TRIAL OF DE WET.
BID FOR REPUBLIC.
REBELS' FALSE HOPES. '
Bloemfonteix, February 17. A witness who gave evidence in the case against Christian De Wet now being tried for treason, stated that General Botha wrote to exPresident Steyn urging him to use his influence to prevent the rebellion, oteyn sent Hertzog to see De Wet, and . Botha proposed that De Wet should go to Pretoria under safe conduct to negotiate with the Government. De Wet declined and told Hertzog that Botha must resign the Premiership and agree to a proclamation announcing the establishment of a Republic. Another witness stated that during the engagement at Doornburg De Wet directed the storming of the Loyalists' position, but ordered that the rebels' rifles should not be loaded, apparently not wishing to kill anyone.
Other evidence showed that the rebels believed that Colonel Maritz had captured Kimberley. They imagined that the march to Pretoria would be a picnic, and that the whole Dutch population would rise in revolt.
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Bibliographic details
New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15848, 19 February 1915, Page 6
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164TRIAL OF DE WET. New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15848, 19 February 1915, Page 6
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