The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-03
Missionary who Heard of the AFFAIR
Reported to Have Been Shot to
Prevent Spread Of News.
FIGHT NEAR BosCHMANS KOP
BRITISH ATTEMPTED TO SURPRISE
LAGER OF BOERs,
hut Were Outnumbered and Forced to
Retreat-saved by the Timely
Arrival of Col. Lawley.

LONDON. April 3-The Morning Leader
publishes the alleged story of the crimes
which led to the court-martial and execu-
tion OF two Australian officers I'm South
Africa, which is just now exciting keen in
dignation in Australia. The newspaper as
serts that several officers of this particular
irregular corps shot natives like rabbits,
and that they are even suspected of muir
dering men of their own command against
whom they had grudges. The incident
which led to their cOurt-martial was the
cold-blooded execution" by those officers
of ten Beers who were journeying to Piet-
ersburg with the object of surrendering.
IL was supposed these Beers had 10000
with them Actuated by cupiditv the Aus
tralians stopped the Beers. tried them by
mock court-martial and ordered all to be
shot. This was done by squadron of the
soldiers after some of the noncommissioned
officers had refused TO carry out the death
sentence. The officers then ransacked the
Boer wagons and were disgusted on finding
that the 10000 was in Transvaal paper
money.
Continuing. the Morning Leader says
German missionary a few miles distant
from the scene OF execution" heard of
Australians concerned. fearing he would
divulge his information. shot the mission
airy dead This shooting eventually led to
n complaint by the German consul to Lord
Kitchener. who proceeded to court-martial
tho Australians.
General Lord Kitchener. in a dispatch
from Pretoria. made public on Wednesday
evening. announced that the Second ORA
ard
tion near Boschman's kop during the even
ing OF March 81. Four officers are known
10 have been wounded. No further details
OF the casualties have been received.
The column commander, Colonel Lawley
detached the dragons with the object of
surprising Boer Jaeger. reported to have
been located ten miles east of Boschman's
kop. The dragons found the Beers strong
ly posted and the burghers were subse-
quently largely reinforced. with the result
that the dragons had to fight a hard rear
guard action in order to regain the main
column. The heavy firing called up Colonel
Lawley and his troops. who drove off the
Beers. The latter's loss is reported to have
been heavy.
10 has been suggested that the train
wreck near BarbertOn, Transvaal Colony
March 90, resulting in the death of thirty
nine soldiers and the wounding of forty
FIVE others. nearly all of whom belonged TO
the Hampshire Regiment was caused by
the Beers. but Lord Kitchener reports that
IL was accidental The train was descend
ing a steep grade when the engine and FIVE
trucks jumped the track and turned oyer
After leaving Barberton the engineer lost
control OF the train on the down grade
and for three miles ii went at the rate of
eighty miles hour. The engine Jumped
the rails at a sharp curve. with five trucks
filled with soldiers. A terrific smash-up
followed and the boiler of the engine ex-
plOded. The engineer and fireman were
killed. Six of the injured soldiers have
since died.