AMAZING BLACKMAILING CHARGES.

NZ Truth, Issue 150, 2 May 1908, Page 7

AMAZING BLACKMAILING CHARGES.

VON VEITHEIM'S STARTLING STORY.

Intrigues and Plots at Johannesburg,

THE JAMESON RAID AND MR. KRUGER

Penal Servitude for Twenty Years.

The final feature of the proceedings against Franz Von Veltheim at the Central Criminal Court, London, at the end of February, was his account of his doings m the Transvaal about the time of the Jameson Raid, The charge was one oE endeavoring to obtain £16,000 from Mr Solly B. Joel, .the South African bank-merchant, by menaces. An English report of the proceedings as they took place said :— He denies that the language he used amounted to menaces, and declares that lie had a genuine claim upon Mr Joel and his family for political services which he rendered m the time of President Kruger's Government. He alleges that he was introduced to Mr Joel's uncle, Mr Barnato, as a sort of expert m revolutions, and that he advertised Mr Barnato to attempt to overthrow Mr Kruger by creating what would look like a Boer revolution, which was expected to result m a more tractable . Boer being placed at the head' of the Republic. He asserts, too, that Mr Woolf Joel, the prosecutor's brother, offered him £50,000 to "remove" Mr Kruger, but "as a man" he refused to undertake this. He stated that Mr Barnato gave him £500 m February, 1897, and sent a similar sum to him later at Eastbourne, but he does not consider that he has been adequately paid. THE JAMESON RAID. Mr S. B. Joel gav^ evidence as to the alleged threatening letters he had received from the prisdner, and was then cross- ; examined, by Mr Vachell, K.C., as to the agitation which culminated m the Jameson Raid m December, 1895. \ Mr Vachell asked— Were your firm shareholders m the De Beers Company ? — Yes.

Was it believed that arms were sent from the De Beers' works concealed m drums of oil ?— I believe there was something said like that. Your uncle was a remarkably clever and enterprising man ?— 1 believe so. Had he taken a great part m these political movements ? — He was m England, and knew nothing until it .was all over. He returned about March, 1896, when he heard of my arrest. I suppose your firm has been concerned m the promotion — I do not use the word m the slightest degree offensively— of . several companies m South Africa .?— Yes. And was one of the results of the political crisis that the value of shares m some of these companies fell considerably after the raid ?— Yes. THE PRISONER'S STORY. Some other evidence which had been given at the police court was repeated, and the prisoner then went into the wit-ness-box. Mr Vachell : How long have you used that name ? — Twenty-seven years, if not longer, but for family reasons I do not say I was born m that name. He first made the acquaintance of- the Barnato Brothers m the summer of 1596. He came from South America, where he had been sent several years before to organise a new steamship company and plantation, business. He was on leave, and arrived just after the Jameson raid. He wen,t to the Continent and returned to London m August, when he met an old friend ironi South America, who was representing one of the South American Republics. Through him he met Kir Barney Barnato.

.The; Judge : Will you, give the name of your friend ?— I cannot.. - Do you mean you don't know it, or will not give it ? — My Lord, I am under a pledge not to give it. I was personally introduced to Mr Barnato. Mr Vachell : Why were you asked for the pledge not to give your friend's name ?— I had been m two revolutions m South America. -" He was governor fit one time of a great State m South America, about ; the size of Germany. I lent him ships and men. I found him again m London as a Minister. The Judge : Do you mean Minister m the sense of being an Ambassador ?— Yes, my Lord. MR KRUGER AN AUTOCRAT. Continuing, the prisoner said : — "My friend had a great opinion of my natural gifts m handling men, and my general ability m handling a revolution, and as the question was about a revolution m the Transvaal my friend had spoken to Mr, Barnato about me. I met Mr Barnato at the Hotel Metropole. It was m July, I believe, but it may have been m the early part of % August, 1896. Mr Barnato explained to me their trouble m the Transvaal, and asked me what I thought of it— if it ,was possible that a raid could be carried out with success — and generally, if it was, m my opinion, possible at all to cope with the situation m a revolutionary sense without resorting to outBide help. I asked him to explain to nic the situation, and if the Boers were all solid on one side and the Outlanders solid on the other, He said, 'so far, yes.' Mr Kruger was an autocrat and could do what he liked, and he was the only obstacle to a reasonable progressive policy. I asked Mr Barnato if there were any prominent Boers who were more or less able and ambitious enough to lead us themselves, if there was anybody jealous of Mr Kruger, with the object of causing a split. After discussing the general principles, Mr Barnato, after speaking with me for about three-quarters- of an hour, agreed that my view was new to him, but he could see the point." BARNEY BARNATO'S SUICIDE.

