Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1915-03-23
United States Army Off
Gals Check with Cannon
German Plans.
ANOTHER ALABAMA
CASE MIGHT RESULT
Washington Officials Think II Oden.
Wald Had Been Permitted to Leave
San Juan. She Would Mount Guns
and Attack Merchantmen.

Washington, March 22.-The Ham
burg-American liner Odenwaid,
stopped from leaving San Juan,
Porto Rice. yesterday by shots across
her bows, is being held under the
recent congressional resolution en-
towering the president to prevent
supplies going from American ports
to ships of the European belligerents
at sea.
Secretary Garrison is making a
thorough investigation of the Oven
wald's case in ce/nectioa with treas
ury department., officials and the
white house.
Under the resolution the president
was authorized to "direct collectors
OF customs under the jurisdiction OF
the United States to Withhold clear
ance from any vessel. American or
foreign, which he has reasonable
cause to believe to be about to carry
fuel. arms, ampunition, men or sup.
plies to any warship or tender of
supply ship OF a belligerent nation, in
violation of the obligations of the
United States as neutral nation"
1t was said that Gin case any such
vessel depart or attempt to depart
from the United States without clear
ance for any of the purposes set
forth, the owner or master or person
or persons having charge of COM
mand4 Of such vessel shall sseverally
be liable to a fine of not less than
$4,000 or more than $4,000, or to i'm
prisonment not to exceed two years
o. both, and in addition such vessel
shall be forfeited to the United
States"
Officials would not disclose what
grounds they had for believing that
the Odenwald~ came under the terms
of the resolution.
Official Version.
This report was received today
from Lieutenant Colonel Burnnam,
commanding the Porto Ricaa regi-
ment:
"Hamburg-American steamer Oden-
valid attempted to leave this port
about 3 this afternoon March 2)
without clearance papers. At-request
Of collector of customs to p, event de-
parture, and in compliance with In
structlOns in your telegram March 19,
warning shots were fired with ma
chine guns and one shot across her
bows with five-S>ff rifle from FL
Moro. Ship then came to anchor
under Ell Moro. None was injured.
Ship returned to her anchorage IN
the harbor. IN presence of collector
of customs March 10, l personally in
fol- med and warned German consul
and commander of Odenwald that
force would be used if necessary to
prevent vessel leaving without clear.
ance."
1t was learned here, however, that
the Odenwald was warned she could
not leave San Juan until the port Of
ficers had an opportunity for thCr-
ough insaection. Permission for
that was refused. Officials here fee
convinced that the Odenwald, whit.
not loaded with supplies of coal and
food that usually are carried by
merchantmen, may have intended to
cruiser like tue 'Prinz Eitel Friedrich
now lying ut Newport News.
Local officials in Porto Rico sus.
pected that the Odenwald was plan
ming to take that course and had this
United States consented to her de.
parture under the circumstances, il
was held by the state department
that it thereby might have created
another Alabama case.