THE WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA.

New Zealand Herald, 12 March 1901, Page 3

THE WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA.

FROM THE r CAPE : PAPERS. NATAL MAIL TRAIN ATTACKED. FIFTEEN PASSENGERS : ■ •.. WOUNDED. MAILS, DESPATCHES, AND MONEY STOLEN. THREE OTHER TRAINS BLOWN UP. Mabitziitjrg, February 9.; Nkws has been received of the holding up of the Natal-Transvaal mail train between the Vaal and Greylingstad stations, by about 300 Boers, on Wednesday morning. The train was riddled by bullets. The escort, consisting of an officer and seven men, returned the fire till the ammunition was spent, and then surrendered.

It appears that the train was attacked whilst proceeding up an incline. Two feet of rails had been broken up by the Brers, in the hope that the train would be derailc'l. The engine jumped the gap, and then came to a standstill. Large parties of Boers had stationed themselves about, half-a-mde away; for the purpose of screening another band, who occupied a position behind a slight ridge situated 250 yds from the line. Immediately the Boers saw their efforts at derailment had failed, they opened fire. The small escort replied to the fusillade, and for twenty minutes kept the enemy at bay with well-directed volleys. The passengers in the meantime sought shelter as best they could. Seeing that further resistance would be futile, the officer ordered the white flag to be hoisted. " - *

The Boers thereupon rapidly surrounded the train, and demanded th" immediate surrender of the luggage, threatening instant death if their demands were not observed. The order was complied with, and within a few "minutes they had ransacked every article of value, even robbing two nurses of £21. The heavy fire had attracted the attention of an outpost stationed about four miles from the scene of the disaster. A 15-pounder was therefore brought into action, but the missiles fell short of their destination, although having the effect of scaring tho enemy away" southwards. ' ... Fifteen passengers, including 10 civilians, were wounded. Of the two nurses, the only two ladies on board the train, one was shot through the hat, and the other through the skirt of her dress.

The engine was somewhat damaged, but not sufficiently to prevent the continuance of the journey to Heidelberg. Under the circumstances, it was not thought advisable that the down train should proceed the same evening ; its journey, therefore, was resumed at dawn on Thursday, an escort being provided beyond its own 25 men, in the shape of an armoured train containing another 25 men. The Vaal was safely reached, no Boers having been seen. Here another delay was caused ; it transpiring that a further serious accident had occurred between the Vaal and Vlaklaagte. The armoured train went ahead to the scene of the disaster, which lay midway between the two stations. Three hours later the armoured train returned with the information that three trains had been derailed by dynamite explosions. The Boers had laid eight charges on the track. The passenger train for Natal was the first victim, passing six of the charges without effect, but exploding the last two, and then capsizing. A goods train in its wake came to grief over another couple of charges, whilst a construction train met with a like fate over the remaining mines. All the trains turned over upon then sides, and the permanent way was destroyed. Fortunately there was no loss of life, two men only receiving injuries, one of them being the fireman of the front train, who was hurt seriously about the knees whilst jumping from his engine when it was in the midst of its somersault; the second man was cut about the head. A small party of Boers was ensconced at a farmhouse about 2000 yds away from the scene. An ineffectual fire was maintained by them, but the range fortunately proved too great for them to inflict any injury.. No one was hit. The enemy's fire was returned by an escort of eight men, the exchange lasting about two hourc. -' • "• _ The construction train then made a deviation of the line, and steamed back to the Vaal. , The arrival of the armoured train resulted in the decampment of the Boers. After waiting eight hours, the down train proceeded on its way, the passengers having literally dodged death on the entire journey from the Rand. The names of six of the wounded civilians are as follows -.— C. Boutres, J. Judge, C. Thompson, A. E. Adams, and Von Hessart. All, it is understood, were from Durban, and all are progressing favourably. Routres is dangerously wounded. MURDER OF PEACE ENVOYS. Bloemfontkin, January 28. The following is the full text of the wire received by the Military Governor from the Kroonstad District Commissioner, with reference to the alleged murder of a Boer peace envoy by order of De Wet: —" Kroonstad. January Sequel to death of Morgendaal. Am awaiting arrival of eye-wit-ness from Lindley. Have evidence of Gerhardus Muller, who was present when Morgendaal was shot. He stated that Morgendaal was never tried by the Boer Court. Froneman flogged Morgendaal first in a most cruel way with a sjambok across the face and head, and threatened to shoot him. De Wet called out, ' Shoot the b ,' and Froneman' promptly shot Morgendaal. The evidence appears only too clear. I have the statement of an eye-witness, Muller, who was only 10 yards away all the time, and that of Mrs. Morgendaal, who received the death-bed statement of her husband, which confirms Muller's statement, and a letter from a doctor, who heard the story from others. Andries Wessels, who went with Morgendaal, was still alive last Saturday. His evidence, when obtainable, will be of value. Copies of affidavits will be forwarded to you. The case is one of a cowardly murder of a British subject and justice of the peace, who had taken the oath of allegiance, and was under the white flag. No doubt, later, plenty of confirmatory evidence will bo forthcoming." S.MALDEEL, January 30. • I have just interviewed a native who was with Morgendaal, the peace envoy, and escaped. He arrived here this morning, and states that Morgendaal was first sjamboked and afterwards shot by the personal order of De Wet. He was then carried to a farmhouse. The boy also states that Wessels was made prisoner, but is alive. Bloemfontein, January 30. The District Commissioner of Kroonstad has telegraphed to the Military Governor that Andries Wessels, who accompanied Morgendaal, who was shot by Froneman near Lindley, while on a mission to acquaint the burghers with Lord Kitchener's offer in regard to voluntary surrender, was also shot by order of De Wet at Klipfontein on Monday. Kroon'stad, February 2. Evidence accumulates which proves beyond doubt that the peace envoy Morgendaal was cruelly murdered. The native who drove Morgendaal and Wessels out was taken prisoner by De Wet, but escaped from the laager. He was an eye-witness to the murder, and has made an affidavit, which corroborates in every detail the information already published. He, however, states that both men had undergone examination, but judgment had not been-passed. That Mr. Andries Wessels, ex-M.V., met with the same fate after being sentenced to death appears only too true. ' The report comes from a reliable source, accompanied by a warning to others not to attempt to approach the commandos on similar missions.

