New Britain herald., 1914-08-04
WERE ABOARD LINER
 CHASED BY GERMANS
nr. and Mrs. r. H. Johnston AITIVe
 From Europe.
BOAT SHOWED NO NIGHT uCHIS

Crossing Ocean With German Shlp
 Trying to Locate Thenl-Ene1ny's
 Boat Sighted Once.
 Sailing from Havre, France, on the stearnsfip Rochambeau on July 25, MT. and Mrs. Frank H. Johnston of West Main street, arrived in New York last night and reached their home in this city today. A narrative ofssFtheir "trip across the briny deep reads like a page from one of Henty's Tales of the Spanish Main, for the Roc11ambeau was chased for three days bysa German battleship, presum ably the Dresden, and made dock ill New York at o'clock last night eleven5 hours ahead of her scheduled time. The Rochambeau proved to be the last vessel that left the continent for American waters and today MT. and Mrs. Johnston are congratulat- ing themselves, thinking that they were fortunate enough to secure a booking.
 War Develops Suddenly.
 As evidence of the .suddenness with which the whole war scare has come on, Mr. Johnson states that when they left Havre on July 25 there was not a sign of excitement. Rumors of an impending crisis had been heard, to be sure, but not much credence was placed on them and many American tourists in the country were leaving hourly to- various points of interest. Even the Rochambeau was not full Io mum Der of vacant state rooms.
 War News by Wireless.
 When out about 1,5OO or 2,000 miles however, the wireless operator on the Rochambeau one night breath 1essly. ann ouncedt that entire Europe was on the verge of a great war; that Germany and Russia was ready to leap at each others throats and that France and Germany were liable to declare war at, any moment.
 Passengers Panic Stricken.
 As their boat was French ship the crew and passengers were greatly dis turbed by these reports and when few hours later the operator an nounced that all French ships were liable to be seized their fears were in creased. When, however, the operator received code message from one of the German battleships and later an- other message which informed him tbat-sfhis battleship was looking for the Rochambeau the crew and pas sengers were thrown into a panic.
 Sails Without Lights.
 From then on the wireless operator declined to answer any messages fear ing that their location might be given to- the enemy if he did, but he was on the alert all the while, trying to interpret all messages between Ger man boats. During the last three nights the Rochambeau sailed ahead at over twenty knots an hour and with all lights extinguished, taking every precaution against discovery by the Germans.
 German Boat Sighted.
 The .nearest that the German war vessels. came to catching the French liner was two days ago when the lookout on the liner discovered trail of smoke on the horizon which proved to ibe the enemy's boat. When might fell, however, the Roc1ambeau made good@its escape in the dark. !. This boat was not scheduled to sd ock until 8, S,o'clock this morning but at o'clock last night it was tied .alongside the wharf in New York, having made the last lap of the race in record time.
 German Boat Armed.
 MT. Johnston tells an interesting account of the mysterious departure of the German ship Kronprinz Will helm from New York last night. The boat was given an entire new coat of sea gray paint and before she sailed three large canvas colored ob- jects were placed on the forward deck. For the benefit of the curious these were labelled "extra crank shafts but these crank shafts are thought to be three heavy bore rapid fire guns. At Il o'clock last night the Kronprinz Wilhelm with out showing a single light, steamed out of the harbor and was lost in the darkness.
 Liners Being Repainted.
 Other ocean liners which have not been ordered to stop their runs are heinz repainted, states MT. Johnston. rrhe idea in this is that if the boat .bou1d he sighted by foreign war x,essel it could not be recognized as easily.
 MT. and Mrs. House Return.
 MT. and Mrs. William A. House, of I.enox Place, also returned from abroad last night They came from potterdam Holland, and knew noth- ino of fhe European climax until they reaa the wireless despatches On tlls;r vessel in mid-ocean. MT. and Mrs. House are somewhat worried over the safety of their son, Watson, -vbo is marooned in Germany.
 Charles Hipp, of Whiting street. returned home from Germany today.
 SUES FOR $1OO DAM AGES.
 Through Attorney Joseph G. Woods Frank Ritoli has sued Silaro Devls