A Loyal Farmer's Experiences.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 9821, 21 July 1900, Page 3

A Loyal Farmer's Experiences.

Writing from Kroonstad recently the special correspondent of the Cage, jumss says:—

I have just obtained the particulars of the strange experiences and adventures of Mr Bauer, a sturdy British farmer, wellknown throughout the Free State for his consistent and uncompromisiug loyalty to her Majesty the Queen and all things and persons British.

Mrßauer'sfarmis at Klipfontein, seven miles from Kroonstad. At two o'clock on the afternoon of Sunday, 13tli inst., two men came to his farm, one of them, as it subsequently transpired, being Captain Theron, a Boer spy and leader of the enemy's scouts throughout the war. Theron's daring doings and the outrages which he has from time to time committed upon the loyalists of this State have made his name dreaded and notorious. . Among his exploits was that of entering Cronje's laager atPaardeberg while it was fully invested by the British troops. He got in by passing through the British lines at night, aud he made his exit in the same way.

Theron represented himself to Mr Bauer as a loyalist engaged in the secret service of the British Intelligence Department, and in that character had little difficulty in drawing the Englishman into expressions strongly anti-Boer. Among other things, Mr Bauer declared that " Old Ktuger ought to be hanged." Theron went away on Sunday evening, but on Monday morning he returned with 15 kindred spirits, and revealed himself in his true character to the imprudent Britisher. ' I have come back,' said Theron, 'to carry out upon you the sentence which you dared to suggest was fitting for the President of the Republic." Theron and his men then proceeded to place a rope round Mr Bauer's neck, and to rig up a sort of scaffold. Whether he would really have proceeded to the extreme length of murdering the unfortunate man in cold blood in this fashion will never be known, as his preparations were dramatically interrupted by the approach of a small force of British troopers. Bauer was thrust back into the house and compelled to hoist a white flag under threat of instant death, while the Boers placed themselves in ambush. The troops proved to be a patrol of five men. As they neared the house they dismounted. Theron suddenly shouted *' Hands up !" and before the Englishmen had recovered from their surprise at. the treachery, the concealed Boers fired a volley, killing two of the patrol. The remaining thrte were then taken prisoners. Fearing that a larger British forcemust be getting near the Boers decamped, without resorting to further outrage,. Theron shouting «s as he retired, " Tell the English that Theron did this and will do the same again. Unfortunately for Bauer, the first detachment of British troops to arrive after the treacherous ambush forthwith made reprisals by carrying off all the stock on the farm, aud burning the house. Bauer has since convinced the military authoiities of his complete innocence, and the dfficulty now is how to compensate him sufficiently for the ruin which ha 3 befallen him. All his fortune was invested in the farm. His case offers an excellent opportunity for generous treatment.