The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-01-04
CAUSES THE ALLEGED BLUkDER BY
GENERAL G0LVlLE.
THE FORGERY JUST DISCOVERED
The Telegram which Caused the Dis
aster to the Yeomanry at Lindley
Forged by Some Boer Sympathizer.
Beers Surprise a British Post n
Capture a Gun-KruGer Again IH.por-
tuning the Queen of Holland to Urge
Intervention by Other Powers.

London, December 31.-Since his ar
rival in London, Major General Sir
Henry Colvile has received information
tending to show that Lieutenant Colo
mel Spragge actually received a forged
telegram puporting to be signed by
General Colvile, dated Lindley, May
23rd saying: Il am badly in want of
mounted troops. Come here at once"
The above telegram was sent off
three days before General Colvile
reached Lindley and was the cause of
Lieutenant Colonel Spragge Fastening
there.
On of the principal charges against
General Colvile is that, after appeal
ing to the Yeomanry for help, he aban-
doned them to their fate.
Il never heard of this telegram"
says General Colvile, until now. But,
it explains the mystery of my alleged
message to Colonel Spragge. 1t was
known at hat time that some one was
tampering with wires cal Lindley in
the interests of the Beers"
Genera ColviIe reported himself at
the war office today. General Sir Ev-
Ign Wood, the a~djutant general, merely
sent d SuDOTUlHdle W LIetl Tic ScHSi IL.
London, December 31.-General Kitch-
ener, t~elegraphing from Pretoria De-
cember 30th says:
The post at Helvetia was surprised
at 2:30 o'clock a. M, the enemy first
rushing a AT gum. At dawn the officer
commanding the post at SwartZ kopjes
| sent out a patrol and shelled the enemy
| out of Helvetia, making them abandon
the gun temporarily. The Beers, how
ever, formed our prisoners around the
gun and got away eventually. No am
| munition belonging to the gun was cap
tured. The casualties were four officers
wounded and eleven men killed and
twenty-five wounded. A column was
| sent out from Machadodorp, but, owing
to bad roads,, it failed to arrive in time"
Lord Kitchener, in a dispatch to the
war office, dated Pretoria, December
31st, 9:35 a. m, avs:
"A small portion of the enemy's forces
which entered the colony to the east
Z broke away in a southwesterly direc-
ton and crossed the railway at a point
between Bangor and Sherborne. They
did some damage to the railway. The
column under Williams will be in touch
with this body today.
1.-The force which entered the colony
to the west passed the road from a
narvon to Victoria West at 7 O'Clock
yesterday morning. They were going
south and were closely followed by
| Thorneycroft and Delise.
VERY few recruits from the colony
joined the enemy"
London, January 1.-Mr. Kruger is
again importuning Queen Wilhelmina,
says the correspondent of The Daily
Mail at the Hague to write personal
letters to Emperor Nicholas, President
Loubert and Emperor William with a
view of stopping the war. 1t is report
ed that the queen is not unwilling, but
that the Netherlands ministry is divid-
ed.
The Beers burned an empty goods
train near RoSmead Junction. The au
thorities at Rosmead have sent the wo.
men and children away to Cradock. II
is reported that a commando a cross
ed the line and is making toward Mid,
delburg.
Port Elizabeth, December 31.-Re-
ports are in circulation here that tn
train which was held up neal RosmeaC
was not empty, but had sixty of thu
Prince Alfred Guards on board, whC
were returning from. the front, ant
about forty passengers, women ant
children.
The Beers numbered 200, with sup
porters that could be seen in the dis
lance. The soldiers defended them
selves until their small quantity Of am
munition vas exhausted, when all wert
captured, though subsequently releas
ed. The passengers had narrow es
capes, as h bullets of the Beers per
forated the carriages. An officer ant
three soldiers were severely wounded.
The railway traffic has been stopped
but the Beers do not appear to hav,
injured the permanent way.