Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-28
COURT ASKED TO
STAY ALLIES FROM
SEEING VESSELS
Owners of Fran and Som
merstad, Through Counsel,
Move to Save Boats From
Hands of Warning Powers.

A demand to order the unloading Of
the Norwegian tramp steamboats, Fran
and Sommerstad, now lying in the Della
ware River, has been filed with the
United States District court today by
Ralph VI. Bullowa, n New York attorney,
representing the owners OF the vessels
VINO do not propose TO have them seized
by warning powers by carrying supplies
to German men Of war off the American
coast The court has reserved an opinion
The dictagraph exposure Of the desti-
nations Of the Norwegian steamships
Fran and SOmmerstad, nov at an
chor in the Delaware River. has
disclosed the system which made
the violation Of neutrality possi-
bic. owners, agents and othcrs are
now rushing to cover. The expose was
due to the efforts Of Christian Moe
Norwegian Consul at this port ana
Ralph NJ. Bulowa, a New York attorney.
It was in Mr. Bullowa's office the dlc-
tograph was installed, prior to con-
ference between the masters of the ves-
sells, representatives Of the Hamburg
American Line and officials Of the inter-
American Company. Mr.. Bullowa de-
clares that the Intcr-Amercan Com
pany had chartered the vessels and then
rechartered them to the Hamburg
American Company This is denied by
julius 2. Meyer, director OF the Iatter
company. who asserts that his company
has chartered vessels at various times
to supply ships of the line, but never
German cruisers.
trpon the advice of Mr.. Moe, Captain
Axelsen, Of the Sommerstad. and Cap
tain Grinhem. of the Fran, consulted
Mr. Bulowa, after notifying their own
ers, the A. f. Klaverness Co. Of
Haugesend. Norway. and II. NJ. Wrangell
& Co., of Christania. Norway.
Consul Noes suspicion was first aroused
by Captain AXelsen and Captain Grinheim.
They told him they We're to sail under
sealed orders and things didn't look Just
right" They said that they were in duty
bound to the steamship owners to carry
the car2Oes TO their destinations, but they
did not believe the owners knew anything
about the shipment of supplies to Ger
man warships.
a few days later the captains told Mr..
Moe that agents of the Hamburg -Ameri'
can Line had sent them offers of big
bonuses for immediate sailings. This was
during the time the masters of the steam
ships were awaiting advice from home.
The advice came and told them to con-
suit an attorney Then the conference
with the dictograph as a witness was ar
ranged.
Nothing could be learned Of the trans
action at the office OF William ]. Grand
field and Company 2oS Walnut street to-
day. They are the local agents for the
steamships They declined to give the
name Or names of the persons for whom
they were acting and further refused to
affirm or deny that they knew the car
goes were meant for German cruisers.
| I'VE will not discuss the transaction in
| anyway" was all that was said.
The Sommerstad and Fran are two OF
| six vessels with similar cargocs on board
clared from this port by Grandheld
| &: Co The first one was the Helna
| which left on August ostensibly for La
| Guayra. It was reported that she had
| been captured in the act of deliveriT z
| Rel cargo to German warship. The
| Nepos sailed on August %, the John Lud'
| Wig Nowinckcl on September and the
| Unita on September S. on their clearance
| papers their destinations were given as
| Spanish or Brazilian ports.
Like carrying Goals TO Newcastle" was
| the carrying of coffee to Brazil by these
| steamships Another suspicious incident
was the large supply of fresh water
| taken on board. These aroused the Nor
| wcgian sklppcrs' fears. They did not
care to risk imprisonment in English or
! French prisons, bur both emphatically
declared they feared most for the prop
| crty of their employers. Difficulty was
| experienced in getting crews for these
vessels. despite the fact that hundreds
OF sailors are out Of employment.
! ARRANGEMENTS are now being made for
! the discharge OF the CargOcs OF the Fran
| and sJmmeTstad, and in a few days
| $4,000 worth Of coal and ship supplies
| which We're scheduled for German war,
! ships vii! he dumped back on one of the
piers and later delivered 10 the con
! s,guoTS.