MR. CHURCHILL SLANDERED.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1098, 10 April 1911, Page 5

MR. CHURCHILL SLANDERED.

THE ESCAPE FROM PRETORIA,

By Telegraph—Press Association—Oopyxielit (Eec. April 10, 1 a.m.) London, April 9. Mr.. Winston Churchill, Home Secretary, has been awarded damages for slander from a Conservative working man, who, at a political meeting at Chagford, accused Mr. Churchill of breaking his parolo when he escaped from Pretoria during the South Africa "War. An apology has now been offered, with a promise not to repeat the slander. Mr. Winston Churchill has already placed behind him a career that would to most seem adequate to fill up the measure of their days. It is almost astonishing to pass it in review. Born in 1874, educated at Harrow and Sandhurst, ho entered the Army in 1895. Soon we find him in Cuba taking part in the inglorious but not unroiuantic Spanish war, and acquitting himself with distinction; the Malakand Field Force wins for him further laurels; the Nile expedition, the occupation of Khartum; the South African War, the unique experience of imprisonment and sensational escape; these are the great features that have marked his progress, while scores of minor incidents have distinguished his course. Mr. Churchill was made prisoner, while acting as war correspondent for the London "Morning Post in the Boer War. Within, a month ho had made a marvellous escape, during which he covered 300 miles of territory occupied by tho enemy. He thus described his escape: "Having climbed, unseen by tho sentries, over a high palisade, I <nul to myself "Toujours de l'audace,' put my hut on ray head, strode into ■ the middle of the- garden, walked past the windows of Hip house without any attempt at concealment, and so went through tho gate and turned to the left. I passed a sentry at less than five yards. Most of them know me by sight. Whether he looked at me or not I do not knoiv, for I never turned my head. But. after walking a hundred yards and hearing no challenge, I knew Hint tins second obstacle had been surmounted. I was at large in Pretoria."