The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-05-17
THE LEADER OF THE BOERS.
Interesting Review of the Dramatic
Career of General Louis Botha, the
Successor of Piet Joubert.

SuSSSSoOl VI lcI uOuDClI'
From Lourenzo Marques Letter to the Cncin.
natl Enquirer.
The untlmely death of General Jou-
| bert has brought to the front one OF
the most remarkable of the younger
Afrikanders, Louis Botha. He was but
&c years of age when he was suddenly
called upon to take supreme command
of the federal forces in South Africa.
| The nomination was made in the
first instance by the late General Jou
bert himself. 1t was confirmed by
President Kruger, and enthusiastic
ally approved by the burghers In arms.
No instance of such rapid progress
! has ever occurred in modern times.
I When the war broke out he was a
| simple commandant. General Joubert's
| temporary indisposition placed him in
| command at the battle of Colenso. Then
President Kruger sent him to super
sede Generals Schalk- Burgher and
| Cronje at Spon Kop March 3. At the
| council of war at Biggarsberg he was
| appointed lieutenant general Of the
| forces in Natal, and at the end of the
| month he succeeded General Joubert.
| Rapid as was his promotion 1t has ex-
/
whom he has superseded refrained from
enthusiastically approving his selection
| for the supreme command.
| Louis Botha was born under the
British flag. The Bothas are an old
Natal family, and Louis saw the light
of the world at Greytown, Natal, in
1864. When but a boy he left Natal
and settled in the Free State. He was
Ii !, Ial AF
less, pushing and energetic. When,
therefore, the Boer filibusters, or emf
grants, from the Transvaal went forth
to help Dinizulu and settled that part
of Zululand which was called the New
republic, and afterward became an in
tegral part of the Transvaal republic,
Louis Botha, a mere outh, went also,
MARRIED AN IRISHWOMAN.
He was one of the early pioneers
who took up farms in the newly ac-
quired territory. There, close to the
Swat frontiers, some 35 miles north
I east from Vryheid, he has built his
beautiful homestead and laid out his
estate. He lived there rather in a style
of an opulent English squire than a
Boer herdsman.
Louis Botha speaks English nuently
He has a strong prediction for the
Irish, and married a beautiful Irish
lady, stately in appearance and very
charming in disposition. Mrs. Botha
was a Miss Emmet and belongs to the
identical family of which the celebrated
ill-starred Irish patriot was the most
famous member.
The Botha homestead could compare
very favoraby with a first-class
American farm. The buildings are sub
stantial and attractive in appearance
the park laid out in English style. L
is altogether a superior home.
A plentiful supply of good books il
several languages are to be found in Z
library which for African condition!
must be termed a weil-stocked one.
first-class piano and organ and ex
cellent furniture complete an idea
country gentleman's hen e.
Here he lived a quiet life, takins
however his full share in the govern
ment. He was a member of the Volks
raad, and belonged to the progressiv,
party, in common with General Jou
bert.
He was a strong opponent of mono
poles and dynamite concession, o
which loom" Paul was the shameless
supporter. He seldom spoke in the as
sembly, but when lie did he spoke 4
the point. ana earned the soubriquet o
1.-THE Wise in Con lcil."
He had his baptism of Are as younl
officer under Lucas Meyer in the wa
against DinzulIs on amies Avsi
since he has been a marked man, ID,
Villebois- Mareuil was IA a dent admir-
, er of Botha, ana many a time expressed
the belief in his irresistible courage
and sagacity.