Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1900-04-11
GEN. MAREUIL KILLED.
frenchman Responsible for Many
Boer Successes.
VICTORY REPORTED BY METHUEN.

Body of Beers Under General villebois
Mareuil Surrounded, the General and
Seven Beers Killed, and the Rest Capt
ur.d-Roberts Reports The Capture by
Boecs of Three Companies of Irish Fu-
Regiment.
Cape Town, April GA determined
attempt to escape was made by the
BOer prisoners at Simonstown and
fourteen of them succeeded in getting
away. In the confusion one Of the
prisoners was killed and another was
wounded. One man was recaptured,
but fourteen are missing. Sentries
have been placed at different parts of
the town and the station is under mil
ttary supervision.
London, April Ga special dispatch
from Lorenzo Marques says sharp
fighting occurred April in the neigh
borhood of Mafeking. The garrison
made sortie, while Colonel Plumers
cavalry attacked the Beers at RAJ
nathlabama. Both attacks were re-
pulsed.
Twenty Of Colonel Plumer's men
were found dead on the field and six
others were made prisoners. The fed
eral losses were small.
London, April Tt is officially an
n0unced that the British casualties ia
the Boer ambush near Sannas Post
total up $50. including 173 missing.
. I'M. az Aa,
received the following dispatch from
Lord Roberts, dated Bloemfontein,
Thursday, April 5:
''Methuen telegraphs from Boshof
Gin the Orange Free State, a little
northeast of Kimberley AS follows:
Surrounded General Villebois Mareuil
and a body of Beers today. None es-
t,eaped. Villebois Mareuil and seven
aP-s'ers Killed. eight wounded. Fifty
Yrs. Our losses were: Killed
81. aims Boyle and Williams, both of
; We Yeomanry. and two men Of the
Yeomanry. Wounded-About seven
men The attack lasted four hours.
The corps behaved very we'll. Our
force was composed of Yeomanry, the
Kimberley mounted corps and the
Fourth battery Of artillery"
Was q French Count
General Villebois Mareuil is French
count, and left that country when the
war broke out to fight with the Beers.
He won distinction In the Franco
Prussian war. He was about 80 years
old, and is said to have been response
BILE for many of the Boer successes In;
Natal and later In Cape Colony and the
southern part of the Orange Free
State. 1t is said that he entered the
Boer service merely because war was
his trade. He went through a number
Of campaigns in the French army.
Five Companies British Captured.
Lord Roberts also reports that five
companies of British troops have been
!. captured by the Beers near Bethany.
The following is the text of his dis
patch to the war office announcing the
capture:
"Bloemfontein. ApriI5.-Another IN
fortunate occurrence has occurred re.
sulting. / fear. in the capture Of q
party of infantry consisting of three
companies of the Royal Irish Fusiliers
and two companies of the Ninth regi-
ment of mounted infantry, near Red
dersburg little eastward of Bethany
railway station, within few miles of
this place. They were surrounded by
stronger force of the enemy with
four or five guns.
Supposed to Have Surrendered.
1.-THE detachment held ont from
noon, April 8, until April 4, a. M.
and then, apparently. surrendered, for
1t is reported that the firing ceased at
that time. Immediately after heard
the news, during the afternoon OF
April g. | ordered Gatacre to proceed
from Springfontein, his present head
quarters. to Reddersburg with all pos.
sible speed. and dispatched the Cam.
er0n Highlanders hence 10 Bethany
He arrived at Reddersburgs at 1890
yesterday morning without opposition
but could get no news of the missing
detachment. There can be no doubt
the whole party has been made pris.
oners."