The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-01
FOUGHT SOUTH AFRICA
Story of Three Swedes Who Escaped
From British.

Karl Hultin, Hjalmar P. Janck and
Charles Oscar Johannsen, Swedes, who
have lived in South Africa for eleven
years, are now with friends in this city,
says the New York Journal of last
Wednesday. The British have price on
each of their heads-S1 900 dead or alive.
Hultn related some Of his adventures
during an hours talk with a Journal re-
porter. He said
l suppose the British authorities are still
puzzled as to how We made our escape. Janck
and Johannsen were the heroes. We were
serving in the Scandinavian corps. with
Cronje's army and were captured at Magers-
fontein on Dec. II, 1901
The corps occupied one of the most exposed
positions that day, having nine killed and
twenty-siN wounded out of fifty-two, engaged.
Janck received a wound in the head, which
stunned him, but did no serious damage. The
bullet ploughed through his scalp, leaving q
jagged scar.
The two taken to Durham to the trans
port Manila, and the first night that vessel
lay in Simon's bay-I should mention that I
was with them-I jumped overheard. They
turned searchlghts on me and lowered IL
boat, firing ell the time, but l wasn't hit
My boyhood sports proved my saving, for L
swan about three miles on a detour and
reached lani. The boats crew abandoned
the chase and gave me up for drowned.
Then l tramped for weeks-600 miles inland
receiving kind treatment all the way from
sympathizers, and finally reached my com
maudo. -
Janck and Johannsen, with John Andersen,
Baron Hedge-F agershjold, fellows named
Warner and Sternberg, all Scandinavians,
were imprisoned at Sinlonstown, at the
waters edge. 90
Above the Boer prison camp was a masked
battery, on enc side the British camp ami
on all sides barbed wire fence with SEN
tinels every few feet. ..... - r
Escape seemed to them impossible but they
got together one night and decided to dig a
tunnel that would carry them under the fence
and enable them to emerge in the bushes out
side They began inside a certain tent and
dug straight down for seven feet, then started
eff horizontally. ri ..a.- VIZ.
Janck being the smallest went ahead using
q long knife that had been struggled in by
friends. -Se q.
He began to make a hole about four feet
in diameter and there was no difficulty at
first. When one got tired another took his
place, two keeping watch all the time. To
prevent detection, the men above would pull
a string attached to the arm Of the man be-
low and by fixed signals would communicate
all danger.
For the first week things went we'll The
sand was loaded in soap box that had a
rope to 1t EA1d those on. the surface would
dump the dirt in the tent. At night the boys
would go in, load up pockets and stockings
and deftly scatter the sand outside. 1t was
soon dry and looked like the other sand The
boys trooped in and out frequently, but did
not excite the suspicion Of the English SOL
derS.
Once every day they had to take down all
tents, and that was the chief danger. The
hole was concealed by blanket covered with
sand and frequently the officer on watch al
most stepped in. Often he sat down ON the
box over it and chatted with the fellows.
This work continued for five weeks and
the boys We're almost at liberty when some
traitor in camp told the commandant of their
plans.
Janck and Johannsen were separated from
the other prisoners. One morning when the
prisoners were all taken to battle, Janck
dropped into hole and pulled the sand over
him so only his nose was exposed. He re-
manned there for two hours, then emerged
unseen and made his way to the railway sta
ton. He walked through the station. and on
to the sea, boarding east coast ship.
Johannsen escaped two days later by first