WHITE ELEPHANT STORY

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 November 1928, Page 9

WHITE ELEPHANT STORY

SUGGESTION OF A CURSE. Has the legendary curse of the Sacred White Elephant—a curse that natives have believed in for countless centuries —found another victim? Throughout Khe mystic East white elephants are objects of veneration, ' and superstitious natives look on them ' as a reincarnation of Buddha. I A coincidence verging almost on the ' miraculous occurred recently when it was learned that, on the very day when news was received from Calcutta of the death of Pa Wa, the white elephant i which was in England two years ago, i iiis mahout, a Burmese' named Sandy Wee, lias figured in a mysterious affair at (lie London Zoo, which has resulted in (lie death of another mahout. Sandy Wee himself has been placed in a mental ward. Tho tragedy is unprecedented in the strangeness, of its circumstances. The first indication of ‘anything amiss camo from a man who had been driving a motor car in the outer circle of Regent’s Park, shortly after midnight. As lie was passing through the dark, tree-lined road lie suddenly heard strange cries, and then saw a man, dressed in white night clothes, dancing and gesticulating in the middle of the road. Uttering his weird cries, the man seemed to the startled motorist like a malignant ghost. The motorist quickly drove toward a point where he bad previously seen two policemen on the road and told them of the apparition. The policemen returned with him to the spot, where Xhey found Sandy Wee, one of the. Zoo’s elephant drivers, lying under an open upper window, from which he had apparently fallen. After taking charge of Wee they roused Mr Hides, tho assistant superintendent of the Zoo. “Wee was gesticulating and crying like a madman,” said Mr Hicks later. “I thought it was strange that Said Ali, who shared his apartment with him, had not gone to his assistance, and I entered their bouse. I found Ali lying in the bedroom apparently dead.” Although he was not then actually dead, Ali’s body was. terribly mutilated, and it was immediately obvious that he was in a serious condition. Both men were rushed to a hospital, but Ali died on the way. Tho second man, Wee, who did not appear to be seriously hurt, was temporarily admitted to the hospital and afterwards transferred to an infirmary, where he was placed in the mental ward. A pickaxe and a. sledge hammer had been discovered near Ali, and police and officials of the Zoo searched the grounds, but, it is understood, found nothing to throw any light on the strange affair. The two men lived together in a flat over the Tapir House, slanting the outer circle in Regent’s Park. None of the Zoo officials had evei’ seen them quarrelling, although they were members of different religions. Said Ali was an Indian Mohammedan, while Wee is a Burmese Christian. They were both known to thousands of people who had visited the Zoo, and were regarded as the most popular mahouts in the famous Gardens. Said Ali, who was about 40 years of age, was the finest elephant trainer in the world, according to the Zoo authorities. Wee is in his early 20’s. He came

to the Zoo from Burma with the famous white elephant two years ago. When the elephant left he was allowed to stay on owing to his usefulness at the Zoo in the training of baby elephants. It is a curious coincidence that the death of the white elephant was reported from Calcutta, on the day of the tragedy at the Zoo. Dr. Vevers, superintendent of the Zoo, was called to the scene of the tragedy from his house in St. Mark’s Square, Regent’s Park, and did everything possible to assist the police in their inquiries. “Ali was a native Mohammedan from Calcutta,” he stated later. “He came to us years ago, and quickly showed himself to be one of the most expert elephant trainers ever known at the Zoo. He did not like the English winter, however, and used to go back to Calcutta every year. “Some months ago we had trouble ■with two elephants. Ali was in Calcutta at the time. We immediately sent for him, and he soon had the animals under control. He was due to go back to Calcutta in October. It is hardly an exaggeration to say that he was the best-knowm keeper at the Zoo. Tens of thousands of children have ridden on the elephants with him. He used to sit astride the elephant’s neck, and must have been known to nearly everybody who visited the gardens. He was marvellously expert in training animals, and was riding with the children only the day before the mishap. “Wee came from Burma. Me was a Christian, and always appeared to be of a most peaceful disposition. . It is known that he had been studying a lot lately, and he went to a music hall yesterday, but he seemed to be in his usual spirits last night. He came to us with the famous white elephant, which he later accompanied bn a tour in America, returning last November. When the white elephant left us we kept Wee, as he was exceptionally expert in training young animals, and he had charge of the baby elephants.” Both men had earned good names with the Zoo officials, not only for their cleverness with the elephants, but also for their kind treatment of the animals.

Said Ali probably headed the children’s list of Zoo heroes and magicians. Apart from riding the elephants, he was also a favourite for the clever manner in which he trained the animals to pick up buns and pennies. If a penny and a bun had been obtained he used to place them in front of one of his elephants, who would immediately oat the bun, and then, without hesitation, pick up the penny with its trunk and give it to Ali. The trick invariably caused roars of laughter, and it was a favourite among both children and adults. Pa Wa, the white elephant, went to England two years, and was in Sandy Wee’s charge. He was treated with the greatest respect,, and it was understood before he arrived that he would not be allowed to work, and that no one would be permitted to ride on him. Only Burmese keepers were allowed to look after him. Later Pa Wa. went to the United States for a tour, but last November went, to London for a fortnight’s visit. While he was in America, some of his attendants were ill ,and a mysterious illness caused the death of two black elephants.