The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-08-19
Herman Steinbach Came Over
in German Liner.
USED AMERICAN ENSIGN
Whittekind Feared Appearance
Of British Warship Essex.
Flowed Through Icebergs With
All Lights Dimmed.

Aboard the German liner White
kind. Herman Steinbach of Topeka ex-
perienced thrill he will never forget
as the big ship sailed for days full
speed through dense fog in the ice
berg district and with all lights out
and portfolios covered that the liner
might escape the British cruiser Essex
and deliver her passengers safely in
Boston. In midsea the ships captain
laration OF war between Germany and
England and the ships destination was
changed from Montreal to Boston.
Steinbach arrived in Topeka this week.
When Steinbach left Hamburg. July
-. there was not the slightest intima-
ton Of war in the Fatherland. Stein
bach. chef at the Harvey house in To-
peka, had been spending his vacation
period in the Fatherland and leisurely
took passage on the big North Ger
man Lloyd steamship Whittekind.
bound for Montreal. Not until the big
liner was in midsea, did the passen-
gers learn OF the declaration Of war
between Germany and England. The
ships captain several days earlier and
arrangements made for changing the
ships course and putting into Boston
harbor.
It was after the receipt of the wire
less message. that the operator aboard
the Whittekind picked up a message
from the British cruiser Essex. AS the
messages continued, the operator knew
that the battleship and the liner were
sailing toward each other. That night
Whittekind plowed through the seas
with lights extinguished and portfolios
covered. There was a heavy fog and
the danger OF the situation was in
creased by reason Of the fact that the
German liner was in the iceberg dis
trict and had received messages ad-
vising her to watch for the big ice
foes.
Hours of Suspense.
I'VE spent some mighty ticklish
hours after receiving news Of the war;"
said Steinbach at the Harvey house
today. Sailing with battleship look
ing for you and a heavy fog and amid
icebergs. isn't very safest or the
most agreeable travelling. One night
we passed within half a mile of a big
ship. We could see her outlines plain
ly. but every light on our deck was
out and she didn't see us. Our captain
thought the ship was the Essex. but
we Will never know perhaps
Then the German sighed with relief.
You can bet am powerfully glad
they didn't see us. too" he added:
Once during the trip. the White
Kind sighted what was apparently a
fishing fleet. The ships captain or
dered the German ensign at the ships
furled the United States emblem. It
was feared that the presence of a Ger
man steamship might be reported to
the enemy and the subterfuge was
adopted that the passengers might. be
safely landed. AS further safeguard,
the ships crew removed the markings
of the German steamship line on the
smokestacks and painted the stacks
to resemble those of American lines.
None Of this made us feel easier"
said Steinbach. "One day we sighted
a monster iceberg. Then we went into
the fog again. We heard the sirens on
other ships. but not once after receiv-
ing news Of the declaration of war did
the Whittekind blow her whistles"
The morning of August S, the
Whittekind reached quarantine. Stein
bach spent a week in the east and re-
turned to Topeka. He resumed his
work as chef at the Harveyahouse this
week. The Whittekind on which the
Topekan took passage is the last but
one of the German liners to leave
Hamburg before the opening of hostil-