Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1914-11-20
KARLSRUHE TAKES
SEVENTEEN SHIPS
German Cruiser Used Novel Scheme
10 Run Up Total Of Merchant
men Prizes of Enemy.
PASSENGERS TELL THE STORY
Those from the Captnred british
ship Van Dyck Relate Their TO-
Experiences Upon Arrival
In New York.

NEW YORK, Nov i9-How the Gen
man cruiser. Karlsruhe. sets It's traps FOR
vessels flying the flag OF nations at war
with Germany, was told today by .pah-
sengers OF the British merchantmen, Van
Dyck. captured by the Karlsruhe while
on a voyage from Buenos Ayres TO Now
York. These passengers arrived hnfc
today on the steamship. San Paulo. from
Paris.
From Captain Hans Fritsch, member
OF the German naval reserve. command
ing the steamer Asunoion. 10 which those
aboard the Won Dyck were transferred
after the Van Dyck has been chased and
captured by the Karlsruhe on october ~,
the passengers obtained their information.
Captain Fritsch said that the Karlsruhe
was constantly accompanied by four cap
turod merchant vessels. manned by prize
crews. Tho flotllla. when there was rea-
son 20 believe a merchantmen was near,
spread out over line about 80 miles
long When a vessel flying the enemy's
flag was sighted by one OF the ships. the
wireless notified the cruiser. and the
Karlsruhe with It's superior speed. would
dash IN and capture tho prize.
Captured seventeen PriHes.
Captain Fritsch said that the Karlsruhe
had captured seventeen ships in or near
equatorial Atlantic waters.
Daniel Lindo OF New York. AZ spokos-
man for the passengers. told the following
story OF tho capture Of tho Van Dycki
THE Van pyck left Buenos Ayres on
October IS With iss passengers and a
crew OF 30. Tho British cruiser Bristol
conveyed the ship between Rio Janeiro
and Bahia. Just before our arrival at
Bahia the Bristol left US
About II o'clock on the morning OF Oc-
tober 20, after we left Bahia, two columns
OF smoke were seen over the horizon. In
half an hour more we saw n gray war
vessel coming In our direction at great
speed Soon we found out that the war
ship was the Karlsruhe and that the Van
Dyck was prize of war. In the wake of
tho cruiser there came the steamship
Farm. which we learned later was q cap
tured vessel.
"a IonEboat filled with officers and men
put off from the cruiser. A. II came along
side wo saw that that all the men we're
armed with rifles and revolvers. The Of
ficers came aboard and after inflecting
the ships papers informed us that we
and taken into some port.
Three other ships Come Up.
I'm the meantime three other vessels
had come up. They were the flo Negro.
the Asuncion and the Indrani. The first
two used to be vessels OF the Hamburg
American line; the Indranl was a cap
tured vessel. At O'Clock the next morn
ing the passengers. baggage and bedding
were transferred TO the AsuRcion.
THE Asuncion with bil passengers
aboard patrolled north and south over a
path sixty miles long for six days to
prevent news Of the capture of the Van
Dyck from becoming known. The Karls-
rhue was watching for the steamer
vestri which was bound south and re-
ported TO be nearby.
Captain Frttsoh told US that the
Asuncion steamed without clearance
papers from Santos August 8. with a full
supply of coal and provisions. 1t Joined
the Karlsruhe at n small island off the
coast OF south America The coal and
provisions were transferred TO the cruiser,
which was badly in need OF them.
1.-THE Asuncion has been In touch with
the cruiser ever since. He also said that
in taking tho Van Dyck tho Germans
believed they had sealed their fate. They
felt that the British navy would make
extraordinary efforts TO destroy the
Karlsruhe after the Van Dyck's capture
should become known.
Captain Fritsch said that the Karis-
ruhe had captured the following vessels:
August n, Maple Branch: September l.
stra,hroy; September Il. Highland Hope:
September II. Indrani; September q,
Maria, a Dutch vessel with oontraband
OF war aboard and the Rio Icyahla
September %. Cornish city: October s.
Marie DE Larrinaga and the Meitade;
october 6. Farm; October Z. Lyoronna;
October 8. Cervantes; october Q. Pruth
October II. Condor; october IS. Glanton;
october %. Hurpdale. and October %.
Van Dyck."