New-York tribune., 1914-12-21
WAR PLEASANTRIES
ENLIVEN LANDING
Canadian, German and
u. S. Officer Near Battle
on the st. Louis.

Major Louis Livingston Seaman,
army officer and medic expert, who
resigned recently from the inactive list
of the United States Medical Reserve
Corps. arrived here last night by the
American liner st. Louis, after a
spirited verbal encounter with Ger
man-American traveller named George
Rottweiler, who said he was born IN
Dansville, \. Y
Responsibility for the controversy
was credited to three things leu
tonic enthusiasm Of Rottweiler, eXhila-
ration on the part Of ono Herbert
Weaver a Canadian, and conspicuous
uniform affected By Seaman.
Rottweller had been detained in Lon
don for eight days as q prisoner, after
he had been removed from tn Holland
America liner Noordam as a suspicious
alien, and he was not kindly disposed
to things British.
In this frame Of mind he boarded the
ST. Louis. Among the first things he
saw was a khaki uniform displayed
upon the person of the American eX-
medical officer lie thought the wearer
was a Briusher. and the more he saw
Of that inform the more he dislikeI
the wearer
Being a man Of remarkable will
power. ne was able to watch { major
daily and control his temper. He had
progressed we'll in this exercise Of self
control until the St. Louis came into
Quarantine yesterday and the major in
his uniform appeared before the i'm
migration officials.
american citizen" remarked the
major as he passed quickly from the
line. No more questions were asked
of him. Rottweiler came next and =
was put through veritab'e cross-eX-
animation.
Il was born in Dansville, y. Y, but
have lived for many years In Berlin
said Rottweiler. "You let that fellow
S,aman get through without question
and ] think he is foreigner
The immigration man recalled Dr..
Seaman, who proclaimed his nationality
with emphasis. The inspector said his
birthplace had been questioned by t.
German-American.
"IIa. hai' exclaimed Major Seaman
imperiously. II think you are a bloom
ing German. are you nOt?'
"Oh. ] don't know replied the leu
tonic traveller
well, you ought to know" answered
the man in khaki.
81 know all right returned Rott-
weller. "but for all | know you are a
blooming Britishor. He's got on the
uniform of q British army officer, and
If he wasn't one Of them he wouldn't
be- wearing that garb aboard ship
With this remark the eXhilarated
Herbert Weaver from Canada entered
the argument, and, standing squarely
before the animated Rottweiler, shout
ed: "This man shook his fist in the
face Of d woman during the trip, and
! suppose that is what be calls
'kultur!'
Weaver was about eighteen inches
taller than the man from Dansyille and
weighed some sixty pounds more.
These incidents meant nothing 10
Rottweiler, however. and clenching his
fist. shouted: II never did that
All the blood i'm Weaver body
seemed TO rush TO his cheeks, and,
standing upon tiptoes. he roared;
"lf you deny il, you are a German
liar"
"Gentemcn. please be quiet!' inter
jected the immigration officer "Wc
must have no alterations here
you have no right 10 call me such
names retorted the Dansville man.
81 haven't. en- ?' drawled Weaver, as
he walked closer TO Rottweiler. well.
all I've got to say TO you is that you are
miserable worm
The St. Louis's whistle announcing
that the gangplauk was made fast and
that all passengers might pass ashore
put an end TO the pleasantries.
The vessel had other encounters on
the run from Liverpool, but they were
with wind and sea, and apart from the
bowling over Of q few passengers no
mishaps occurred.