THE BALCONY INCIDENT

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1858, 18 September 1913, Page 7

THE BALCONY INCIDENT

OF THE RAND STRIKE,

GENERAL SMUTS TELLS HIS STORY.

By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright (Roc. September 17, 11.40 a.m.) Capo Town, September 17. General Smuts (Union Treasurei - ), interviewed, said that lie and his colleagues were not aware, until now, that the strike leaders had negotiated with the Cabinet Ministers with arms concealed about their persons, prepared to commit murder. Ho added: While Bain and Matthews (secretary of the Trades Federation) wore addressing the crowd from the Carlton Hotel balcony the police arrived and levelled their rifles, tiio ministers were very anxious for several moments until Colonel Truter (Chief of the Police), hurrying to the balcony, saved the situation by countermanding the order to the police.

—On the evening of Saturday, July 5, when the strike leaders announced the terms of settlement from the balcony of the Carlton Hotel they got n mixed reception, anil woro greeted with cries of "What about the shooting?" "What dbaut the dead?" "You've been bought!" While the meeting was in progress an exciting incident occured. A small company of polico approached tire crowd with rifles held in readiness to fire, and those on the balcony shouted to the polico to desist. When tlio mob saw the polico their anger rose again, and the leaders had the utmost difficulty iu restraining an attack. General Botha, Mr. Smuts, and Colonel Fruler just then appeared on the balcony, and the last-named mining the situation, ordered the polico to retire. About six weeks later, a story got about to tho effect tliat on the occasion in question a striker called General Botha aside and advised him and his-Ministers not to leave the hotel that evening.' Asked tie re.ison, tho striker stated that tho executive of tho Trades Federation had issued instructions that if amy Ministers woro found in Johannesburg tliev were to ba shot on sight. Subsequently one of tho Labour leaders, ad-dressing a. striker, stated that tho delegates had come to tho conference fully armed, and had no agreement resulted the Ministrs would not Irnvo left the hotel alive.