The Judge : What was your view ?— To cause ' a split amongst the Boers themselves by fostering the ambition of one party and helping them secretly, and putting at their disposal capital and experts who would engineer a revolution. At the moment it came to a head a real Boer would take tlie place of Kruger himself, so that it would seem a revolution amongst the Boers themselves. The prisoner said he was to hold himself at Mr Barnato's disposal, and he resigned his appointments. Mr Barnato gave him £500. "He asked me what I thought the whole operation would cost. M told him I could not possibly tell exactly until I saw the country myself, but I did not think it would cost more than half a million. He also asked what I expected if I took the matter up seriously. I said if the thing went off all right • I should think £50.000, and perhaps with it a good situation, and if it did not go off right 1 1 would only get expenses. He said money was of no consequence ; if it could be done within a million, it would be cheap at the price. In February, 1897, at Eastbourne, I received- a messenger, who handed me a letter with a lead pencil note from Mr Barnato and £500 m cash. He said, "I expect ypu by the first boat to meet me at Capetown before I sail. All instructions then.' I arrived about the end of April, 1897, and saw Mr Barnato. After that Barney Barnaco committed suicide." FIGHTING THE KAFFIRS. How did you occupy yourself from that time, April, 1897, to February of the next year ? — I got a message telling me to return to Europe for a time, but seeing that I was m Africa, I thought 1 had better wait till Woolf Joel came out, and m the meantime I joined the Cape mounted police, who were engaged m a war with the Becliuanaland Kaffirs, I could

not take part m the war m any other way than by joining as a and taki ing the Queen's shilling, Xdo not see why tliat should be a reproach, but it has been thrown up. I went through the campaign and was wounded. I left the Cape Mounted Police and "went to Johannesburg. The prisoner then explained the circumstances under which he wrote the letters signed "Kismet" to the prosecutor. Ho said he acted on the suggestions of Miss Caldecott (now dead), who stated .that her father had lost money through acting on Mr S. B. Joel's advice. He did not realise fully what he was doing. "Ever, since I wrote the letters I have been trying to forget them — the one silly thing I have ever done mmy life. Mr Solly Joel took more notice of the fetters than I thought he really would. I went to Mr Wooll Joel and apologised for my silly joke." Mr Joel, the prisoner continued, said, "You mentioned something about some other business. What is it ?" I said, "I have been waiting for you to oome out for months now. Have you any business connected with my name and your uncle's ?" I pulled out} two notes and handed them to him. He looked at the notes, and said, "Well, what is the business ?" : HOW WOOLP JOEL WAS SHOT.

"Von Veltheim went on to tell how he mentioned to Mr Woolf Joel his rela.tlons with Mr Barnato. "I said — 'You must pay. me a sum of £8000 now, and £4000 later under a guarantee from me that what I tell you will be of value to you. All I require is your word.' He looked at me and said 'All right, I accept. I v/ill pay you £12,000 provided it be worth it.' I then told him all about the plan, which by this time had been worked out— a detailed plan for securing the Transvaal Goverpment without a ppreat war." Telling how on March 14 he, Mr Strange, and Woolf Joel met m the last-named's office, Yeltheim said— '•As Woolf Joel came m he closed the door and slipped the catch, and came to me and shook hands and said — 'Well, Veltheim, what are you going to do ? Are you ready to go?' I said— 'Ready to go where ?' He said— 'You must go to London. There -is no way out of this, and there we can perhaps make other arrangements.' " Von Veltheim, speaking very slowly, and indicating with his hands how things happened, said — "I went on with an intimate conversation with Mr Joel. He was against the desk like this (a little bent forward). After about ten minutes 'suddenly a shot was fired, and I received a blow m the face as if somebody had thrown some sand or gravel- m my face." THE SHOOTING OP JOEL.

