New-York tribune., 1901-01-22
.STORYOFA TRANSVAAL CLAIM /,
HOW R. E. BROWN OBTAINED JUDO
MENT FOR NEARLY S2.OOOOOO WHICH
- WAS ovERTHROwN-To Sc
CURE 1T FROM ENGLAND.
Try TELEGRAPH TO TEE TRIBUNE.I

COhE tROM E-NNIl@AND
TRY TELEGRAPH TO TRIBUNEl
Washington, Jan. 21.-In the Senate to-day
Senator Turner, of Washington, offered reso-
luton asking the State Department what steps
had been taken TO protect the interests of r. f
Brown in the Transvaal. Behind this apparently
harmless resolution of inquiry lies claim to
land in the Transvaa OF great value. and in
volved in the right to the title to that land is an
instance Of the arbitrary abuse of power which
was of the principal causes leading TO the
Boer- British war The claim is now an inter
national question that interests three countries
South Africa, England and the United States.
While the Government of the Transvaal still
existed the custom there obtained of proclaiming
lands open for occupation This proclaiming OF
lands in the Transvaal open for occupation was
similar in it's workings TO the throwing open of
public lands for settlement in this country, and
the scenes that ensued in South Africa on such
occasions were like those that occurred In TINS
country in the first rush into the present Terri
tory OF Oklahoma.
Most of the Transvaal lands so proclaimed
had value only for farming purposes. but one
day the Government proclaimed the farm Of
witfontein and then it became a different mat
ter The witfontain farm was known to be To-
Gated upon the renowned Witwatersrand gold
reef. and the value of the ground, while prob
lematical was possibly and even probably price
less Every one in South Africa took an inter-
est in the proclaiming of the Witfontein farm
and the great firms there all made their prep
arations TO secure as much of the coveted area
possible.
The law Of the TransvaaI read that in the
case of lands proclaimed for occupation the
would-b he occupants must first apply for IL
censes to the office of the nearest Landrost be
fore claims could he staked out The Landrosts
hA
fontein farm. and there was neither railway,
telegraphic nor telephone communication be
tween the two. So the principal problem that
confronted these eager seekers for gold was
how they could cover the thirty miles in the
least possible space Of time. All turned 10 horse
flesh for the answer-that is. all save one. and
because he did not Senator Turner to-day intro
duced his resolution of inquiry.
Among those to take part in the Witfontein
rush was R E. Brown. American mining en-
gineer, who represented powerful syndicate,
in which he personally had a large interest
Brown had made a record in the Coeur d'Alene
region previous to going to South Africa. and
was known to be q resourceful man When it
became noised abroad that he would take part
in the rush. the other interests were advised 10
watch him closely. lest he outwit them and
secure the best of the land
When the eventful day arrived at the Wilton
tein Farm were thousands Of men. all ready Ito
peg when the signal should be given. They
represented hundred different interests but
not a peg could they drive until their license
should arrive from the Landrost's Office. At the
same time, about the Landrost's Office thirty
, miles away. scene of the widest excitement
was being enacted, Six thousand struggling
swearing men about that little shanty
each man striving to be the first TO enter when
the door should be open. Diminutve jockeys on
| the feetest Of thoroughbreds fringed the edge
| of the crowd, ready to depart the second the
| coveted paper should be placed in their hands
With Brown had arrived a hundred cowboys
and the Others their doubts relieved, and be-
| Heving that he, too, would depend on hard rid
ing TO win out. gave him further attention.
Three hundred other men with Brown forced
him 10 the door and through it, first, when il
was opened. The license granted. his riders
were off like the wind and at intervals there
followed in their dust the horsemen OF the other
firms. Brown himself sought hill in the other
direction. On this hill he had located a hello
graph station. and from II he could communicate
with hill near the Witfontein Farm in a few
minutes This was the coup he had prepared.
His order TO peg was so well obeyed that the
choice land was all his long before the first OF
the weary horsemen won uselessly out to the
coveted goal The land that Browns men
1egged out that day is now appraised at
100000
The Transvaal Government, dismayed at this
performance, "deproclaimed" the land, and de-
clared II not open for occupation. Brown sued,
and the High Court of the Transvaal, Chief Jus
tice Kotze presiding, handed down decision in
his favor and awarding him damages OF $780,
600, or S1,S0O, 900. President Kruger had been
bitterly opposed TO Browns claim, and when the
Court decided in his favor Dom Paul, arbitrarily
and unjUstly exercising the great power that
was his summariy removed Chief Justice Kotze
from office One Of the principal indictments
that England brought against the Transvaal
Government just prior 10 the outbreak Of hos
tilities was this removal Of Kotze
Brown has since been pressing his claim, but
the Boer has further complicated IL. He
depends upon the justice of international law TO
enforce the restitution of the land, or to com
has stepped in and has officially declared that
the Republic Of the Transvaal is not, but that
the Naal River Colony Gan English colony) now
is and the resolution Of inquiry is intro
duced TO ascertain if the State Department is
properly looking out for Browns interests dur
ing this critical period.
Mr.. Turner's resolution was adopted by the
Senate requesting the President to transmit TO
the Senate, if not Incompatible with public in
terest, information of what steps have been taken
by the State Department TO protect the rights
of Mr.. Brown in the matter Of his claim against
the South African Republic, together with copies
Of all correspondence an6 papers relating
thereto.
MAYOR OF FARGO'S MISSION IN EUROPE
Copenhagen. Jan 2l-T. A. Johnston, Mayor of
Fargo. \. D.. is here the guest of L. s. Sven
son, the United States Minister. He is working up
the project Of emigration to the Northwest Of
America Mr. Johnston will later go TO Sweden
Norway and Finland