MR. KRUGER'S GRAVE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 138, 7 December 1907, Page 13

MR. KRUGER'S GRAVE.

SERIOUS DESECRATION. A most painful sensation has been created at Johannesburg (writes a correspondent) by the discovery of the desecration of the gra-vo of ex-pTcsidenb Kruger, in Pretoria Cemetery. The Avhite marble bust of the ex-President had been torn from, its granite base, and Avas lying on its face a yard away from the foot of tho grave. The tombstone of tho grandchild of the ex-President, which was in the same plot, was slightly damaged, a statuette of an angel, Avhich stood at the head of the grave, being .knocked from its pedestal. The lavo adjoining graves Avcre albo disturbed. It is not believed that the act was one of, racial vindictivoness. The ciicumstajices spem to point- to an attempted theft of the bust, Avhich it was probably intended to retain pending the offor of a reward for its recovery. It is conjectured that the figure on the child's tomb was knocked over Avhile the desccrator or desecratois were endeavouring to remove the bust of Mr. Kruger, which is very heavy. Since the desecration of tho grave of Prince Christian Victor, in September, 1904, tho police have been accustomed to pay a visit, nightly to the graves of the ex-President and the Prince. The whole machinery of tho police force lias been set in motion to discover tho authors of the outrage. The Police Commissioner, in an interview, gaA*e it as his opinion that the theft theory Avas the most probable, and suggested that the thieves either found the bust heavier than they anticipated, or wero interrupted by the constable who has to visit the graves. All sections of the population are unanimous in deploring the outrage, but by none of them is it attributed to racial feeling.