Chinese robbers carrying rapid-firing Mauser pistols killed two Chinese men and wounded a third early yesterday morning in the Western district in territory now under Japanese control, The first encounter occurred at about 2.30 a.m. at 1428 Jessfield Road, off the extra-Settlement road, Four robbers, one of whom carried a Mauser' pistol, sought to loot the house but the tenant raised an alarm and frightened the men off. Before they fled, however, the armed robber fired a shot which wounded the tenant in the right shoulder. He was later taken to the Chinese Red Cross Hospital in a Fire Brigade ambulance, Another Chinese carrying a Mauser pistol, and an accomplice who was not armed, robbed the occupants of a straw-hut off Pensang Road at 6 am., taking about $30 in notes. One of the women in the hut cried out and the robbers fied followed by the owner of the hut and several neigh-hours. To halt the pursuit the armed bandit turned round in his flight and fired two shots, killing two of his pursuers. The robbers escaped.
A Fire Brigade ambulance was summoned, but the two wounded men were then beyond saving, They were pronounced dead at hospital.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.