United States or San Marino ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Early in the morning of the 6th of August, as the breaking dawn was tinting the tops of the Lebombo Mountains with its purple dye and the first rays of the rising sun shed its golden rays over the sombre bushveldt, the commando under Commandants Moll and Schoeman were slowly approaching the dreaded M'pisana's fort.
It soon appeared that the majority of the people were ready to support the President, and from all quarters men repaired to Kroonstad. At this stage the Free State President received an offer of assistance from General Schoeman, of Zoutpansberg, against Pretorius, in which object he believed Lydenburg would also join.
On this occasion a patrol of sixteen men from the South Australian Horse and New South Wales Lancers fell into an ambush, and eleven were captured. Of the remainder, three made their way back to camp, while one was killed and one was wounded. The duel between French on the one side and Schoeman and Lambert on the other was from this onwards one of maneuvering rather than of fighting.
Cronjé admitted under cross-examination that he had not observed any particular form of trial, although, as was pointed out, the law dealing with native trials stated specifically 'that the rules which govern procedure in civilized courts shall be followed as closely as possible. He stated that as regards the Chieftainess, he called her up and read over to her 'point by point' 'the indictment under which she was charged, which indictment, however, as he admitted, consisted merely of a letter of complaint written by Field-cornet Schoeman to him as Superintendent-General of Natives.
Judge: You did not call upon Schoeman to produce any evidence against her? Witness: No. Judge: His letter of complaint to you seemed sufficient? Witness: Yes. Judge: You did not give her any opportunity to bring evidence? Witness: It was not necessary.
P.A. Cronjé, Jesaja v. P.A. Cronjé and D.J. Schoeman, Segole v. P.A. Cronjé and J.A. Erasmus, have attracted, as well they might, a good deal of attention. The following résumé and commentary were compiled by a legal gentleman who was present during the trial, but not professionally employed in it. Justice Jorissen.
I got up and went to the outhouse where my Kaffir slept. I woke him up and asked him where the Hottentot was. "Oh, he is gone," he replied, "to go and fetch his things to go with the baas." I at once felt that there was something wrong, and went and called my men. I told them to saddle-up, and went off with my staff to the farm of Mr. Schoeman on the Valsch River, to the east of Bothaville.
Schoeman was cleared of the calumnies that had been the cause of his suffering. In this case, as in many others, the victim was the object of the private vengeance of a man who had had a grudge against him, and repaid it in that abominable manner.
Hendrik Schoeman, one of the most prominent commandants in the Transvaal and a near relation of the President. Needless to say, all are members of the Kruger family party, and were most prominent supporters of his Honour at the time of the 1893 election. They claim that they were definitely promised a concession for the bewaarplaatsen as a reward for their services in this election.
You heard evidence neither for nor against them, but you handed them over to to whom, Mr. Cronjé? Not to the proper authorities, but to Erasmus and Schoeman, the other parties in the case which you were sent up to try. It seems to me, Mr. Cronjé, that this is a case without parallel. There was no answer from the witness. Judge: One point more, Mr. Cronjé, and I have finished.
Word Of The Day