OFFICER BEATEN

Southland Times, Issue 22457, 18 December 1934, Page 7

OFFICER BEATEN

SAAR INCIDENT attacked by crowd SEQUEL TO AN ACCIDENT UNFORTUNATE AFFAIR (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.)Saarbrucken, December 16. Captain James Justice, British S iai police officer, after . spending the evening at a cafe in civilian clothes with other officers, was driving home at three in the morning accompanied by two friends, including the Earl ot Aylesford, when a tyre burst. As a result the car skidded and mounted the pavement and injured a woman. An angry crowd attacked Captain Justice and the Earl of Aylesford, whose identity they were unaware of, with sticks and stones. Captain Justice fired his revolver in self-defence, wounding a person in the stomach, although not seriously. The victim was sent to hospital. ... t The crowd retaliated, beating and kicking Captain Justice, who was admitted to hospital suffering from cuts and bruises. ~T The Earl of Aylesford states: I don’t know how it started. I saw a crowd beating Captain Justice and I went to help him. The next thing I knew was that I received a blow on the face. The chauffeur of another car says: “I saw the crowd set about Captain Justice. They were merciless. Captain Justice was hit and kicked on the head and his face was covered with blood. The incident has caused intense excitement throughout the Saar. Girl’s Version. The Saarbrucken correspondent of the British United Press says that Katy Braun, a local girl, has given the Saar Commission a detailed report of the affair. She says: “Captain Justice was driving me home from a night club and the Earl of Aylesford occupied the back seat. Captain Justice was sober ana capable of managing the car, but, not noticing the number, he drove’ past my house. In turning round he backed the car on to the pavement, knocking down a woman, who screamed. A number of men leaving the cafe advanced on Captain Justice menacingly. He apologized for knocking down the woman and they threatened him. Whereupon he explained that he was a police officer and drew his revolver. This infuriated the crowd and somebody hit him a terrific blow on the head, shouting: ‘What do you mean, you dirty pig of an Englishman?’ ” Miss Braun then grabbed Captain Justice’s revolver hand or more people might have been shot. “I think the attackers were Nazis. I am a Nazi myself and a member of the German Front, she declared. Latest information says that the woman who was knocked down was only slightly hurt. The incident has caused the Commission much perturbation, and the Commissioner, Mr G. Knox, spent the day soothing the ugly feelings which have unfortunately arisen on the eve of the arrival of the British contingent. Official Statement.

The Commissioner officially states: “A car driven by a police officer, when attempting to turn a corner, was driven an to the pavement, injuring one person. A crowd assembled and threatened the three passengers, especially the officer who was driving. A free fight followed, several shots being fired, and one person was injured. The police officer was injured by blows and was admitted to hospital. The police will investigate and report and a court of inquiry will be held. The aggressor will be. dealt with with full severity and without consideration for his status. The police officer will be deprived of his rank until the matter has been cleared up.” The officers consider that no political importance attaches to the incident and emphasize that Captain Justice was not a member of the regular forces. Captain Justice said: “When the crowd became menacing I drew a gun. Somebody socked me on the head, upon which I fired into the ground in order to frighten them. Someone then tried to seize the revolver which went off again and just scratched somebody’s skin. The crowd then knocked me unconscious and the police cleared up the show.” Herr Dietmann, deputy leader of the “German Front,” while willing to regard the incident as accidental, requests the prevention of any recurrence. SURROUNDED BY NAZIS MENACING ATTITUDE. (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) Saarbrucken, December 17. It is now learned that the injuries to Captain Justice, who is an ex-member of the South African police, are confined to cuts and bruises. The car struck a Mrs Steig, who was walking with her husband, necessitating first aid. The bystanders, including members of the “German Front,” became hostile and called others from an adjacent restaurant until 40 menacing Nazis surrounded Captain Justice who, producing his papers and establishing his identity as a police officer, asked the crowd to disperse. They refused to do so, manhandling the Earl of Aylesford. Captain Justice threatened them with his revolver, which several attempted to seize, and two shots were fired, one of which superficially hit an electrician, Neumeister, in the stomach. Captain Justice, interviewed in hospital, admitted that the car ran over a woman’s foot and also knocked a man over without hurting him. HILARITY IN NIGHT CLUB “OUTRAGEOUS CONDUCT.” (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) , (Rec. 10.35 p.m.) London, December 17. The Saarbrucken correspondent of the Daily Mail says that the night club visited by Captain Justice and his companions was the scene of wild hilarity during their presence. Prince Hubert Lowenstein, one of the Nazi outcasts whom Herr Hitler deprived of then citizenship and property, stated that the conduct of Captain Justice and another police official was so outrageous that Prince Lowenstein and his halfbrother, Count von Alvensbeden, despite the lateness of th'e hour decided to report the matter to Mr Knox to avoid a greater scandal, but en route to Mr Knox’s house they met a police officer and told him; He thanked them and went to the night club. BRITISH BATTALIONS DEPARTURE FOR THE SAAR. (British Official Wireless.) ‘ Rugby,’ December 15. Large advance parties of the four British infantry battalions will cross the Channel on Monday and will their journey to Saarbrucken on Tuesday. The main body will cross on

Thursday and Friday, and the whole British force will be in the Saar a week from to-day. Most of the wheeled troops will proceed from Calais by road. The Belgian Cabinet last night decided to grant free transport on the railways to the troops of the Saar force, a procedure which the French authorities are also adopting. GERMAN COMMENT NO POLITICAL SIGNIFICANCE. (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 1.30 a.m.) Berlin, December 17. Official circles, while regretting the Saarbrucken incident, emphasized that it has no political significance. They expect a thorough investigation and punishment of the culprits.