ut pressing you in the least, I am inclined
to suggest that you withdraw this exception.

Mr. ESSELEN: I cannot possibly withdraw it, but I am willing to allow
it to stand as a special plea and to argue it at a later stage.

Mr. Justice JORISSEN: As I said, I don't wish to press you, but it
seems to me that this is a very dangerous question.

Mr. ESSELEN: It is a very important question.

Mr. Justice JORISSEN: It is not only an important but a perilous
question.

In an amended plea filed by the Selati Railway Company they give the
names of persons to whom the Company had to pay certain sums of money
or give presents--in other words, bribes--in order to obtain the
Selati contract. The following are the names filed by Baron Eugene
Oppenheim:--To W.E. Bok, then member and minute keeper of the
Executive Council, on August 12, 1890, in cash L50; the late N.J.
Smit, sen., then Vice-president of the South African Republic, and
member of the Executive Council, on August 12, 1890, in cash, L500;
F.C. Eloff, son-in-law of the President and then Private Secretary to
his Honour, on August 12, L50 in cash. By De Jongh and Stegmann, on
behalf of Baron Oppenheim, to C. van Boeschoten, then Secretary of
the Volksraad, on October 6, 1893, in cash, L100. By B.J. Vorster,
jun., one of the concessionaires, on behalf of Eugene Oppenheim, on
or about August, 1890, the following: To Jan du Plessis de Beer,
member of the Volksraad for Waterberg, L100; Schalk W. Burger, member
of the Volksraad for Lydenburg, now member of the Executive Council,
L100; P.L. Bezuidenhout, member of the Volksraad for Potchefstroom,
L100; J. Van der Merwe, member of the Volksraad for Lydenburg, L100;
A.A. Stoop, member of the Volksraad for Wakkerstroom, L50; F.G.H.
Wolmarans, member of the Volksraad for Rustenburg, L50; J.M. Malan,
member of the Volksraad for Rustenburg, Chairman of the first
Volksraad, L50; N.M.S. Prinsloo, member of the Volksraad for
Potchefstroom, L50; J.J. Spies, member of the Volksraad for Utrecht,
L70; B.H. Klopper, Chairman of the Volksraad, L125; C. van
Boeschoten, Secretary of the Volksraad, L180. By J.N. de Jongh, on
behalf of Baron Eugene Oppenheim, about the end of 1892 or the
beginning of 1893, to the late N.J. Smit, sen., then Vice-President
of the South African Republic, and member of the Executive Council,
shares in the defendant Company to the value of L1,000; F.C. Eloff,
son-in-law of and then Private Secretary to the State P