A GRIM STORY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1856, 16 September 1913, Page 7

A GRIM STORY.

UNION MINISTERS COVERED BY

REVOLVERS.

INCIDENT OF RAND STRIKE SETTLEMENT. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Johannesburg, September 14. A sensation has been caused as tho result of Mr. Poutsma stating before tho Commission of Inquiry that after the rioting on July 5 last peacc was concluded at tho point of tho revolver. General Smuts (Union Defence Minister) emphatically denied Mr. Poutsma's statement. Mr. Bain, secretary of tho Federation of Trado, now states that when tho settlement was signed, Ministers and delegates went on to the balcony of the Carlton Hotel. Tho soldiers had their rifles levelled, and if a shot had been fired Generals Botha and Smuts and Colonel Trntter (Union Chief of Police) would not have lived a. minute. Mr. Matthews, secretary'of tho Minors' Association, stated that "two members of tlio Labour party covered Generals Botha and Smuts with revolvers, intending to kill them if tho troops below fired a singlo shot. A great Labour party demonstration in 'the Market Squaro to-day resolved to at all costs rc-ostablisli the right of freo speech and public assembly. THE OTHER SIDE. BOTHA'S PEREMPTORY WARNING. (Rec. September 15, 11.15 p.m.) London, September 15. Tho "Daily Telegraph's" Johannesburg correspondent states that _ until the "Labour leaders' rovelations it was generally believed that General Botnn securod tho stoppage of striko. hostilities by threatening to liavo t Labour leaders tried summarily, and instantly shot if they continued openly hostile*