VAN AS – SALMON GERHARDUS

Note:
SALMON VAN AS WAS EXECUTED BY THE BRITISH AT THE OLD HEIDELBURG JAIL ON 23RD JUNE 1902 FOR THE DISPUTED MURDER OF LIEUT. ROLAND MIERS AT WOLWEPAN, JUST SOUTH OF HEIDELBURG. THE FULL DETAILS OF THE EVENT ARE TOLD IN ROBIN SMITH’S BOOK “PRACTICALLY OVER” BEGINNING ON PAGE 273.
THE STORY IS ALSO TOLD IN THE BOOK “INNOCENT BLOOD” BY GRAHAM JOOSTE AND ROGER WEBSTER, AND IS AS FOLLOWS :
“ON 25TH SEPTEMBER 1901, FIELD CORNET SALMON VAN AS ACCOMPANIED BY LOUIS SLABBERT AND PIET DU TOIT, WERE SENT OUT TO CAPTURE A PARTY OF BOERS WHO WERE ON THEIR WAY TO SURRENDER. DURING THE EARLY AFTERNOON A BRITISH OFFICER, ON HORSEBACK, APPROACHED THE THREE. THERE WAS LATER CONFLICTING EVIDENCE AS TO WHICH PARTY HAD CARRIED A WHITE FLAG, AND WHO WAS SURRENDERING TO WHOM, AND WHO FIRST ATTEMPTED TO SHOOT. lIEUT MIERS WAS SHOT THROUGH THE HEART. DURING THE PEACE NEGOTIATIONS THE BRITISH REFUSED TO GRANT AMNESTY TO VAN AS. GENERAL LOUIS BOTHA INFORMED VAN AS OF THIS DECISION, BUT ASSURED HIM THAT NO FURTHER ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN AGAINST HIM. ON THE 8TH JUNE 1902, VAN AS AND LOUIS SLABBERT WERE ASKED TO REPORT TO THE BRITISH MILITARY AUTHORITIES. A TRIAL WAS HELD WHERE MUCH DISPUTED EVIDENCE WAS HEARD. VAN AS RECEIVED THE DEATH SENTENCE. aLL RECORDS OF THE TRIAL HAVE DISAPPEARED. SOME TWO YEARS AFTER THE WAR, THE BRITISH AUTHORITIES ADMITTED THAT WITNESSES HAD PRODUCED FALSE EVIDENCE, AND APOLOGISED TO THE PARENTS OF VAN AS AND OFFERED COMPENSATION, WHICH WAS REFUSED.