Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1900-06-21
GEN. BO1AA GETS AWAY.
Boer Leader Evacuates the Strong
Position He Held in Front
of Pretoria.
GEN. BUTLER HELPS ROBERTS OUT.
Line of Com II, II icn ton Has Been Re-
stOred-!Au la Quiet ia Pretoria
and JOhannesburE-Thc PnciGcn-
ton of the Trnn.vunl VIII Take n
Long Time.


lence Lord Roberts has been heard
from. his line of communications haN-
ing been practically restored by means
OF complete victory gained by Gems.
Methuen and Kitchener over Gen. De
Wet at the Rhenoster river, Tuesday,
June IL. The Boer camp was cap
tured and the burghers, it is added,
We're scattered in all directions.
All is quiet at Pretoria and johann
nesburg; Lord Roberts says the gov
eminent need have no apprehension
about the security of the army in
South Africa, as it will not take long
to remedy the reverses and repair the
| railroad
Retreat of Botha.
London. June l3.-The war office is
sues the following report from Lord
Roberts. under date of Pretoria. June
Is. afternoon:
The enemy evacuated their strong po-
| sition during the night and have retired
to the eastward. Buffers force and mine
nave afforded each other mutual assist
ance. Our occupation of Pretoria caused
numbers of Beers to withdraw from
laings Mex. and Buffers advance to
Nolksrust made them feel their rear
would be shortly endangered"
| Dispatch from nuller.
Gen. Butler reports TO the war office
as follows:
"Headquarters at I.aings Mex. June IA.
| morning.-Gen. l.Nttleton yesterday
ceived the formal submission of the town
and district of Wakkerstroom. which the
enemy is believed TO have completely
| evacuated"
Hnx a Formidable Force.
London. June l5.-That Command
ant Gen. Louis Botha should have
been able to stand for two days
against Lord Roberts and then to re-
treat without losing any guns or haN-
ing any of his men captured is taken
TO mean that he has Il force which
the British must still reckon as for
midable when acting dctensively.
The pacitcation of the whole of the
Transvaal. especially the wide spaces
far from the railways, is looked upon
as a business requiring months rather
| than weeks
Gain Strategic Position.
London. June l6.-The war office is
sues the following dispatch from Lore
Roberts:
Pretoria. Residency. June l-Klerks-
dorp surrendered on June to armed
party sent on by Hunter.
"A messenger from liIerksdorD reports
| that tronJe. who commanded there. de
termined to surrender soon he knew
for certain. that Pretoria was in our pos
session. His example has been copied
by many in the neighborhood. The court
house is now said TO be 1uil of arms.
An Important Position.
BY the peaceful occupation of klerks-
dorp, announced by Lord Roberts, he
British have gained Il strategic position
OF some Importance. as he town is not
only the terminus of another railroad
to Johannesburg. but it is within easy
reach of the kroonstad- \ierfonteip
| railroad.
| The Cronj e who surrendered the
place is a son of the famous Gen.
Cronje now prisoner at st. Helena.
The son was prominent during the
siege OF Mafeking
Fresh Fighting Expected.
London. June lG-LorL Roberts dis
patches leave affairs east of Pretoria
with the Beers withdrawn TO new posi-
tions Tuesday. News OF fresh fighting
is expected at the war u..,:ce, but none
came Friday night
Steyn the Stumbling Block.
The Lourenzo Marques correspond
ent of the Times says:
ut appears that Stevn. and not Kru-
ger. is now the stumbling block in the
way Of the surrender of the burghers.
Shortly after the British entry into Pre-
toria Mr.. Kruger proposed TO reopen tho
peace negotiations. Mr. StrEn. bearing in
mind that his former advice was secuted,
demurred to this. and pointed out that.
according to the treaty between the re-
publics, neither could conclude peace
without the other Mr. Kruger, equally
unwilling to incur the charge of a breach
of faith. had to continue the war. Moth
ing further is known regarding the
mored peace negotiations but il is u mat
ter OF notorety that Mr. Kruger favors
peace on almost any terms. but dislikes
personally to take initiative that
would involve unconditional surrender.
barred from Mcmbcrxllip.