Many of these gentlemen were personal and intimate friends of the prisoners:  some were connected by closer ties; and one of the most trying experiences for the prisoners was to witness the complete breakdown of the minor officials employed in the carrying out of this tragic farce.  The judge’s first order was for the removal of all ladies.  The wives and relatives of many of the prisoners had been warned by them beforehand of what was likely to happen and had accordingly absented themselves, but there were nevertheless a good number of ladies present.  Judge Gregorowski then took the case in hand, passed in review the circumstances, and dealt with much of the evidence, including that taken at the preliminary examination and the documents put in by Government which had not yet been seen by the prisoners’ advisers.  He made no reference to the statement of the principal accused, subject to which their plea of guilty had been made and accepted.  He reviewed the law, and by a method of reasoning which has not commended itself to others he justified himself for setting aside special statutes and applying the Roman-Dutch law instead.  In conclusion, he stated that he held the signatories of the letter to be directly responsible for the shedding of the burghers’ blood at Doornkop, that he would therefore pass upon them the only punishment possible under Roman-Dutch law—­namely death, and that whatever hope there might be in the merciful hearts of the Executive Council and in the President’s great magnanimity, they should remember that in no other country would they have the slightest grounds for hope.  The usual question as to whether there were any reasons why sentence of death should not be passed upon them having been put and the usual reply in the negative having been received, in the midst of silence that was only disturbed by the breaking down of persons in various parts of the hall—­officials, burghers, and in the general public—­sentence of death was passed, first on Mr. Lionel Phillips, next on Colonel Rhodes, then on Mr. George Farrar, and lastly on Mr. Hammond.  The bearing of the four men won for them universal sympathy and approval, especially under the conditions immediately following the death sentence, when a most painful scene took place in Court.  Evidences of feeling came from all parts of the room and from all classes of people:  from those who conducted the defence and from the Boers who were to have constituted the jury.  The interpreter translating the sentence broke down.  Many of the minor officials lost control of themselves, and feelings were further strained by the incident of one man falling insensible.

Sentence was next passed upon the other prisoners.  They were condemned to suffer two years’ imprisonment, to pay a fine of L2,000 each, or as an alternative suffer another year’s imprisonment, and thereafter to be banished from the State for a period of three years.  It was added that the question of confiscation of their property would be one for the Executive to deal with.