South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-04-08
Daniels Orders That German
Vessel Whose Commander
Gave Notice He Would Not
Attempt Dash be 0iSmantIed.
CAPTAINS ACTION NO
CAUSE FOR SURPRISE
Washington Expected Thier-
ChenS Would Not Attempt to
EIude British WarShipS Lying
in Wait Outside Port.

Alt NANsiA OaA0ANN i " -
WASHINGTON. April S.-The news
that the German cruiser PrnZ Eitel
FREDERICK would intern al the Nor
folk navy yards until the end Of the
war caused no surprise 10 adnlnlstra-
tion officials today.
While reports from Newport News
indicated that the ship would leave
and the EiteIs officers persisted in
saying they would dash Tor the sea,
officials here. particularly those wh"
have seen the Eitel. kept to their oe-
lief thai the vessel would intern. With
her speed greatly diminished los
crippled engines as result OF her long
voyage. it was not believed that snr
would attempt TO break through the
Gordon OF British and French cruisers
that were ON guard of the Virginia
capes.
Today the Eitels engines viii h.
rendered useless 10y the removal OF the
connecting rods. The brcech locks
OF her guns also viii be removed.
Orders ship Intrrncd.
Sec'J OF the Navy Daniels today uT-
dered Admiral Fletcher m command
of the Atlantic fleet OF Hampton
Roads, TO issue instructions that The
German auxiliary cruiser Punz Eitei
Frieder:ch bee interned Immediately al
the Norfolk navy yard
Admiral Beatty I'm command OF the
navy yard. viii have jurisdiction over
the Eitel Friederich and her officers.
The degree of liberty to be given them
viii rest Largely with the admiral
Their vessel viii be their home $50 lpn-
as they remain IN American waters.
and consequently the fires in the en-
siEes WiH not be wholly eNtinsuished.
With the internmeut of the Eitet
a d Co
ercised over her the treasury depart
ment ceased and she became the
charge of the navy department
NEWPORT NEWS. Ca. April N-
Her raidng days over the German
auxiliary cruiser Prnz Eitel rueder-
ich, which has been interned uuui th"
end OF the war was formally turned
over 10 the custody OF the United
States government today. The work
of removing the connecting rods ui
the engines SO that the vessel could
not steal away 10 sea was undertaken
at once The breech locks of the
cruisers guns are being removed 10
render them useless.
one Of the first acts of Capt. Thler-
ichens was TO surrender 10 Command
ct McCracken Of the naval tug Pau
teXtent the thre Germans who Joined
his crew since the Eitel entered this
port
Admiral Helm said he had wired 10
the navy department 40 Washington.
making "a report OF the Developments
up 90 date and asking FOR any fur
ther instructions that Secy Daniels
might desire 90 give him.
Asst Secy OF the Treasury Peters
gave out the following letter received
by Collector OF Customs Hamilton az
Newport News from the commander
Of the German war vessel:
81 inform YOU that I intend % in-
tern s NJ. :. Prinz Eitel Friederich
The relief I expected appears not TO
have arrived i'm time SO the number
and force of the enemy's cruisers
waiting outside the bay makes IL seem
20 me impossible for the dash for the
open sea TO DC made with amy hope
of success.
II have decided not to deliver the
crew and ship 10 fruiriess and Ger
tain death.
81 am greatly obliged for the cour-
tesies shown hv All United States
authority.
'I await your orders.
'I have communicated tho same
message to the commander of the
(. :. :. Alabama
Respectfully YOURS
~THIEEICHENS.
Collector Hamilton immediately
wired the news OF the Prtnz Eitel
commanders action 10 Asst Sec'v OF
the Treasury Peters. who was in
charge OF the case in Washington
Presents Tragic Figure
I'm communicating 90 collector
Hamilton his intention To- intern Com
mander ThieTichens presented
tragic figure. His wake across two
oceans streWu with the shattered
hUlks or his merchant prey. he WAS
deserted AT the last minute br the
ships from which he had expected
aid
Stark defeat met him face 70 face
for the first time when Collector
Hamilton handed him this Elte.
Commander :. 81. =. Pr.nz Eit-l
Friederich
"Sir: By direction of my depart
ment I have 20 advice you that n
the Prinz Eitel Frederick departs
from this port by i O'Clock midnight
OF this day April 3. 1919. which -
the time limit prescribed hy the gov
ernment OF the United State- in which
she must depart or otherwise pe ul-
der the necessity OF accepting intern
ment within American jurisdiction
during the continuance OF the war il
which your country is now engaged. ~
Will Be necessary for her 10 depart
from their territorial waters OF the
United States by 2 o'clock "a. m. April
8. 1915. This Is imperative.
NORMAN HAMILTON
collector"
Glancing over the note. romman-
der Thierichens merely said
II feel very badly. would have