The Washington herald., 1914-09-20
BRITON DELIVERS
MANY PRISONERS
Sixty-eight Reserviists Forced
on British Vessel by Clever
Strategy of Passenger.
WIG-WAGS SIGNAL SHIPS
Montserrat. Bound for Other Side. Is
Stopped at Sea and Germans
Taken to Halifax.

CNote-owing to the strfctness OF the
Canadian censorship. the following story
was mailed from Halifax TO New York; :.
Halifax, Nova Scotia. Sept 1s.-Eyen
before the Spanish mall steamer Mont
serrat left her dock IN New York on Sun
day, September 6. the ship and the sixty
eight German reservists on her passenger
list were under the close scrutiny OF the
British navy.
Among the Montserrat's' passengers
was quiet, observant Engiishman
named Beatty, who in an unontrusiVe
manner contrfved to see a great deal Uf
what was going on aboard, particularly
in the party Of Germans. Nobody paid
very much attention to him until Monday
morning, when H. NJ. S. Glory hove In
sight
wIg-WARsing Gives Them Away.
Then one Of the sullen, downcast Ger
mans, who lined the rails, anxiously spec
ulating whether the formidable British
battIeship would disregard the Spanish
ensign waving at the Montserrat's stern
and search them. suddenly became aware
Of Mr.. Beatty standing on the poop deck
in the partial shelter OF one Of the boats.
Beatty was vigorously wig-wagg1ng to the
Glory, and the GIory's semaphore was
describing motions that were utterly I'M
Ineligible to the Montserrat's officers,
for the whole conversation was being car
ried on in navy code.
The identity Of the weIl-set-up English
man was instantly disclosed, and in fran
tic haste a party of Germans rushed Mt
him trying to stop his signaling. The
forefront OF the ruch went down with
right and left jolts straight from the
shoulder, but numbers conquered In the
end and Beatty was eventually overpow-
cred, but he had done his work.
The keen-eyed signal officer on the
GIory's bridge saw the rush at their con-
federate In an instant up went multi
colored signal in the international code
directing the Montserrat to heave to at
once. followed by another directing her
officers to see that the Englishman at
tackled aft was Immediately released.
Then His Identity becomes known
All the time the Glory was swiftly
bearing down on the merchant ship and
there was something so compelling
about the frowning appearance OF the
big tweIve-inch guns in her forward and
aft turrets and the wicked battery OF
six inchers showing her muZzles along
her sides that the British officers made
haste to see that both orders were car
ried out at once.
The Glory rounded to near the Mont
serrat. There was the shrill twitter OF
a boatswain's whistle piping a launch
away and in another moment very
efficient body Of heavily armed blue
Jackets were on board the MOntserrat.
while Beatty, standing stiffly at atten-
tIon before the lieutenant in charge OF
the boarding party. was making very
detailed report regarding the German
officers and soldiers in the Montserrats
passenger list.
The mystery came out then. Beatty
was the petty officer on II. NJ. S. Essex.
who was left behind when that ship was
hurriedly ordered from Mexican waters
at the outbreak Of hostilities. He MADE
his way to New York and applied TO
the British consul there for assistance
in reaching his ship.