THE FORDSBURG DRAMA.

Evening Star, Issue 17923, 20 March 1922, Page 4

THE FORDSBURG DRAMA.

FISHER AND SPENDIFF. EEBEL LEADERS DIE TOGETHER. CAPE 'TOWN, March 18. (Received March 20, at 9.5 a.m.) - One of tho most romarkablo personalties of tho revolution was Percy Fisher, a prominent strike leader, and afterwards in command of tho Rods at Fordsburg. A captured policeman has given the •Johannesburg Star' a graphic story of his experiences as a captive in Fishers hands. The prisoners were required to take an oath not to take- up arms or to give evidence against their captors. On Sundav a marked change came over Ino Rods. " This was caused by the news that the Government forces had taken Vrededorp. On Sunday Fisher compelled some of the captives to'write a letter to General Smuts urging Mm to accept an offer from the rebels, but it is doubtful whether tho letter was ever sent. . . On Tuesday the outlaws faced their inevitable fatoVith stolid stoicism. Fisher beat five men unmercifully with a sjambok for trying to leave Fordsburg and go to the show ground. When the closing hour of the ultimatum approached the "arrison met in the Red hall, and after an address bv Fisher they sang ' The Red Fla"' Thev then had drinks and departed for the trenches for the last timo. Tho captured policeman never expected to leave tho place alive. ' At 11 o'clock tho first shrapnel burst over tho market buildings, filling the hall ■with smoke. Fisher told the police that he did not want to see them murdered, and that thev could take cover. Not a man accepted'the invitation. They simply sat and smoked and cheered as the bombardment increased. An attempt was mado in the trenches to hoist tho white flap; but this was instantly suppressed by the commander, who menaced tho men with a Winchester topester. In the last hour Fisher addressed the prisoners with vehemence, and begged them as young Africanders to keep the fla"- flying. He then handed them a black kitten', which had remained in the buildin" and asked them to keep it for luck. He several times paced up and down the hall, a moody, bowed figure, feuddenly he turned and said " Good-bye, and left the hall with Spendifi. "Going'to put himself out," said a.n old sergeant. The bodies of Fisher and Spendiff were found in a room of the market hall. Death was duo to self-inflicted revolver shots.— A. and X.Z. Cable. CLEANING-UP PROCESS. CAPE TOWN, March 18. _ Military operations wero continued in various Johannesburg suburbs yesterday, when the soldiers searched each street, making a house-to-house inspection. It is stated that this combing-out process will be applied- to tho whole of Johannesburg and suburbs. After a short running fight, fifty rebels were captured by mounted rifles in the northern area.—A. and N.Z. Cable. G 0 VEENMENT FORCES. THE CASUALTY LIST. CAPE TOWN, March 18. It is officially stated that the casualties in'tho Union Defence Force were as folSouth Africa police— As killed or died of wounds, 251 wounded, 5 missing. Civilians—Died of wounds 6, wounaed 93. "This list does not include the whole of tho casualties on the Government side.A. arid N.Z. Cable.