Evening journal., 1914-09-18
JAP POOL Player
CAUGHT IN WAR NET
Kali Yamada Gets Out of
Europe in Steerage
After HOldup
GLAD TO BE IN
LAND OF PEACE

A secret warning to leave Ger
many, a fight by night from the city
Berlin, personal belongings aban-
doned, arrested and searched bv
German soldiers dozen times dur
ing a three day trip which ordinarily
Is made in ten hours, denied passage
TO America from Amsterdam, and
his final escape in the steerage of the
POtsdam, these are some of the
thrilling experiences which befell
Koji Yamada. the champion japanese
billiard player in his efforts to flee
the war-infested countries of Eur
ope.
Il am glad to be in America" said
the youthful Oriental as he came
down the gang plank of the Potsdam
at HObOken on the morning of Sep
tember 10. There was no denying
the statement. Anyone who saw va
mada at the time was conscious of
the great relief which the Jap felt
when he had landed safely. For had
not the steamship officials refused
him passage and even told him that
he would not be permitted to land
even if he finally reached the United
States!
After his sensational billiard
games in New York last spring, va
mada went to Berlin, where he had
been educated. to take part in an
international tournament in the Ger
man capital. All went well until the
big war began and this put an end
to the tournament and cancelled all
Of the contracts which the cue ex-
pert had in that country.
Then Japan became a party to the.
great conflict and Yamada was
warned secretly by the Japan En-
bassy of Berlin to leave the country
at once and the Embassy advanced
the funds for the escape, for Yamada
was unable to realize anything on
his contracts or collect for the ex-
bibition games he had already played.
He left Berlin at night leaving his
baggage behind, all except a suit
case and his billiard cue. He had
not crossed the border when his best
friend, a physician. and twenty other
japanese in Berlin had been made
prisoners Of war.
The three day Journey from Berlin
to Amsterdam were filled with un-
certainty not unlike the horrors OF
q nightmare. Shifted from train to
train, held up at wayside stations.
arrested by soldiers and searched
many times, i'm the midst OF a Mill
taryism which knew no other law
than the law Of war, at times forced
to walk many miles surrounded by
a hostile people, Yamada, with the
aid of an American passport, finally
arrived at Amsterdam there to find
that more troubles awaited him. This
was on August 90
With his remaining funds he pur-
chased second class ticket to New
York and then was told that he would
not be allowed to sail. Almost
daily until September demands
we're made on him to return the
ticket. Upon the advice Of the
Japanese Embassy at The Hague
this he refused to do. He was then
threatened that he would be 'deported
even should he reach the United
States.
Il would never want TO know any
thing like II again." says Yamada.
Those weeks waiting for the day for
the boat to sail we're the most miser-
able. Everywhere was disorder,
everywhere was war. Nothing
seemed safe. A Japanese was
special object of enmity and began
to fear that / would not be allowed
to leave. To have attempted TO
reach England would have meant my
detention. My only hope was in
convincing the authorities OF the
truth, that my billiard engagements
IN America were important and that
I was really going to America for
that purpose.
It was with fear and trembling
that Yamada boarded the Potsdam
on the morning of September 5. He
was really surprised that he was
rot stopped. It can't be explained
even now why he was not, except
that unusual efforts were being made
in this country for his return. He
was assigned TO a comfortable room
in the second cabin according to his
ticket Of passage, but no sooner had
the boat started on its long Journey
than he was deprived of his quarters
and assigned to the steerage. But
the steerage of any ship was pre-
ferable to Europe in a state OF war
and America a paradise compared to
the rest of all the world
would | wish to go back to Ger
many? Perhaps, sometime. maybe.
but I think not"
Yamada is a member Of the Cham
pion Billiard Players League and IL
was to fill his engagements in this
new organization that he was
anxious to return, not more anxious
| however. than he was to place him
self beyond the horrors and dangers
of the most destructive war the world
has yet known.
DELAWARE HORSES IN THE MONEY
| Delaware racers We're i'm the nonpv