Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1907-02-11
HOW HERO or RoER WAR &c,
CAME A NEW MEXICAN.

To lose a country and find "A wife
may not b. a bad trade. even If II
does involve descending from the
seats If the mighty to the position
Of a fogrthelass postmaster In a H.
lie hamlet on the very outskirts Of
civilization.
This n. 10 capsule form. the real
life romance OF Geneyai BENJAMIN
Johanis vliicen. postmaster Of
chamberino. Rio Arriba county. New
Mexico. Ten years ago his name
was . household word wherever the
printing press 10 known. ~ the cap.
tor Of the aspiring but premature
DIR. Jameson. the South African
raider. With equal success he
fought the Basuto savages, receiving
his reward In the shape Of a seat In
the Volksraed. or senate. Of the
Transyaai republic.
With Do Vet and Botha he aided
Ia tho shattering Of British military
idols from tho start almost 10 the
hoer a Like Napoleon, he was
sentenced to Punishment for life on
the lonely rock OF st. Helena, and
when amnesty was offered he pre-
ferred exile 10 taking the oath of al.
ieglasce 10 the crown against which
lac had borne arms, With such OF his
klnsmen as chose 10 follow his nm.
certain fortunes, he started ON the
long trek" 10 the southwestern
land OF promise. finding a comforter
and helrmeet before he reached his
journeys end in a sympathetic lass
Of Illinois.
Benjamin Johanis viljoen, now en-.
gagged In the humdrum occupation of
selling two cent stamps at Chamber.
ino. was born at woodhouse, Eastern
Cape Colony. ss years ago. In 1886.
when but a beardless boy Of IS years
he caught the gold fever and Joined
the rush OF eager Argonauts TO the
Rand. The goddess Of the mines did
not smile upon his labors and In 1890
ne gave up prospecting 10 enter the
service Of the Boer government az
assistant public prosecutor. He still
fonged for adventure, and three
years later he became organizing of.
ncer OF the volunteer militia, with
the rank OF lieutenant, rising grad.
ually until he became major. His first
leap into the spot light was made In
1880 when he gained international
renown as leader In the capture of
Doctor Jim," whose misfortune was
that he made his spectacular move
just a little too soon.
For his services at this time VII.
joen raj promoted to the position of
commandant Of the burgher. or citi.
zen forces OF johannesburg. His
mettle having been tried and found
true, in 1897 he was intrusted with
leadership OF an expedition to swaz.
Hand.
During the latter stage of the her.
ole Boer struggle for independence
against an overwhelming weight of
and material resources,
Viljoen captured many armored
trains and kept up an unceasing
campaign with the object OF harrass.
ing and worrying the enemy, while
his compatriots, De Wet and Botha,
were cooperating elsewhere. Two
months before the last shot was fired
he was ambushed at midnight, while
crossing the British Gordon with a
a small escort. His horse was shot
under him and he was severely
wounded. making his capture easy
He was sentenced to Punishment for
life on the island OF st. Helena,
he was confined until In the
tall OF 1902. He was then paroled
and returned to South Africa to bid
to the land for which he
had fought In vain. to sever old ties.
Ind to gather together the little that
belonged to him that had escaped
he general cataclysm. He was one
II the "irreconcilables," steadfastly
efusing to accept amnesty at tb.
rice of swearing allegiance to tie
A few faithful followers,
ouEd to him by ties Of blood, cleo
ID to accompany him into exile.
nd together they set sail for the
and OF the Free. arriving In New 4
ork In December. 1902.
The exiIes found the hearts an