REPRIEVE GRANTED.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20276, 10 April 1934, Page 6

REPRIEVE GRANTED.

Girl Makes Appeal to Prince. SOUTH AFRICAN DRAMA. A remarkable story of how a beautiful Belgian girl pleaded desperately with the Prince of Wales for the life of her lover, a condemned murderer, was disclosed in London recently. It is a story of romance, passion and death in the heart of the African jungle, and concerns a British beachcomber in Lourenco Marques (Delagoa Bay), who fell in love with a lovely Belgian girl working under a Portuguese liquor seller. So deep was their affection for each other that they decided to run away. But they had no money, and one night they set off in a hired car to cross the Portuguese border into the British native territory of Swaziland, where they could marry in security. But before the border was reached the driver of the car became suspicious and demanded money. The lovers were desperate under the threat of being taken back to Lourenco Marques. The Britisher thereupon drew a revolver, shot the driver, tumbled his body into the bush, and drove on furiously until the car ran out of petrol. They had achieved their object of reaching British territory, but next morning the driver’s body was found and a hue and cry was set up for the assailant. For the week the lovers hid in the hills, but when hunger drove them into a native kraal to beg for food they were recognised and eventually arrested. The man was tried and sentenced to be hanged. It was at this time that the Prince of Wales was making an official tour of the territory. Outside the very gaol where the murderer was waiting for his execution a platform had been erected, where the Prince would receive the white residents. Officials and their wives and friends began to file past. Suddenly - the Prince found himself faced by a dark-haired beauty in a floral-patterned frock. She spoke French, and the Prince replied in that language. She began to plead for the life of her lover, crying “ Save him! ” The Prince listened, but an official realised what was happening, and the Belgian girl was hurried away and later informed that she must address her appeal to the Governor-General. „ T en days later the Britisher was reprieved. Although, of course, the Prince. could only receive such an appeal with a proper regard for the Court of Justice, the girl, steadfastly believes he saved her lover’s life.