Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1906-12-22
BOER VETERANS
Have Scattered Almost All
Over the Entire
World.
Some of Them Have Settled in
This Country and Are
Welcome.
Those Who Came to st. Louis
Exposition Have Re-
NAMED.
AND THEY MAKE GOOD CITIZENS

All the world admires the brave
stand taken by the Beers of South
Africa against the British empire in
the memorable war which did so
much to show the world what a small
nation can do to preserve its integ-
rity when attacked by a more
powerful one. In the United States
the sympathy of the people was with
the Beers and many will be glad to
hear that an important contingent
of Boer veterans have settled in this
country. They certainly are most
welcome. Recent Investigations
made by the New York Evening Post
as to whittier the self-eXiled Boer
veterans located after the war has
brought to light some surprising
facts not generally known and now
tor the first time made public.
Some of them went to German
West Africa, but the expedition
proved a failure. Others settled in
Argentine, but the land set aside
for them was unfertile and the eli
mate uncongenial, and most of them
returned to their old home. Still
another detachment located in Mex
leo, and it seems that they Jared
better than the others. But from
all accounts he most contented of all
the Boer eXiles are those who have
found home in the United States.
The Beers who came to the Louisi-
ana Purchase Exposition with an eX-
hibition are now permanent resi-
dents of this country. They were left
penniless at the close of the eXposi-
ton, but they sought employment
and easily obtained it. Some of them
are in the lumber trade in Georgia,
and the rest are engaged in farming
in Louisiana, Mississippi Missouri
and Kansas. In New York City Beers
can be found in the department
stores and shipping yards, while a
number of them are making excel
lent motormen and conductors on the
street railways. The location of
some of the Boer officers who dis
tinguished themselves in the war
with England will be interest
ing to American readers. Gen. b.
j. viljaen, who fought at Colenso
and around Ladysmith, is now at the
y
men in New Mexico. Commandant
]. j. Boshoff, a former guerilla
leader, is engaged in business in st.
Louis. Commandant G. Mare, a dar-
ing leader of scouts, who was
wounded seven times, is now a
farmer near Savannah, Ga. Com
mandant p. j. Mol, another brave
officer, is farming with his brother
n
don, for whose arrest Lord Kitchener
offered a reward of $4,000, now re-
sides in Mount Vernon, n. Y, and
is connected with the building trade
in the metropolis. Lieut.. Tom Men
naer, prominent artillery officer,
is in business at Hoboken. Field
Cornet Van Gas, one-armed vet
eran, is selling lumber at Shubuta,
Miss. Capt. Dan De Villers, famous
fighter and hero, resides at Paterson,
n. J. These are but few of the
most conspicuous personages among
the Beers who have settled among
us. Concerning the men and their
ccmpatriots, the Evening Post says:
''The adaptability of the Beers is
evinced by the facility with which
they have entered into competition
in new walks of life, amid surround
ings totally foreign to them, where
in most cases they have obtained
suitable employment and are enjoy
ing a moderate competency. With
scarcely an exception they have
thrown in their lot with the new
country, declared their intention of
becoming American citizens and APP
piled for their naturalization pa
pers."