New-York tribune., 1902-07-15
FREE BOER FIGHTERS HERE
ALL GOING HOME-NOT MUCH TO COM
PLAIN OF, SAYS ONE CoAIAIANDANT.

Clad in the same suits that they wore the
veldt, twenty-One officers and more than half
hundred Beers who captured by the British
and imprisoned the islands surrounding Ber-
muda arrived here yesterday the steamship
Pretoria. The steamship docked about 4:3O o'clock
Commissioner williams had Inspectors Eichler and
Flannery examine the mems papers and release
them.
Among the cost prominent of the officers were
General A. p. Cronje. Adjutant ]. F. Curlewis.
General J. b. Vessels. Peter F. Steyn, brother of
President Sreyn Of the Orange Free State; j. de
Viliiers late Attorney General of the Free State;
o. F r. de Villiers. Joubert Reitz. of the Free
State Secretary; c. A Frazer, private secretary to
President Steyn, and Commandant o. A S Davel.
I'VE are all going home as quickly as possible,
said General Vessels 'and if there was boat go
ing TO South Africa tomorrow we would take It,
We will try build up our burned houses and re-
store things to their old standing. I shall join my
wife and family in Pretoria. None Of them have
been captured, although my sons served all through
The and both wounded. We first heard of
peace on June ?, but very few believed it true l
fought for twenty-one months, and was captured
on July H. 1901 just year before my release"
The youngest member of the party was twelve
years old. NJ ]. Dewet, a cousin. he says, of the
general He is accompanied by his brother, P. S.
Dewet, who is twenty-five years old. Both boys
captured Kimberly while serving under
Commandant Jacobs
James L. Malloy, OF Boston and Michael HALEY.
OF Nevada. both American citizens, arrived with
Beers.
Africa with Red Cross ambulance corps. After
he was captured and sent TO Bermuda he made
efforts TO be released, but succeeded in getting
letter 10 United States Consul Green only few
weeks ago This letter resulted in the release of
both the terms of peace We're
signed.
Edward Seventer, a private in the Boer army,
who formerly inspector of public works in
Pretoria said that they had been treated badly by
the British in Bermuda The Beers in Ber-
uda " he said cd into classes
Those in the first class the men who have
enough money TO take them home and who have
acknowledged King Edward their ruler. The
second class consists of men who have made the
declaration of allegiance. but who cannot pay their
fare home. The third class contains the men who
have refused to make any declaration and there
several of them. Many of the Beers In the
bone of rerng 10 heir mother country When
they released most Of them will come to the
United States and go West"
There now about four thousand six hun,
dred Boer prisoners in the islands Of bermuda,
said Commandant Peter Ferrelra OF the orange
Free State. Two hundred Of these are Cape
home. they will have to wait until a British
transport arrives Regarding our treatment in
plain about 1t is certain that the British cared
them / heard OF the complaints Of leaky tents
and also of bad food. but as soon as the new
British commander Captain Pyne, arrived all these
Several schools were established on Darrels
Island. where the Beers taught English and
Dutch. The British did rot supply the teachers,
Miss Boyie and Mrs John Van Week. who have
been spending the summer in Hamilton, Bermuda.
officers Hearing that the Beers were being fed on
bread and water me young women saf maze oIet up P
rowboat for Darrell's Island. When they were
the British sentry stationed on the island they
took notice of him. Suddenly a shot was nred
being arrested by embarrassed ensign they
were taken to the captains tent and after IRE rece,n
tain had meant it to be. they were released