New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-12-13
PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC EYE.

The royal family of Denmark has long been
known in Europe as the most democratic Of reign
| ing houses. An American who recently i'm
pressed and not little embarrassed by this ten
dency is DR.. George G. Hopkins. Of Brooklyn Dr..
Hopkins went to Copenhagen to study the treat
ment of patients under the Finsen light ray. which
has Just for its discoverer the Nobel prize Oh
$4,000 for the most important advance in medical
science in the year 19O2-'0S When he was show
into DR.. Finsens laboratory there were TWO mldds
aged there TO whom he was introduced As
Dr. Finsen speaks no English. the introducdaa
didn't count for much. The two shook hams
with the American. one OF them greeting him II
perfect English. while the other spoke with soms
effort and more accent Turning to the first th'
visitor said:
You are an Englishman. presume. sir?
No he replied. with smile But nave .
sister who is English
Here the with the accent quietly expiaih-u
that his companion was the Crown Prince Frer
erick of Denmark. The sister who is English
the Queen of England DR.. Hopkins at ones
took off his hat and stepped back. The Crown
Prince told him to put it again, and. when nc
hestated. said
IF you do not put your hat on I shall have 70
take off my and prefer not 70 do that as Il Is
draughty here
This being settled. Frederick asked the physician
if he spoke Danish On receiving negative repF
he said: go,
you if you wish
At hrst it was rather embarrassing for DR. Hep
kirs but he became absorbed in his inquiTiss55
and worked his royal interpreter hard fer SUI
hour. When IL Frederick shook hallss
gravely remarked that he hoped he had proved
satisfactory as an interpreter and added Inatv y
sens work. and d0 that he WAS only too glad %
anything looking toward the introduction OF 'h0
system in America.
Among the many leaders who gained distinctioh
the Boer side in the late South African wal
Benjamin ]. Viljoen-who pronounces his mans
'Fil-june''-has of the highest regulations TOT
personal bravery. as we'll as for astute leadership
The general is man of well knit. athletic rsufs
with brown mustache and imperial, pleasant
eye He is most modest man in his conversatio~
about his exploits. At the battle Of the TugeA
he recaptured single handed Maxim gun 'h'
British had seized and removed. DashtnS up On
horseback. General Vilioen drove the team OF q
tiIlery horses for a distance OF fifteen hundrsa
yards. rocks and gullies that man wouH
hesitate to cross on foot, and brought the gun 20
place of safety in spite of the hail OF ouiisS
through which he had to pass 1t is said that sh7
only comment he can be persuaded to make on 'l'
feat is: "I had to come away, If wasn't 70 o. -
shot, and il was just as easy to bring the gun WI
me-" He comes of French and Dutch ancesu5s.
and his family name originally Nllon- ~ "a,
father. Wynand Viljoen was of the earlsss
settlers in the Tembuand district. and young pr pr
was born in mountain cave before which the
years old before he lived in house When ne w.
fifteen he served in one Of the native wars, a a
burg business was bad. and in company WITH p ~
Others he went broke" For time he server -
into Journalism where he made name for hrnsss
by his fearless attacks upon President krugs-s
but left them to light for his Country against En'-
land