KRITZINGER – PIETER HENDRIK

Note:
AFTER BEING SERIOUSLY WOUNDED AT THE END OF 1901 HE WAS CAPTURED BY THE BRITISH, AND IN MARCH 1902 WAS TRIED FOR MURDER AND TRAIN DESTRUCTION. AFTER MUCH MEDIA ATTENTION IN BOTH BRITAIN AND THE U.S.A., HE WAS FOUND NOT GUILTY AND RELEASED AFTER PEACE WAS DECLARED.  IN 1904 HE PUBLISHED A BOOK TITLED IN THE SHADOW OF DEATH, IN WHICH HE RECOUNTED HIS WAR EXPERIENCES.
DESCRIBING HIS COURT MARTIAL, HE RECOUNTS THAT HE WAS NURSED BACK TO HEALTH IN THE BRITISH, NAAUWPOORT HOSPITAL, AFTER SUFFERING A BULLET WOUND, WITH THE BULLET PASSING THROUGH HIS ARM AND ENTERING HIS LUNGS, JUST MISSING HIS HEART.  AFTER RECOVERING SOMEWHAT HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO GRAAF REINET TO STAND TRIAL.  THERE WERE FIVE CHARGES LEVELLED AGAINST HIM :-
1) THAT ON 15TH FEBRUARY 1901, IT WAS ALLEGED THAT HE KILLED AND MURDERED JAFTA AND SOLOMON, BRITISH SUBJECTS, AT GROOTPLAATS, MURRAYSBURG.
2) THAT HE KILLED AND MURDERED JOHN VONDELING, A BRITISH SUBJECT, AT TWEEFONTEIN, GRAAF REINET.
3) THAT HE KILLED AND BRUTALLY MURDERED, ON OR ABOUT 18TH MARCH 1901, A NATIVE AT PRINSFONTEIN, TARKASTAD.
4) THAT HE KILLED AND MURDERED, ON 14TH AUGUST 1901, TWO NATIVES AT BISCUITFONTEIN, BETHULIE.
5) DESTROYED RAILWAYS, IN THAT ON OR ABOUT 27TH JULY 1901, HE CUT THE RAILWAY LINE NEAR KNUTSFORD, CRADOCK.
HE WAS PROSECUTED BY CAPTAIN L. DAINE AND DEFENDED BY ADVOCATE H.G. GARDINER OF GRAAF REINET. EVEN THOUGH WITNESSES WERE SHOWN HIS PHOTOGRAPH BEFOREHAND, ONLY ONE COULD IDENTIFY HIM, AND ONE CHARGE WAS DROPPED . IT WAS PROVEN THAT HE HAD NEITHER ISSUED ORDERS, NOR PARTICIPATED IN, THE ALLEGED MURDERS, AND WAS ACQUITTED. GENERAL KRITZINGER STATES AS FOLLOWS:- “LEAVING THE COURT-ROOM I WAS CALLED BACK TO SHAKE HANDS  WITH THE JUDGES WHO CONGRATULATED ME WITH THE ACQUITTAL.  THUS THE TRIAL WHICH LASTED FIVE DAYS, CAME TO AN END. THE CLOUDS CLEARED UP.  THE SUN ROSE.  IT WAS ALL BRIGHTNESS.  I HAD PASSED UNSCATHED THROUGH THE ORDEAL, TO INDULGE THAT NIGHT IN SLUMBERS CALM AND SWEET”.