BLACKMAILING BOTHA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 7 September 1907, Page 4

BLACKMAILING BOTHA.

A PLOT THAT FAILED. Johannesburg, June 30. A senastion was caused last week by the announcement that three men had been arrested in Pretoria for blackmailing the Premier, all three being Dutch. The circumstances are that one Breytenbach alleges that some time before the war he gave General Botha, who was then a member of the Volksraad, the sum of .C2OOO to buy out his opposition to the dynamite monopoly and to secure his "support for it. The circumstances leading to the arrests of these men were rather dramatic. Breytenbach and an alleged witness, one Van Venter, went to the Premier's ollice by appointment and had a conversation with him. 'They told him that they first of all thought that he should resign his Premiership and his seat in the Assembly, but recognising that that might prejudice the interests of the Dutch party, they were prepared to take monetary consideration to keep their mouths shut, and the amount was put down at X10,l)00. Having heard them make this claim in distinct terms, so that there could be no doubt whatever as to their intentions, Botha, promptly turned them out of the room, In the room, concealed by a, screen in the corner, was Uic Premier's solicitor, Air linos, and a Dutch policeman, named Kriigor. Boos made shorthand notes of the whole of the conversation, while Kruger took longhand notes of the import ant passages. The door of the private secretary's ollice was slightly ajar, enabling the private secretary anil a' detective lo hear the conversation, and longhand notes were made by them also. On the men leaving they wore followed by the detective, who arrested them in the street. The arrest was also effected of a man named De Haas, who is the editor of a Dutch newspaper in Pretoria. Land en Volk. It appeared that this man Dc Haas heard something of life matter some months ago, and he obtained from P.reytenbach and Van dor Bcnler a sworn statement as to the circumstances. He then wrote to Lieneral Botha in London on the subject, indicating a desire that some arrangement might be possible, and awaiting Botha's instructions. No notice was taken oi this communication, nor of other communications sent by Bvcytenbach on Botha's return, but the appointment at his ollice was made on Breytenbach meeting him at an hotel in the town and demanding that something should be done. Breytenbach, Van dcr Venter and De Haas were charged at the Magistrate's Court with the offence of attempted blackmail. Another sensation was produced when Van der Venter acknowledged that he knew nothing about the mailer of the payment of the lie had come up from Vryheid with Breytenbach on the latter promising that they could make a large sum of money ! together, and it was understood that , Van der Venter was to get one-half of the amount obtained from Botha. it wa» alleged that he had witnessed that I payment, of the :C2OUO. and now he said I that he was not there at all and knew nothing about it. The case is not concluded, but the general opinion .is th.it IJolha did not receive the bribe referred to in connection with the dynamite concession. At any rate the incident has not affected his popularity or the general belief held by the people in his integrity, although, of course, there will always be a considerable number who believe the truth of the story. In the pre-war days such considerations were noi. unusual, and politicians regarded them as some of the sweets of power. The Transvaal is now more moral; at any rate it does not do things in such an open manner, and were the allegations proved it is safe to say that the Premier's position would become untenable, it appears that De Haas made some efforts to sell the information to Mr Abe Bailey, a Band millionaire, and one of the leaders of the Opposition. His paper, though printed in Dutch, cannot be regarded as a supporter of the (loverumcnt, the official organ being the Volkstem, also published in Pretoria, it is .somewhat significant that Botha's enemies in this direction were his own countrymen, whereat the Britishers rejoice exceedingly,