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120 Seized in Slaying of 2 Britons Nazareth Faces Huge Fine

September 28, 1937
See Original Daily Bulletin From This Date
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BRITISH TROOPS AND POLICE TODAY ROUNDED UP 120 SUSPECTS IN THE NAZARETH DISTRICT IN AN INTENSIVE HUNT FOR THREE ARAB TERRORISTS WHO YESTERDAY ASSASSINATED GALILEE DISTRICT COMMISSIONER LEWIS YELLAND ANDREWS AND CONSTABLE PETER ROBERTSON MCEWAN, HIS BODYGUARD, AS THEY WERE LEAVING THE ANGLICAN CHURCH IN NAZARETH. POLICE DOGS THUS FAR HAVE FAILED TO PICK UP THE TRAIL OF THE SLAYERS.

THE AUTHORITIES ARE REPORTED CONSIDERING IMPOSITION OF A $100,000 COLLECTIVE FINE ON THE CITY OF NAZARETH, A PRACTICE FREQUENTLY RESORTED TO DURING THE 1936 ARAB REVOLT. CURFEW, INVOKED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE CRIME, CONTINUES IN FORCE.

MEANWHILE, BODIES OF THE SLAIN BRITONS WERE SHIPPED TO JERUSALEM, WHERE THEY WERE TO BE GIVEN MILITARY BURIAL THIS AFTERNOON.

LEADER OF THE THREE ARABS WHO EMPTIED PISTOLS AT THE BRITISH OFFICERS AT CLOSE RANGE IS REPORTED TO BE A MYSTERIOUS FIGURE KNOWN ONLY AS “WOLF,” REPUTEDLY THE RIGHT-HAND MAN OF FAWZI EL KAUKAJI, CHIEF OF ARAB GUERRILLISTS LAST YEAR.

ACCORDING TO THE HAVAS NEWS AGENCY, A NUMBER OF THOSE ARRESTED YESTERDAY AND TODAY ARE ARAB NOTABLES. WHILE A DETACHMENT OF BRITISH SOLDIERS MARCHED INTO NAZARETH TO MAINTAIN ORDER AND PRESS THE HUNT FOR THE SLAYERS, W.D. BATTERSHILL, ACTING HIGH COMMISSIONER IN PALESTINE, AND OTHER RANKING OFFICIALS MET IN CONFERENCE IN JERUSALEM TO DISCUSS THE SITUATION.

ANDREWS AND HIS BODYGUARD WERE MET WITH A BURST OF REVOLVER SHOTS FROM THREE UNIDENTIFIED ARABS AS THEY WALKED OUT OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH AT NAZARETH.

ANDREWS WAS KILLED INSTANTLY AND MCEWAN DIED IN A HOSPITAL AN HOUR AFTER THE ATTACK.

A THIRD OFFICIAL, ASSISTANT DISTRICT COMMISSIONER PIRIE-GORDON, ESCAPED THE VOLLEY BY FALLING FLAT ON THE GROUND WHEN ANDREWS YELLED, “RUN FOR IT, PIRIE-GORDON, THEY’VE GOT US.”

AUTHORITIES DISCLOSED THAT ANDREWS HAD RECEIVED NUMEROUS DEATH THREATS AS A RESULT OF HIS STERN ACTION AGAINST TERRORISTS DURING LAST YEAR’S RIOTING. ANDREWS, 41-YEAR-OLD AUSTRALIAN EX-SERVICEMAN, WAS NAMED COMMISSIONER DURING THE 1936 DISORDERS. HE IS SURVIVE BY HIS WIDOW, ONE SON AND TWO DAUGHTERS. D.G.HARRIS, WHO WAS ATTACHED TO THE ROYAL COMMISSION OF INQUIRY WHEN IT VISITED PALESTINE RECENTLY, WAS NAMED TO SUCCEED ANDREWS.

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