Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1900-04-11

DAVIS Is NOW TALKING
Tells Why He Has Taken Sides with
= the Beers,
n >rpes pv-sy<Krs
PRAISE FOR BOERS,
He Saw the Battle OF Spi0u Kop and
II Much Impressed Him-Says
", There Is No Dlsseuslon Be-
g.. tween the Presidents, --

said the president had asked him to an
nounce that Mr. Davis resignation had
been accepted, to take effect at once, MI
Davis felt at liberty To talk freely upon
che South African situation. and to a
friend no related the history of his trip
my journey was unUvsntfil until we
crossed the Transvaal border andStopped
as Kooinatipoort," no said. "rhere the
whole ncighborhood turned out and
welcomed mo. At station after station
the stationmaster would come to tho car,
touch his rod cap and ask IL there was
anything he could do for my comfort.
"Yct the English told me- with great
positivoncss that tho savage Beers would
shoot me as soon AS they learned l spoke
English. They tell this lie 50 much at
Capo Town that they oven got Colonel
stowe, our consul there, to believe IL.
AT Pretoria was given q cordial greet
ing. Marvellous to state during all the
time was there not one man asked inc
whether I favored the British or the
Beers.
81 viewed the defense Of Pretoria,
and consider them iupregnnble. do
not believe tho English troops will ever
pass tho line of hills surrounding the
town, bristling as they are with high
power Krupp and Oreusot guns. There
seems general impression that the
guns used by the Beers in tho fold were
taken III the fortresses at Pretorin but
saw every eerthwork and fort surround
Ing tho town and could not see where any
guns had been removed. They were all
there and formidable they looked.
~ have it on unimpenchablo authority
that the battle Of Colenso, where Bullor
wigs crushed by the Beers, was planned
by this old nun, Joubert carried out
Kruger's instructions to n letter and
won That signal victory by the directnoss
of IAN old man away up there in Preto-
ria.
~ was present at the battle Of Spion
kop and saw thin limo Of Boers drive
an army before them. After tho fight
walked. over tho field and counted the
dead bodies of 1875 EngIshmcn In one
trench where the Doors had piled them
for burial.
During my stay in the hoighborhood
visited every laagcr in tho lines sur.
rounding the city and talked with scores
of officers and mon.
GWban 7 cr;lo tho cikv m ;,,orou
nable speak from tho Judgment of a
man Of common sense. Pretoria lios In
basiu surrounded by rugged hills, af.
fording most admirable opportunities
for defense. While there / learned
enough to know that the city is one vast
storehouse of foodstuifs aud ammuni.
ton.
"What impressed me most was the
natural bigncss Of thnt grand old man,
Kruger. consider him as possessed OF
more Of the elements of greatness than
any man ever met. At 70 he is as full
OF vigor as tho average man who owns
up to 20 years less. His versatility i'm.
pressed me deeply.
II visited tho limos along the Tugela,
where Butler and his 10000 men were
held at bay, and speak from tho most
positive knowledge when say that all
of the Boer troops in that region NUM-
bered but 1000. With this force Joubert
aud Botha held Bullcr back md kept
White and his 1860 Omen coralled in the
town.
when Cronje was threatened, 5000
men were sent to him from 1adysmith,
leaving about 1000 to face the $4,000
men Of the enemy.
EAT the battle of the Little TugcIa,
when Butler was again driven bach
upon Chieveley SOW General Botha in
action, and consider him the creates,
of the Dutch commanders. When the
fighting began Botha was sauntenne
along behind the line Of trenches watch
ing his men, taking careful shots at tn.
advance of che British .force.
"For half an hour after we could FRS
detect the movement there was moi
mulch excitement but all ut onoo Their,
WAS a rash of oavalrs, and the double
quick of infantry in open order. Th'
bullets begun to patter around us and
two burghors were hit close beside
Botha. He seemed to awake Instantly
and sprang down into tho trenches. ex
claiming ''shoot, shoot" In Dutch. A.
tho word was carried along the hnea HI
caught up tho rife from the hands Of I
dead hursher and began making quick
but careful ahota ut tho foe.
~ minu'os aud Il was ovar ("