The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1900-03-31
Gen. .5oMberf's DEATH

Pretoria. March 2S.-General Jouber
died last night at 11:8o o'clock. He hac
been suffering from a stomach com
plant The town is plunged int
mourning for the true patriot, gallan'
general and upright and honorable
gentleman.
General Pietrus Jacobus Joubert
commandment general of the Transvaa
forces better known as Pet Jouberi
or Slim Peter. was born about sixty
eight years ago. He was deScendec
from an old French-Huguenot fanny
which settled in South Africa many
years ago. die was born in Cape COL
ony but was taken by his parents when
years old to the Orange Free state
where he was taught from early child
hood TO shoot straight and hate the
British. de is described as having been
utterly fearless.
OF schooling he had but little, and
he never saw q newspaper unit! ne was
is years old. In spite of this has a1npi-
ton prompted him TO read the lew
books he could obtain, and ne succeed
ed in obtaining fair knowledge OF MS
tory and languages.
In consequence of the acquisition OF
Natal by the British, his family moved
from Natal and settled in the Trans
wall Soon afterward he became a
burgher Of the South African republic
and a daring fighter.
could lead body Of men more success
fully against hostile natives than any
other man in the TransVaal. he came
10 be so feared by the natives that the
knowledge that he was at the head or
q punitive expedition usually resulted
In their surrender.
1t was during these wars with the
natives that Joubert became acquainted
with Paul Kruger and the two men
became bosom friends. He was elected
vice president Of the TraLSv2al in 1895,
defeated Sir George Colley at Majuba
hill in 1881. and acted as president OF
the republic in 1854, during Kruger
absence in Europe.
General Joubert was always IN IaVor
Of the use Of force instead of diplomacy,
ard President Kruger on several occa-
slOns had great difficulty in represslnS
his hot-headed colleague, notably in 1919,
when JOubert, with Kruger and Pretor-
ious. was planning the rebellion to over
throw British rule in the TransVaaI.
The result was Maiuba hill and the
practical independence of the Trans
wal.
1t was Joubert who organized the
army Of the South African Republic
later on, dividing the country into sew
enteen military departments, and each
Of these departments into smaller d.
visions, with commandments field cor
nets and lieutenantS Of various ranks
On charge.
According to the generals plans,
every man became q trained soldier
without leaving his farm, md had his
equipment ready at hand. To such
point of perfection was the system car
1icd that within forty-eight hours after
the present war was declared the BOer
nation was under arms
1t was also due to General JOubert
that the South African republics sue
ceeded in amassing the immense stores
Of war munitions and provisions which
have stood them in such good stead
turing the conflict now in progress.
When the jameson raiders were lock-
ed up in Pretoria jail, JOubert was
strongly in favor Of their immediate
execution. 1t was not until Jouoert
and Kruger had been clOSeted together
for a whole night that the more mercl- |
ful counsels Of Kruger prevailed. In |
spite Of these characteristics, Joubert |
on some occasions, showed considerable |
regard for the usages OF civilization |
When the Beers raided the British ter |
TitOry Of Bechuanaland in 1854, JOubert |
was probably the only prominent Boer !
who refused TO support the movement, |
and his opposition resulted in the with |
drawal Of the Beers from the territory
seized. as he threatened to resign I'M
less he had his way, saying:
Il positively refuse to hold office un- /
der a government that deliberately |
breaks it's covenants. and we have |
made covenants with England"
In November last it was reported |
that General Joubert had been killed in |
action and later reports said he was |
dangerously wounded, and had to use |
q cart in order to follow the operations |
in the field.
The circumstances of the death Of |
General JOUbert are not given in the /
dispatch. which recalls the fact that |
William Cox, a newspaper correspond !
ent who was recently released from i'm |
prisOnment at Pretoria, and who has |
arrived at Durham, said General Jou- |
bert was apparently suspected of half /
heartedness, and that his life would be /
in danger at the hands Of the burghers |
if Pretoria was besieged.