SOLDIER'S END

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 260, 27 June 1932, Page 2

SOLDIER'S END

JAMESON'S OLD STEWARD JUMPS INTO THAMES. A man who was formerly housa. steward to Dr. L. S. Jameson and servod under him during the famous

Jameson Raid" on tho Transvaal shortly before the Boer War, ended his life by jumping into the Thames. He was James Percy Jones, aged 64, who was one of the 500 "reformers" led by Dr. Jameson in 1895 on a 24-hoiu\s foodless march against Johanesburg. They fought against an overwhelming force until their ammunition was oxliausted, and then surrenderd. Jameson was sent to prison, but his troopers were not punished. The raid provoked a congratulatory telegram from the exICaiser to President Kruger which nearly Jed to war between Britain and Germany. Since tho last war, in which he served as a major, Jones and his wife have been keeping the Plough Hotel, in Mile End Road, London, E. On the day he was dUe to appear before a committee to explain certain irregularities. Jones went out and never returned, His body was found later in the Thames at Kew. ..His widow told the coroner at Richmond about the worries that led Jones . to take his life. "Good-bye. It Has Comc" She said that she and her husband were employed by the Restaurant Public Houses Association at tfye Plough Hotel, and they received £4 pei" week. Her husband was allowed 10s for food for each raember of the staff per week, and he found he could not feed them properly on the money. He became worried and got into difficulties. . , . OnAhe day he had to appear be-

fore a committe of the association, when he left in the morning he said ''Gipd-bye. It has come. I have to visit the committee." He did not return. Major C. W. Arnett, secretary, of the associ&tion, said he had nothing to say against the character of Jones, but he had got into trouble over the keeping of the accounts of the hotel. The association was proposing to g'ive him a chanco of explaining the irregularities that had occurred. He denied that Jones was only allowed 10s a week for each of the staff for food, and said that the amount was 14s. ' , Replying to the coroner, Major Arnett said that Jones thought things were worse than they really were. It was nothing very dreadful, and the association only wanted an explanation of the position. 'V