The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-09-10
BOER SOLDIER HERE
JAN KRIGE, ONE OF B0THK'S COM
MANDANTS, TALKS, OF gle
THE WAR; 2a'
ESCAPED FROM THE ENGLISH
Says the British People Are Not
Back of the War, and BOer
Independence Is
Sure.

Jan Krige, South African burgher.
distinguished as a soldier under Botha,
and an escaped English prisoner, is in
st. Paul, stopping at the Windsor hotel.
Mr.. Krige is just in from tour of the
far Western states, where he has been
giving considerable attention to agricul-
tural conditions with the idea of taking
back to his native land comprehensive
reports of the conditions and opportuni-
ties in the United States His visit to
the United States was not altogether in
territorial He began his service in the
Boer army shortly after the outbreak
of the war, and about a year ago was
captured by the English at the battle
of Kip river. He managed to make his
escape and returned to Botha and was
made a connmandant of field police
He was among those Boer soldiers who,
meeting with reYerses, found themselves
horseleSs and poorly equipped and were
sent by Gen. Botha into Portuguese ter
ritory to await a. favorable opportunity
to resume army service under more pro-
p1t1ouS conditions and with better equip
ment. At Lorenzo Marques, however, he
and his comrades were prevented from
returning by the Portuguese authorities,
who kept them within barracks and un-
der surveillance. He ], managed to steal
away on a German ship and was brought
to America some eight months ago,
where he has since been.
Mr.. Krige is a man of fine appear
ance and pleasing manner. He is a man
of scholarly attachments and more than
average intellectual ability. When he
talked of his native land and of the
struggle against the British his face lit
up with fire and he became uncon-
sciously eloquent. He is confident that
the final outcome of the present strug-
gle will be complete independence for his
people. 1--WE will save our own country"
said he, "and We will maintain our own
independence and prove Our right to it
in peace as we have in war We are
actually in better condition today than
at any time within the past twelve
months. We are not fighting aggressive
ly. that is out Of the question. But we
are gradually wearing the British out.
They would gladly welcome peace today
were it not for the humiliation which
they would suffer in the eyes of the
world.
ENGLISH PEOPLE NOT BLAMED.
81 have no unkind thing to say of the
English people. The English people are
not making war upon US. 1t is a capital
istic clique with an inordInate greed for
gold. Our hope lies largely in that grow
ing sentiment among the English people
that the war was mistake, and that
they have been blinded all through by
the government, which does not truly
represent the majority Of them. England
is battling against her own traditions of
fair play and honesty, and I believe her
own people will soon rise up against it
and insist on an honorable settlement
The English soldier is disneartened be-
cause he does not believe in fighting
against weak women and children. He
is fighting the Boer because he is told
to do so. But his heart is not in 1t. 1
know this because have talked to many
of them. We do not ask the sympathy
of the other nations We rely more on
the sympathy of the English people them
selves, who are slowly Weakening to the
true facts of this great tyranny.
ENGLISH ARE DECEIVED.
The English people have been thorough
ly deceived by the Chamberlain admins
present time. While / was a prisoner
among the British was told by the Eng
lish soldiers that they had orders not to
write of conditions in South Africa in
long Imprisonment. All reports sent
through the papers are highly coloreo,
and if followed up carefully they would
appear ridiculous. Day after day you
read of the capture of 500 or 800 Beers
If all such reports had been true, our
country would have been totally depop-
uIdl0u lung dSO.-a1-TGdu The OInSE Gay OF
the capture of 700 Boer wagons. Now 1
doubt whether the Boer army has that
many wagons all told
FIGHT FOR LIFE.
Asked as to the truth of reports that
the Beers were willing to give up, ne
smiled and said: If you knew the con-
dittonS there you would never listen TO
such STUFF. Why should they surrender
We fight for life now, life and the honor
of our women and children. We cannot
fight for our homes, for we have none
on the face of the earth. Our homes have
been burned down, our cattle destroyed
our women Starve in tentS--whaT Is there
to surrender for? The only Incentive now
is an incentive to fight to the bitter enc
Ktchener's manifesto has Infatuated the
Beers beyond anything else. How do we
keep supplied in ammunition and arms?
Why the English kindly assist us in that
regard. The English reports sent to the
home government admit the capture or
II, 444 English soldiers by the beers In
the past eight months. That means II, 600
rifles, not to speak of the other equip
ment procured. AS for food, we are falr-
on. All talk Of the English capturing
Botha is ridiculous. They cannot cap
ture him: Our forces are pretty well
English cannot compete with them. We
are gaining day by day, because the Eng
lish are losing simply by the delay of
the ., end so long promised Delay is de-
would We can hold out indefinitely
with no great loss to our army. Every
day Is weakening the English army, be-
cause it Is weakening the hold Of the
government upon. the English people,
They will eventually do us Justice
Mr.. Krige courteously declined to give
his opinion of the English generals. He
said they were undoubtedly capable men
IN their places, but warfare In South
Africa was not their long suit. Mr.
Kr1ge may deliver an address in this city
Several citizens have spoken of the
matter to him, and he has signified his
ranged. He Is described by Western
papers as a very eloquent orator He
gives indications of being such in his
conversation. He is thoroughly familiar
with all phases of South African history
and the history nf the war His AMMAN r.