Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-10-30
A ROUGH WELCOME
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their soldier-1lke conduct during the dan
gers and hardships Of "a trying campaign
While Joining In the happiness Of the
many relatives and friends who celebrate
the homecoming II the dear ones, | deep
| ly sympathiZe with those who look in
vain for them, who. alas. no longer stand
IN the ranks Of their comrades l. alas
myself have to grieFe over the loss of a
dear and gallant grandson. who. like so
many Of your companions. has served and
died for his Queen and country"
The members Of the corps then sepa-
rated. They had 70 muffie themselves in
their overcoats and 70 use other DISCUSSES
in order to avoid recognition BY the
crowds As it was. several were nearly
pulled to pieces by the rough embracings
and handshakings Of drunken men.
The list of casualties among the well
coming multitude was longer than that
OF the whole corps In its IS engagements
in South Africa. Partial returns from the
hospitals and police stations indicate that
more than 200 were badly hurt Three or
four were killed.
There were 400 police and 22.0o0 troops
on duty along the line of march. but they
were unable to manage the crowds. Wo-
men and girls tainted and were trampled
under foot. Stands overloaded with sight
who were riding on top Of a mail wagon
under which the wheels gave way had
bones broken. y man who was leaning
over The edge Of the roof Of four-story
building lost his balance and fell upon a
group Of women. killing one and hurting
two others. The man who fell afterwards
walked away apparently uninJured.
Many of the soldiers III the line of
march were hurt In combats with the
crowd. Altogether London had wild
day. with much fun. and, unfortunately,
great grief in many households because
Of the accidents.
More than 1000 persons were treated By
the ambulance corps. although in most
cases the injuries were not serious. There
were. however. many cases of serious in
juries and il is not unlikely that there
win be other deaths. TWO men fell from
scaffold on building in Finsbury cir
Gus and We're killed. Fighting and swear
ing thronGs fought vainly among them
selves for the right of way.
In justice TO the heroes Of the demon
stration. il should be said that few or
them participated in the nights celebra-
ton. Indeed. they seemed to be almost
forgotten in the general desire to take ad-
vantage of the opportunity OF unbridled
debsuch and the defiance Of all law ordeg
and deCency.
London Oct. 2a--The war Office has re-
Ceived the following from Lord Roberts:
Knox successfully engaged Dewet
Oct. q. During the Boer retreat Knox
caught Dewet in the Rensburg drift. The
Beers lost considerably and left two guns
and three wagons in knoxs hands. An
other ammunition wagon was blown up
by shell. The British casualties were
nil
Referring to the Jacobsdal affair, Lord
Roberts says il was due TO the treachery
Of the inhabitants who admitted Beers
to their homes at night. They opened
fire at daybreak. Fourteen men were killed
and Is were wounded. mostly Cape High
landers. Troops dispatched from the
Modder river drove off the Beers. The
houses OF the treacherous inhabitants
were destroyed. Commandant Bosnian
was killed.
Lord Roberts calls attention to the in
Creasing inclination of the better class of
Beers to cooperate with the British to
secure peace since that find that guer-
lila warfare is visited with heavy punish
mcnt.