THE EXECUTED AUSTRALIANS.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 11245, 10 April 1902, Page 5

THE EXECUTED AUSTRALIANS.

THE MEN OF THE CARBINEERS.

THE OFFICERS MAD WITH DRINK

TJnitfcd Press Association—By Eleotrio Telegraph—Copyright. {Received April 9th, 10.58 a.m.) ADELAIDE, April 9A returned soldier, who was a member of the Carbineers at the time of the shooting, states that applicants for enrolment had to satisfy the condition of being hardy men, as they were required in a 'feversirickcn part of the country; therefore tie corps was a fine body of men, and it is a gross libel to say they were scallywags. Captain Hunt was killed in fair fight, being ■hot through the heart. He was afterwards fearfully mutilated. The Boers were shot by Lieuts. Morant end Handcock, and other officers were eqnaily to blame, but Lieutenants Picton aad Witton were innocent. Tho narrator o! the account denied that loot was the object of the execution. The cause was drink. The quantity the officers consumed was marvellous, and they held carousals night after night. Macy of the officers were always more or less mad with drink. AN EYE-WITNESS'S STORY. A TROOPER'S EMPHATIC PROTEST. (special to "the frzss.") "DUNESDIN, April 9. The "Chitha Leader" editorially states that it has hod in its possession for four months a Setter from a trooper in the Bushveldt Carbineers, who testifies to tbe shooting of Boere by Morant and other officers. The correspondence was sent them under ■pledge of secrecy, but in view of recect events they now publish it. The writer, who was an eye-witness, was one of those who laid fch« informations, and was the principal -witness at the trial. He states: — "I found myseCf -warned for fche fkin? party to shoot a wounded boy Boer who was said to have been court-martialled and sentenced to death. " 'What for?' I asked. '"Oh, I don't know, but I've warntd you,' was the reply. " 'Well' I'm not going to do it,' I said. "'They can mafke you a prisoner.' " 'Then 111 go prisoner, "but TJI not shoot a -wounded man.' "I raised any voice in a most emphatic protest, and a Sew more did the seme, while others, instead of refusing, cleared out. I stood to my ftuns, and told them if they •were dead on for shooting rthey should have folionred up the Boers, and come -what would I would not make one of the firing party. By and "bye nry Sergeant-Major came up and said: " It's all right. We have got another man. You will not be asked to do it.'

' "SMS I protested against it, and spoke to the fellows in the same mess wi&h mc, four of iwhom were told off for the firing party. One of them was quite willing, tut the others eaid they would -have, to obey orders. Seeing tihe feeling of the men, one of the Lieutenants sang out, 'If you're so chicken-hearted 111 shoot him myself. , Botha, a Boer figUting for us, was told off, too. He told mc, 1 know him. I went to school with him. I don't like to do it.'

"Xhe wind-up was that of the firing party called up, one was a volunteer. A Victorran, another bad belonged to the Essex voCiinteers, and 'was always ready to 'blow any Boer's lights out.' The boy spoke so word, but ■clasped this hands, and as the volley rang out he Ml from hie sjfcfcinx position backwards. Then Lieutenant ——- Stepped over and put a revolver ertwt through Ms head, and all was over. Just prior to shooting Lieutenant Morant addressed the firing iparty, but what he said I could net exoctlv catch, except something about Captain Hunt's death. Morant also came over tone, and said, 1 know it's hard lines for him, but it's, got to be done. See how tie Boers knocked Captain Hunt about. , I said .'Captain Hunt died a soldier's death, and was killed in a fair go, and beyond being stripped there was no maLtreataient of Tbim, and, anyhow, Kaffirs might 'have stripped him. He said, 'No/ that Captain Hunt's tuoio and trousers had been found in a Cape cart. .

" 'But,' I eaid, 'the .boy was not wearing them. .

" 'Anyhow,' he said, 'it's got to be done. It's unfortunate he should be the first to suffer. , . ;

'"% atiH heßd i* yeea not right to ehoot him after carrying him co far, bob as up to fchie itime 'Monant and I had been good friends, I said no more, but tore off my '8.V.C. , badges and cursed such a form of soldiering. Then we saddled up and trdcked f<^ , home. "A section of us seemed to; feel that oar ofißcers, or the leading once of them, -were no good, thai they did noMntnt to catch Boers, bat wile anray time <m inconsequent patrols, ;■• and' keep clear of anything thait was likely to shoot back. This was "the conclusion ttc came to, and subsequent events justified it. I went out with an r other pwfrol. On lie wwy we met a waggon end eight Boers -being brought in by our anen. I will revert *o the eight Boers some other time, as a tragedy took -tlace next morning, of -which I was ignorant at the time."