REBEL LEADER'S TRIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18689, 21 April 1924, Page 7

REBEL LEADER'S TRIAL.

high treason CHARGE. SOUTH AFRICAN CASE. A. and N.Z. CAPETOWN, April 18 The trial of Colonel S. G. Maritz, one of the leaders of the rebellion in South Africa during the European war, is to take place next week. It is understood that he intends to plead guilty to a charge of high treason, but that he will plead not guilty to the other charges of handing over material to the Germans.

Maritz served against the British in the South African War and after the peace refused to take the oath of loyalty. He was then naturalised in German SouthWest Africa, but on the formation of the South African Union he returned to the British territory. On the outbreak of the European war he was appointed to the ■ command of a column for the conquest of German South-West Africa, with his base at Upington, on the Orange River. There he seduced his force, and on October 12, 1914, proclaimed a South African Republic with himself as Presi-dent-Commander-in-Chief. He was attacked by General Brits and completely broken by October 30, but escaped to Angola, where ho was captured by the Portuguese some months later. After the armistice •he went to Germany, but returned to South Africa last year. He was arrested on December 26 last at Komati Poort, on the frontier of Portuguese East Africa, on crossing into the territory of the South African Union.