The incident has cast quite a gloom over the town, where both men were well known and highly respected. Mr. Wessels was an old man and lame. He had considerable influence among burghers prior to the war. The district around Kroonstad is quiet, with the exception of small roaming bands on booty bent. A BOER GENERAL'S VIEWS. /■':-* Smaldeel, January 29. General Vilomell, who during the first part of the campaign held a higher position than De Wet, expressing his views on the situation, said that when Bloemfontein was taken he asked his commando to surrender, holding that the war was over, and every man held up his hands. He further states that the' Boers are doing incalculable damage to the country, but that the prolongation of the war will have the effect of preventing a rising in the future. All engaged fighting now, I he says, have nothing to lose,.

- A SEDITIOUS OFFICIAL. Mttekaysbttkg, January 30. J. C. van Heerden, one of the most influential members of the local- Dutch Reformed 'Church, and a field-cornet in this division, was this morning sentenced by court-martial to pay a fine of £100, or six months' imprisonment, for using threatening and seditious language. The commandant addressed the public in Court, warning them as to their future conduct. This sentence is certain to have a.good effect in the district. PROCLAMATION BY SIR A. MILNER; On February 1, Sir A. Milner issued the following proclamation :—" Whereas there ' is reason to believe that considerable numbers of the enemy are preparing to invade ; this colony, and whereas it is desirable to j warn all His Majesty's subjects, and more especially those' resident in districts likely I to be directly affected by the invasion,' of I their duty to His Majesty, His Throne and j Government, and of the consequences of a failure to observe such duty. " Now, therefore, by virtue "of the authority in me vested, I do hereby call upon all subjects of His Majesty to observe their obligations to His Majesty, His Throne and Government, and in no way whatever to recognise the authority of the invading forces, or directly ofindirectly to assist such forces, but to give all assistance and information to the civil. and military authorities of His Majesty in their efforts to repel the invasion. "And I do further proclaim and make known that all commandeering of His Majesty's subjects in this colony to serve in or assist the invading forces is contrary to law, and absolutely null and void, and must not be obeyed; and that any person directly or indirectly joining or assisting the enemy in breach of his allegiance to His Majesty, will be guilty of high treason, and render himself liable to the utmost penalty of the law. "And I do further warn and admonish all His Majesty's subjects that, while they will not fail to secure a full recogniti6n and fair compensation for any actual injury which may be done to them because of their loyal adherence to their allegiance, yet that no compensation will be secured or paid for any loss caused by the invaders to the propertv of any person who has himself joined the enemy, or who has permitted any of his family or others under his influence or control to join or assist the enemy, without doing everything in his power to prevent them, or who has directly or indirectly aided, assisted, or encouraged the enemy, or who has failed to take all reasonable means to protect himself and his property, or to assist the authorities in protecting them." "WHEREOF I AM GLAD." The Resident Magistrate has requested us ('Oudtshoorn Courant), to publish the following extract from a letter written by a, Boer prisoner of war, now in gaol here, to his wife, the writer having expressed a wish ! that it should be made public : — Oudti shoorn, January 29, 1901. Mrs. G. Prelorius, Brandfort. Esteemed wife, — am in the : hands of Her Majesty's troops, whereof 1 am very glad. lam well, and be assured that I am treated like a gentleman. As we have always been stuffed with lies I now have experience'that every one is well treated.— Your husband, G. J. Pketorius. A SMART CAPTURE. Standerton, January 29. A smart capture of Boers was effected last night. At the instigation ol the Magistrate, Mr. Allison, who was formerly of the Guides, Captain Wiggins, with Mr. Allison, a squadron of the 13th Hussars, and 35 police, left ) camp at nine o'clock last night. Crossing j into the Orange River Colony, thev made for ; a form which was known to be the rendez- ' vous of several Boers, and on arrival there I the house was surrounded. ' Captain Wig- ; gins and Mr. Allison burst open the door, S and on striking a light discovered six Boers I asleep in bed, and an Englishman, named ' Davis, their prisoner. The Boers were told : to hold up their hands and surrender, which they promptly did. As soon as they tumbled out of bed, one. in attempting to escape, was wounded. Several horses and head of cattle were captured, ■ and the prij soners were brought into Standerton this I morning and lodged in gaol. '■• ■->■-