TRANSVAAL AFFAIRS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 10602, 30 April 1896, Page 2

TRANSVAAL AFFAIRS.

— • y. — - A DEATH SENTENCE ON" REFOJftMERS. (PER' PItESS ASSOCIATION.) LdNtidif; April 28:— Jam'esW.s trial has been further adjourned dntil June 11th. Tide evidencu addticod to-dajr showed that a bicyclist sent by tlie Reform Committee informed Jameson on January Ist,' that two'.tho'uWM nfien wefe rtedy to march to his assistance. Jameson replied that ho had no desire to fight, but that the march would bo usoful. Petoria, April 28.— Five members of the Reform Committee have been sentenced to death. Pretoria, April 29.— The death sentonco was passed on Hammond, Phillips, Farrar, and Rhodes'; 60 others were sentenced to two years' imprisonment, fined £2000, and banished from the country for three years. There is great excitement throughout the Rand, and trouble is feared unless the sentences are commuted. President Krugor, in the coarse of an interview on the subject, said he trusted the Johannesburg populace would calmly await tbe docisionof the Executive, which would meet on Thursday to consider tho matter. There is now & strong revulsion of feeling in favour of Rhodes among the. Africanders LbNDdfc, April. 29.— Mr Chamberlain wired President Krugor that the Government has no doubt it is intended to commute tho sentences, and he assured Parliament of this conviction. The announcement of the sontences created great excitement in tho House of Commons. Tho Times points out that the prisoners adhered to the torms President Kruger asked, and it is incredible that a civilised Government would hang them because it did not obtain a personal indemnity. Washington, April 29. — The American Consul cabled that Hammond's sentence will be commuted. Both Houses carried a petition to President Kruger for a pardon for Hammond. Both Congress and the press are unanimous in their domand for tho commutation of the sentences.