. as firing hal
2 been heard since noon.
+ THE farmers near our line of ad
: vance are surrendering with their arm
I | and horses
r ''RundIe occupied Zenekal on May "a
). NO report of what took place has reach
: ed me yet"
KRUGER HOLDS OUT.
: London. May 29-The Lorenzo Mar
ques correspondent of the Times tele
i graphing Monday says:
: Commandant General Botha consult
e ed the Transvaal government a fey
days ago, and in strong terms, urge
capitulation, recognizing that the strug