Mr Vachell : What did you do ?— My hand flew to my pocket, where I had a little 32-calibre revolver, which I always carried m those days, I drew my revolver and a handkerchief on top of it, and fired at Strange, m the hope before falling myself of at least hurting them. I saw Strange, drop simultaneously with my shot. I then wheeled and fired three shots *at Mr Joel. I looked at-., Strange, who had dropped on the floor, and saw he was not trying to shoot, and forebore putting more bullets m him."

HE DID ALL KINDS OP THINGS. When the case was resumed on Tuesday the accused was again placed m the wit-ness-box, and the court was crowded. He was questioned by Mr C. F. Gill as to Who the gentleman was -who introduced him to Mr Barney Barnato. "Nothing, I suppSse," said Gill, "would induce you to give the name of the diplomat, as you have described him, who m? troduced you to Barney Barnato ?"

Witness : Nothing. I gave a pledge, which nothing would cause me to violate. I did not violate the pledge when my Ufa was at stake; why should Ido it now ? Witness went on to say that he left England m 1897 foi the Gape, m pursuance of his arrangement •with Barney Barnato.

Mr Gill : Did you not leave England because you apprehended proceedings being taken against you at the time ?— lf that had been so I would not have gone to South Africa, a British colony, and have joined the police. It was possible that about that time I consulted a firm of solicitors m London. I don't quite remember, but I may at about that period, before going to South Africa have lived for a time at the Eastern Hotel, East and West India-road, m the name o! Captain Vincent. I did all kinds of things m those days. (Laughter.) Were you not there for weeks ?— No, myj dear sir, I took a passage to South Africa m the name of Kurt.

REPORTED DEAD, What were you to do there ?— I was to make preliminary inquiries. Get information about the character of the Transvaal people ; find out the character of certain men surrounding President Kruger, and to wait for Woolf Joel to come out for further financial arrangements. And m order to carry out that business you enlisted W three years m the Cape Mounted Police ?— I joined with the privilege of buying myself out at any time for £20. I had a mark on my faco of powder from a pistol shot before I was similarly marked m the encounter with Woolf Joel. Do you remember Mr Thomas, who was your guardian m the time of your youth ? —I decline to give any information as to my childhood. When I was wounded m the hospital I heard of the body of Von Veltheim being found m the Thames. I was told finally that I need not pay the £20, but that I could go on account of , the mysterious affair m the Thames. Up to 1897 had you ever been to the Transvaal ?— ■ No. Then at the time you were selected for this work by Mr Barnato you had never been m the Transvaal ?— No, not m the Transvaal. I was never really hard up when .1 was m South Africa, and the statements to that effect m the "Kismet" letters were entirely mythical. I may have borrowed money from various persons, but I could easily have got cash apart from the Barnatos if I had wanted, but I decline to say from whom. You agree apparently that the "Kismet" letter, m which you ask for £12,---000, was a blackmailing letter ?— I underBtand now it was a most improper letter.

1 A PRESENT TO MR KRUGER. Mr Gill : But did you not offer your services as an agent for the Boer Government, and did not they refuse it ? Accused : I did not. In Delagoa Bay, after receiving the bomb to blow me up, I wrote, I think, to the effect that if they promised not to ask me anything about the past, as that was a sealed book, and they wanted ray services, they could have them. In re-examination by Mr Vachell (for the defence), Von Veltheim said : After Barney Barnato left South Africa my work m South Africa was to foster internal dissension amongst the Boers. Mr Solomon Joel, re-examined, said his uncle, Barney Barnato, was always on ' good tends with President Kruger. By. Mr Vachell : My uncle was always on good terms with President Kruger, and he never went to South Africa with-

out visiting him. In fact, he made him a presentation. Mr Vachell : Is that what they call slim ? (Laughter.)— l don't know. This concluded the evidence, and counsel addressed the jury. VERDICT AND SENTENCE. The jury brought m a verdict o.f guilty. Inspector Penton afterwards mentioned the prisoner's name was not Von Veltheim, but that he was a deserter from the German Army. Mr Justice Phillimore, m sentencing the prisoner, said he was a desperate man,, who could be guilty of many forms of wickedness. He sentenced him to 20 years' penal servitude. The prisoner, who seemed astounded, was at once seized by four warders and removed from the dock.