Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-11-23
A TOUCHING OVATION
FOR PRESIDENT KRUGER.
The Aged President of the Transvaal Greeted
by Thousands of Free Frenchmen.
BRoKENHEARTED, But STILL FIRM IN THE FAITH
That God Will Render Justice to the Beers
Whose Liberty England Now Seems
to Have Destroyed.

MARSEILLES, November 22.-The
Dutch cruiser Gelderland came up the
harbor this morning and ex-President
Kruger landed at 10: 45 o'clock.
Mr.. Kruger cannot but be elated at
the warmth of his reception by the
people of Marseilles. He may be said
to have been borne on an irresistible
wave of enthusiasm from the landing
stage to his hotel The broad streets
and boulevards through which the route
lay presented a sea Of human beings
all prompted by the desire to welcome
the aged Boer statesman. From the
moment the white, twelve-oared barge
left the side of the Gelderland, Mr..
Kruger, who appeared to be in good
health sitting in the stern surrounded
by the Boer representatives, including
DR.. Leyds and Messrs. Fisher and
Vessels. storm of cheering broke and
never ceased until Mr.. Kruger entered
his hotel Even then vast concourse
of people remained in front of the
building until Mr.. Kruger appeared on
the balcony where he had to remain
for some time, uncovered, acknowledge
ing the acclamations OF his thousands
of admirers, who continued cheering
until they were hoarse with shouting.
lx:p To ba or of aapla a
tions from the solid block of thousands
OF enthusiastic people. Mr.. Kruger said
the warm reception given him to-day
would do much to soothe the wounds
in his heart. The Beers, he added, will
never sacrifice their freedom. They
will rather be exterminared to the last
man.
Replying to the Addresses
of welcome of the presidents of the
Paris and Marseilles committees, Mr..
Kruger spoke in Dutch and in low
voice, accompanying his words with
energetic movements of his hat, which
he held in his right hand. After thank
ing the committees for the warmth of
the reception accorded him and ex-
pressing gratitude for the sympathy OF
the French government, he spoke OF
the war as terrible and barbarously
conducted by the British He said:
Il have fought with savages, but the
present war is even worse. We will
never surrender. We are determined
to fight to the last extremity, and if
the republics of the Transvaal and
Grange Free State lose their independ-
ence it will be because they have lost
every man, woman and child"
This declaration, which Mr.. Kruger
made, dispelled at once any impression
that he intends to accept a compromise
from the British government. His an
nouncement was greeted with a roar
Of cheers and cries of "Vive La Lib
erte,"
The scene at the landing place was
animated. The decks of all the steam
ers in the Lyons basin were crowded
with sightseers. The crowd swelled
to great proportions as the news spread
through the city and the Gelderland
had entered the harbor.
cold northwest wind, which set in
during the night cleared away yester-
days clouds. and the morning broke
fresh, but with bright sunshine. The
inner harbor was all the gayer for the
decoration OF number of French
yachts with multi-colored flags and
pennants, among which Boer flags were
prominently displayed.
The GeIderIand Was Sighted
several miles out at I O'Clock in the
morning and DR.. Leyds and Messrs.
Fischer and Vessels, an Interpreter
and DR.. Van Hammel proceeded to the
Dutch warship in a steam launch and
boarded her. A conference between
the Boer leaders ensued, while the Gel
derland was slowed down behind the
Island of the Chateau diff. She re-
manned there until 10 O'Clock. when
she steamed into the outer harbor. fir
ing a salute of q guns, to which a.
shore battery replied.
A fiotilla of pleasure steamboats, and
roWooats buzzed around the Gelderland
Immediately after she had reached her
moorlngs. their occupants cheering for
Mr. Kruger and the Beers.
The reception committee, of which
senator Paullat was the president had
been waiting in the cold. damp morn
ing air for two hours when a boat from
the Gelderland landed DR.. Van Ham
mel, the bearer of a message saving
MI. Kruger could not land for another
two hours. The messenger explained
that the commander of the Gelderland.
before Mr. Kruger left Dutch territory.
otherwise the Dutch warshipl desired
to render him the honors due to a
president of the South African repub-
lie and the commander also wished the
officers and crew of the Gelderland TO
take solemn farewell of Mr.. Kruger.
who would leave the ship with guard
OF honor drawn up on her deck. For
this ceremony the sailors would don
their full dress, which would involve a
delay OF a couple of hours. This mes
sage dumbfounded the members of the
committee, who were. unable to conceal
their annoyance. as they recognized
that such delay would dislocate all the
arrangements and lead to the dispersal
OF the immense concourse along the
route. The president OF the committee