Boer Justice. 91 



the liimted wretch had breathed his last. The 

 jury were absent an hour and a half, and on their 

 return announced that they found a verdict of 

 " Not Guilty." The report adds that the accused 

 is a member of the " Gereformeerde," or " Dopper " 

 C'hurch, that all but t^vo of the jury were of the 

 same denomination, and further, that there were 

 relatives of the accused among them. The nati^'e, 

 Jantje, wdiose testimony was so important, quite 

 unshaken under the most searching cross-examina- 

 tion, had been some twenty-six years in the service 

 of his present master, and had always borne an 

 excellent character. For nearly six months before 

 the trial he was detained in gaol as a Avitness, 

 although the accused was liberated on bail. His 

 master stated that he himself had offered bail to 

 the amount of 250/. for Jantje's appearance, but it 

 was refused. The report concludes : — " Among 

 the Boers in the ward, for which De Lange is 

 Field-cornet, feeling ran high, and would, it is 

 thought, ha AC taken very definite shajDe had the 

 verdict been different. De Lange is most pojDular 

 with them, for it is felt that he is a man who 

 understands how to deal with a Kaffir. Should he 

 consider that recent occurrences make it becoming 

 on his part to resign his field-cornetcy, they express 

 their determination to re-elect him immediately." ^ 

 Such is Boer justice. 



The above case is a typical one, and for that 

 reason, as well as for its shocking details, I have 



' Local Newspaper, Sfandar^l ami Diggers' Nens, May 12th, 

 1891. 



