MURDER IN SUDAN

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 147, 19 December 1927, Page 9

MURDER IN SUDAN

BRITISH OFFICER KILLED

TREACHEROUS TRIBESMEN

(A.P.A. and "Sun.")

CAIRO, 17th Dec. Captain V. H. Fergusson, District Commissioner of Khartoum, Sudan, while travelling by steamer in the course of his administrative duties, arranged to meet Nuer chiefs and their followers a quarter lof a mile from Inlantc. There was a large assembly, and no suspicion was raised because the people had been called in for census purposes. Captain Fergusson was discussing business.with a Greek trader named Panatiopoulos, when a young Nuer threw a spear, slightly wounding Captain Fergusson, who hurled the weapon back, but the spear went wide. This, apparently, was the signal for a general attack, the Nuers rushing on and stabbing Ca.ptain Fergusson to death. Panatiopoulos was killed when i attempting to rescue him, after which two Arab merchants and several carriers were massacred. The remainder of the party fled to the steamer, the engineer holding the Nuers at bay with a shotgun while the mooring ropes were cut. . Captain Fergusson had worked with tho Nuers for seven years, pacifying the tribe and organising medical relief. The treacherous outbreak is at present inexplicable, as the tribesman, apparently, had no grievance. A patrol with aeroplanes has left in pursuit of the offenders.