Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1902-04-10
MANY LOS IN FIGHT.
KITCHENER TELLS OF VICTORY Al
A HEAVY COST.

London, April 5.-There was severe
fighting all day long on March 81 Ii
he n~eighrorhoUd Of Hart'S river, In
the southwestern extremity or the
T~raBSvaal, between part OF General
Kitcheners forces and the forces OF
Generals Delarey and Kemp, resulting
in the repulsepOf the Beers after heavy
losses On both sides. The Canadian
Rifles especially distinguished them.
selves, n party, commanded by Lieu
tenant Bruce Carruther-, holding It's
post until every man vas killed or
wounded.
LORD Kitchencr's official report says:
General Kitchener lord Kitchen
er'S brother) sent COlone S Keir and
CookSon from Vnekuil, western Trans
vaal, March 81, to recnnoiter toward
Harris river. They soon struck the
track of guns and car led on a running
fight for eight miles, following the
track through the bush. Emerging
on a plain, large Buer reinfOrcements
advanced against heir fitnkS, forcing
the British troops to take up a defen-
Sive POSITION, which they hastily en-
trenched. Fghting enSued at close
quarters till the Beers were repulsed
on all sides. Delarey, Kempand other
]eakerS vainly attempted to persuade
their men to renew the action. Fiji
teen hundred Beers participated in
tn 5 engagement, but they suffered too
heavily and cleared away to the north
west and south. The British Losses
also were severe. The Canadian Rifles
especially distinguished themselves,
on party, commanded by Lieutenant
Bruce CarrutherS, holding its post till
every man was killed or wounded.
Otners of the forces showed great
steadinesS, allowing the Beers to adj
vance within 200 yards of them and
repelling them with asteady rifle fire."
JUSTIFY EXECUTIONS.
The war Office this afternoon issued
an official statement of the facts in
regard to the Australians sentenced
for numbering Beer prisoners, as fol.
lows:
1.-The Bush veldt Gardiner. who
recruited in South Africa, but includ-
ID other colOnialS, were employed In
July and August in the Widest part
of the T%raDSvaal, eighty miles north
east of Petersburg, aud took acertain
number of prisoners. Grave irregu-
laritieS ON the part Of certain officers
OF the corps came to the knowledge Of
the military authorities in October.
and an exhaustive investigation was
ordered by Lord Kitchener.
"Asa result of the inquiry five off.
GERS were tried by court martial at
Petersburg in January, 1902, and were
found guilty, as principals or accessor-
les, to twelve murders. LieutenantS
Hancock and MUrant were sentenced
to death, which was carried out.
These officers were also char, ed with
the murder of Rev. @. HeSSe. AL
though there Was strong Su>p sion
that they committed the murder the
evidence Was not considered sufficient
to justify their conviction. Lieuten-
ant Walton Was found guilty OF MUIR
der and was sentenced TO death, but
there were mitigating circumstances
and the sentence was committed TO
life imprisonment at penal Servltude.
Lieutenant PictOn was found guilty Of
m~anSlaughter and was caSh!ered. Ma
jor Lenahan, commanding the carabi-
neerS, who became aware Of the crimes
subs, guent to their cOmmittal, was
convicted OF culpably neslectiug TO re-
port them and was ordered hume to
his dismissal being unneces-
sary, owing to the diSbandment of the
corps.
"No doubt exists as to the guilt of
the accused, whose plea, in exLenua-
ton, that a number of their corps
we're %ill-treated by the Beers, was not
by the evidence at the trial.
The sentences we're such as would
have been Inflicted on any officers Sim
iiarly guilty."