SCHEEPERS – GIDEON JACOBUS

Note:
IN OCTOBER 1901 SCHEEPERS WAS TAKEN ILL AND CAPTURED BY THE BRITISH ON THE FARM KOPPIESKRAAL IN THE PRINCE ALBERT DISTRICT. HE WAS FOUND GUILTY OF WAR CRIMES IN A COURT MARTIAL AND EXECUTED BY A FIRING SQUAD.  HE WAS BURIED WHERE HE WAS EXECUTED AT 3PM IN THE AFTERNOON, BUT THAT NIGHT HIS BODY WAS DUG UP, AND REBURIED ELSWHERE, NEVER TO BE FOUND.
SCHEEPERS’S DIARY FROM 1ST OCTOBER 1901 TO 18TH JANUARY 1902 IS CONTAINED IN THE BOOK “SCHEEPERS SE DAGBOEK EN DIE STRYD IN KAAPLAND” BY GUSTAV PRELLER. SCHEEPERS RECORDS THAT HE FELL ILL ON 28TH SEPTEMBER.  ON 10TH OCTOBER, WHILE ON A FARM IN THE PRINCE ALBERT DISTRICT, HE CALLED HIS OFFICERS, LT. PYPERS, LT. LUYT AND SERGT. VAN HEERDEN TOGETHER IN HIS ROOM AND AND INFORMED THEM THAT THE PAIN WAS TOO GREAT AND HIS TEMPERATURE SO HIGH, THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO GET OUT OF BED AND THUS HE HAD TO TAKE LEAVE OF THEM, AND SURRENDER TO THE BRITISH.  AT ABOUT 2PM OF THAT DAY HE HEARD THE SOUND OF HORSES.  AN OLDER SOLDIER IN DIRTY CLOTHES ACCOMPANIED BY A NATIVE, WHO BANGED ON THE DOOR AND STARTED SCREAMING, CAME IN.  AFTER A WHILE A CAPT. SYMONS AND LIEUT. MULLER ARRIVED AND SPOKE TO HIM IN A FRIENDLY MANNER.  ON THE 11TH OCTOBER HE WAS TAKEN BY A DOCTOR FROM PRINCE ALBERT TO BLOEDRIVIER STATION AND THENCE BY TRAIN TO MATJIESFONTEIN.  ON 19TH OCTOBER HE WAS SENT BY TRAIN TO BEAUFORT WEST.  ON 14TH NOVEMBER HE WAS TRANSPORTED BY TRAIN TO GRAAF REINET.  THE DIARY RECORDS MANY EVENTS UP TO THE 27TH DECEMBER WHEN CHARGES WERE PUT TO HIM  HE LISTS THE CHARGES AS FOLLOWS:-
1) THE MURDER OF TWO “NATIVE SPIES” AT SECKRAAL (SEKRETARISKRAAL) IN THE DISTRICT OF MURRAYSBURG.
2) THE MURDER OF A POLICEMAN AT BRAKWATER, DISTRICT WILLOWMORE.
3) THE MURDER OF A NATIVE AT BARRINGTONS FARM, DISTRICT JANSENVILLE.
4) THE MURDER OF A NATIVE IN THE DISTRICT OF STEYTLERVILLE.
5) THE MURDER OF TWO NATIVES AT WILDEPAARDEFONTEIN IN THE DISTRICT OF WORCESTER.
6) THE MURDER OF A NATIVE KENNEDY (COMEDY) IN THE MONTAGUE DISTRICT.
7) THE MURDER OF ONE, LEDERAS, AT KRUISRIVIER, DISTRICT OUDTSHOORN.
8) ATTEMPTED MURDER BY SHOOTING AT A PASSENGER TRAIN.
9) VIOLENTLY KILLED HAGGAT (HUGETE), A COLOURED, AT VREDENBURG, GRAAF REINET.
10) VIOLENT HANDLING OF A NATIVE  AT SPITSKOP.
11) APPLIED 15 STROKES  WITH A SJAMBOK TO A NATIVE AT BUFFELSFONTEIN, DISTRICT LADYSMITH.
12) BARBARIC HANDLING OF PRISONERS.
13) PLACED TWO PRISONERS, BEING COLONIAL DUTCH SPEAKING INDIVIDUALS RUBRIGE AND ALBERT V.D BURGH, IN A FIRING LINE.
SCHEEPERS MAINTAINED THAT HE PLACED A SIGNIFICANT DEFENCE TO ALL CHARGES BEFORE THE COURT, BUT WAS IGNORED.  HE HAD THE IMPRESSION THAT THE VERDICT HAD BEEN DECIDED UPON EVEN BEFORE THE TRIAL STARTED.  HE WAS NOT ABLE TO CALL ANY WITNESSES AS HIS COMMANDO WAS STILL ENGAGED IN THE WAR.