The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-04
Insists They Are Maintaining n MILL
tary Camp Near New Orleans,
Where Men Are Enlisted.
FIRST HIRED AS MULETEERS
TO FIGHT BOERS WHEN
THEY REACH OUTH AFRICA.
Governor HOard's Statement-VigOr-
Gus Denial by Gen. stewart, of
the British Army.

WASHINGTON, April 3.-Gen. Samuel
Pearson, formerly of the Boer army, has
returned to Washington from New Orleans.
where he went to gather proof to sub
stantiate his charge that the British au-
thorities in Louisiana had in violation nf the
laws of neutrality set up a regular military
blishmen from which their army In
South Africa was being furnished with
men, horses. mules and supplies. General
Pearson made this charge in a letter to
President Roosevelt. who, ne says. sent it
to Governo~ Heard, of Louisiana, for ir-
vestigation and report. And the latter IN
turn called up rim (Pearson) Cor proofs.
General Pearson tonight declared that
America had contributed at least A, 1000 men
to aid the British in their fight against the
Beers and had furnished the British gov
eminent with POI, 107 horses and mules. The
men, he declared, consist OF muleteers
shipped from New Orleans, some of whom
have been compelled to enlist against the
burghers, and paid agents and men who
are sent throughout the country to buy up
horses and mules. He said there are one
British general, two colonies and sixty
captains and lieutenantS in this country
now with headquarters at new Orleans.
The general alleged that, although the
men are engaged with the understanding
that when they reach Cape Town they may
return on the first ship leaving for the
United States, their passage is refused or
long DELAYED and every effect brought on
them to enlist in the British army. With
every ship load of mules sent to South
Africa the disguised British officers in
charge of the transport and cargo, he said,
employ a small army of men TO take care
Of these animals, securing enough men to
assign one to every two or three mules.
The men who hire as mule tenders are
stable hands, the general added, and are of
the lowest classes and care little what they
also have failed TO keep contracts with the
men, leaving them penniless In a strange
land.
Secretary Hay has received from Gov.
Heard, of Louisiana, the statement re-
ferred to in this morning publications al
leging the existence of a British camp at
Chalmette, just below New Orleans, on the
Mississippi river. The Governors ommuni
cation is volurninous, comprising state
ments and affidavits intended To disclose the
character of the alleged camp. BY direc-
ton of the President, it has been referred
TO the attorney general with q view to Sc
curing an opinion on certain legal points
involved, and meanwhile it will not be
given out for publication. While the State
Department will not hesitate a moment
to make inquiry into the correctness of
any such charges, preferred by any re-
spOnsible person, such as the Governor of
Louisiana, 1T is believed that even now the
department is not without its own ideas as
to what is going on at Chalmette. and this
knowledge has not shaker the departments
original view that these operations are en-
tirely lawful and that there is no power
III the national or State government to pre-
vent them, so long as the shipments from
Chalmette are confined to horses. live
stock, FODDER and provisions, and the port
is not made the point of departure of a
naval or military expedition, even If the
supplies are bought directly by the British
government.