Witness:  Yes.

Advocate:  You will be surprised to hear that Mr. Trichard states that you actually passed sentence upon the thirteen indunas in such words as, ’I hand you over to the Native Commissioner and Field-cornet to be dealt with according to law.  And you instigators will get twenty-five lashes each between the shoulders.’  Do you positively deny that you said anything about twenty-five lashes?

Witness:  Yes, I deny it.

Advocate:  Do you deny that you gave any indication or opinion as to what ought to be done with these men?

Witness:  Yes.

Advocate:  Well, Mr. Cronje, I want to know which of you two the Court is to believe, you or Commandant Trichard?

Witness:  Commandant Trichard has made a mistake.

Advocate:  No, no, no, Mr. Cronje, that won’t do; there are no mistakes in this business.  I want you to tell the Court which of you two men under oath is lying and which is telling the truth.

Witness:  Commandant Trichard is lying.

(At this point there was some commotion in Court caused by Commandant Trichard jumping up and making use of some expressions towards the witness.  The matter ended in a rather fierce altercation after the Court adjourned.) It is only necessary to add that Mr. Stiemans, who followed Cronje, fully corroborated Trichard’s evidence.  There were many other interesting points brought out by Mr. WESSELS in his cross-examination, but it is unnecessary to further detail this part of the proceedings, as the same ground was covered by Mr. Justice Jorissen, who took the witness in hand and whose cross-examination brought out the salient features of the case with extreme vividness and dramatic effect.  The Judge first dealt with that portion of the evidence relating to the so-called ‘trial’ of the Chieftainess.

Judge:  Mr. Cronje, in your evidence just now you said that you read over to this woman the charge that was laid against her.  ’Point by point’ you say you read it to her, and ’point by point you could see by her demeanour that she was guilty.’  Is that so?

Witness:  Yes.

Judge:  Very well, Mr. Cronje, I will take the indictment, ’point by point,’ as you did.  Point the first, Mr. Cronje. (The Judge here read the first of the seven clauses in Schoeman’s letter which formed the indictment.) Now kindly explain to me what there was in the woman’s demeanour which conveyed to you the idea that she was guilty on this point.

The witness became considerably embarrassed and did not answer.

Judge:  No answer, Mr. Cronje?  Well, we will take point No. 2. (The judge dealt with all the seven clauses in a similar manner, the witness failing to make any answer throughout.  After the last point had been dealt with and remained unanswered, the Judge addressed the witness again amid a most impressive silence in Court).

Judge:  Mr. Cronje, ‘point by point’ I have read to you the indictment as you read it to the woman; ‘point by point’ I have asked you to give me certain information; ‘point by point’ you have failed to make any answer.  Well, Mr. Cronje, I can only tell you this, ’point by point’ I shall set that down in my notes. (After an interval, during which the Judge filled in his notes, the examination was resumed.)