by Jean Feld Rissover
The Ste. Genevieve Herald
September 24, 2003

       Several more stones at Ste. Genevieve's Memorial Cemetery were apparantly damaged recently, the second time vandals have struck the historic graveyard this year.
        Ste. Genevieve Police Department Officials say they do not know at this time whether the most recent attack has any connections with the vandalism that took place in March of this year.
        In the earlier attack, some 10 - 15 stones were damaged. The more recent damage appears to have affected three to four stones.
        Police officials say the extent of the damage is hard to determine, since it seems to be "mixed in" with the older damage.
        "We found some grave markers where the damage looks fresh," a police spokesman said. "The stones that were damaged earlier this year have started to show discoloration. The new ones look like they haven't been exposed to weather yet."
Ann Dobson, secretary for the Foundation for Restoration, was one of the first to spot the damage. She saw the broken monuments while driving by the cemetery last week.
        "I spoke to the police on Wednesday," Dobson said. "The Foundation and the police are asking anyone who may have seen anything suspicious to contact the police at 883-9135. It could help solve the crime."
        In the mid 1990's, after the City of Ste. Genevieve took over the ownership of the cemetery from the St. Louis Archdiocese and Ste. Genevieve Catholic Church, the Foundation for Restoration entered into an agreement with the city to carry out preservation activities at the site.
        The first project undertaken was replacement of the old cemetery fence. A new, wrought iron fence is presently being fabricated by Architectural Ironworks, a Ste. Genevieve company. Dobson said the Foundation expects installation of posts of the fence to begin late this month or in early October.
        The Foundation is still seeking contributions for the fence project and for additional preservation activities at the graveyard.
        Donations to the Foundation's cemetery restoration project may be sent to the Foundation for Restoration of Ste. Genevieve, PO Box 88, Ste. Genevieve, MO 63670.