MASSACRE BY TRIBE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 19 December 1927, Page 5

MASSACRE BY TRIBE.

TREACHEROUS OUTBREAK. TRAGEDY IN THE SUDAN. Press Association-Electric Telegraph-Copyrictu CAIRO, -Saturday. Captain Y. H. Fergusson, District Commissioner for Khartoum in the Sudan, while travelling by steamer in the course of his administrative duties, arranged to meet the Nuer chiefs and their followers a quarter of a mile from J lll ante. There was a large assemblage and no suspicion, because the people were called in for census purposes. Captain Fergusson was discussing business with a Greek trader named Panatiopoulos when a young Nmr threw a spear, slightly wounding Captain Fergusson, who hurled the weapon back. The spear went wide. This apparently was the signal for a general attack, the Nuors rushing.in and stabbing Captain Fergusson to death. Panatiopoulos was killed when attempting to rescue him, after which two Arab merchants and several carriers were massacred. The remainder fled to the steamer, the engineer holding the .Nuers at bay with a shotgun while the moorjng ropes wore cut. Captain Fergusson had worked with the Nuers for seven years, pacifying the tribe and organising medical relief. The treacherous outbreak is at present inexplicable, as the tribesmen apparently had no grievance. A patrol with aeroplanes has left in pursuit of the offenders.