Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1902-04-10
MANY LOST ,N FIGHT.
KITCHENER TELLS OF VICTORY Al
A HEAVY COST.

London, April 5.-There was severe
fighting all day long on March 81 In
he neigh torhood OF Harris river, In
the southwestern extremity OF the
Transvaal, between part Of General
! Kitchener's forces and the forces OF
Generals Delarey and Kemp, resulting
In the repulseiUf the Beers after heavy
losses on both sides, The Canadian
Rifles especially distinguished them
selves, one party, commanded 10y Lieu.
tenant Bruce Carruthers, holding It's
post until every man was killed or
wounded.
Lord Kitchener's official report says:
General Kitchener lord Kitchen
er's brother) sent Colone $ Keir and
CooSSon from Vriekuil, western Trans
wal, March 81, to reconoiter toward
| Harris river. They soon struck the
track OF guns and car led on running
fight for eight miles, following the
track through the bush. Emerging
on plain, large Boer achievements
advanced against heir TANKS, forcing
the British troops to take up deien-
sive position, which they hastily en-
trenched. Fghting ensued at close
quarters till the Beers were repulsed
on all sides, Delarey, Kemp and other
leakers vaiuly attempted To persuade
their men TO renew the action. Fiji
teen hundred Beers participated in
tn 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 It's post Till
every man was killed or wounded.
Others of the forces showed great
steadiness, allowing the Beers to ad-
vance within 200 yards OF them and
repelling them with asteady rifle fire. F"
JUSTIFY EXECUTIONS.
The war Office this afternoon issued
al 'lhSiul oNotNlIChu vi OiO iutto III
regard to the Australians sentenced
for numbering Beer prisoners, as fol-
lows:
1.-THE Bush veldt Gardiner, who
recruited In South Africa, but includ-
Z, d other colonials, we're employed In
july and August in the widest part
Of the Transvaal, eighty miles north
east Of Petersburg, and took certain
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.
casa result Of the inquiry five OIL
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 ana Morant were sentenced
TO death, which was carried out.
These officers were also char. ed with
the murder of Rev. G. HesSe. AL
though here was strong SuSp 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 we're mitigating circumstances
and the sentence was committed to
life Imprisonment at penal Servltude.
Lieutenant Pcton was found guilty Of
manSlaughter and was caShicred. Ma
jOr Lenahan, commanding the carabi-
neerS, who became aware Of the crimes
SuhSt quent to their cOmmittal, was
convicted OF culpably e1lecting TO re-
port them and was ordered home 10
Australia, his dismissal being unneces-
Sary, owing to the dlsbandment Of the
corps
"No doubt exists as to the guilt OF
the accused, whose plea, In exLenua-
ton, that a numoer Of their corps
were ill-treated by the Beers, was not
sustained by the evidence at the trial.
The sentences we're such as would
have been Inflicted ON any officers sim
ilarly guilty"