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Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 271, 25 November 1901, Page 1

The Commandant Scheepers (according to a Cape paper) about whom one heard so much and knew so little is absurdly youthful—in the region of twenty-three. He is a colonial by birth, but went to the Republics when comparatively young. He tried to settlo in the Transvaal, but found tho Hollander element intolerable, so came down south to the Free State, where he got some sort of an engagement under the Education Department. When war broke out he at>“-’ ue( j h; m _ self to one of the commandoes, and after a while bece.me known for his plucky behaviour. Time went on and surrender after surrender took place. Somehow or other he managed to steer clear of our troops, and at length some mouths ago came across the Orange River with about seventy ! Boers. In liis journeying through the districts he succeeded in increasing his force to about three hundred men, a very unimportant circumstance, however, especially when it is explained that his recruits are mainly youths from the bywoner or very poor class. No men of substance have joined him, and none of those who have joined are much above his own age. Many, iudeed, are younger. That this estimate of the force was in a large measure correct is bor.ie out by the fact that nothing has been heard of this commando since the capture of its leader,