Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-06-02

emo Marques Closed Agafn-News
by Courier is That the Peace
Party at Pretoria Was in the AS
cendant ON Wednesday
LONDON, June 2.-3:45 m.-Lord
Roberts continues silent regarding Pre-
toria. probably because he cannot wire
of events from his own knowledge.
Lorenzo Marques, where all the news
from the Boer side is re-handled, cables
that communication with Pretoria is
now suspended. Some messages by
courier have reached Lorenzo Marques,
but none of later date than Wednesday,
These assert that the Burghers are in
state of panic and that Pretoria is
being controlled by a vigilance com
mittee.
Lorenzo Marques again sends the re-
port that President Kruger has been
captured
The news blank gives rise to sus-
picion that the citizens committee at
Pretoria may not have been able to
carry out their plans for securing the
peaceful entry of Lord Roberts and
sparing the city the horrors Of siege.
The peace party appeared to be in
the ascendant, and, as soon as Presi-
dent Kruger and his cabinet left Pre-
toria to organize new capitol, the
citizens committee persuaded the COM
mandants of the forts to withdraw
some of the troops from the defense,
perhaps with the view of keeping Or
der in the town. If messengers were
sent to the British, or if the British
being two days march from Pretoria
on Wednesday, entered it then or at
any time prior to Friday noon, Lord
Roberts would certainly have tele-
graphed this fact. Hence 1t looks as
though there was Boer force be-
tween Pretoria and johannesburg.
The soldiers trekking back toward
Pretoria, some of them fresh from the
fight with Gen. Ian Hamilton, would
situation and would probably overrule
the peace committee, taking the direc
ton Of affairs out OF their hands. If
this has happened the British may, as
the Daily Chronicle says, see some
hard fighting before the British flag
flies over Pretoria, for even if the
Beers held only three forts, standing
close together on the hills south of the
town. they would be in a position to
stand siege"
The Beers, according to special dis
patch from Lourenzo Marques, have re-
entered the northeastern territory of
the Free State and are engaged with
the British near Vantersburg and Har-
rismith.
1t is reported at Amsterdam that the
best rooms at Het Haasje, one of the
principal hotels there, have been en-
gagged for President Kruger's occupan-
cy from June %.
Gen. Butler is moving slowly against
the Boer tanks.
dispatch from Vryburg, dated May
80, says:
During the occupation of this place
by the Beers they logged the natives
for slight offenses. A whip and sew
eral cords knotted and sailed we're
found at the police station. A boy
who brought letter to a woman, re-
ceived twenty-five lashes, and another,
who sympathized with him, received
fifteen
Lady Georgiana Curzon has cabled
a17,000 to provide comforts and lux
uries at Mafeking.
The times has the following from
Lourenzo Marques, dated June /:
Reports of the most conflicting char
acter are current here, due to the activ-
ity of the Boer agents. While one sec
ton declares that President Kruger has
returned to Pretoria for the purpose OF
arranging terms Of surrender, another
asserts that the British have been re-
pulsed outside of Pretoria. Nothing
authentic is known here regarding Mr..
Krugers whereabouts or the situation
in the Transvaal."