Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-04-13
ANOTHER RAIDER
IN HARBOR OF U. S,
CONTINUED From Pas. ~

trail Norwegian bark SemAntha. bound
for Falmouth February I last prom.
ised today to present An interesting
case similar to that precipitated BY
the sinking Of the American bark
William p. Frye by the German raider
Prinz Eitel Friedrich, now interned
here. The Samantha was loaded with
wheat for England.
THE Norwegian's cargo was con.
traband OF war" said Lieutenant War
neke, when asked about the destruc.
ton Of this neutral ship. today. There
was no alternative for 10. The cargo
of wheat was worth far more than the
ship itself. and from the ships papers
we found that the wheat was insured
by the British government, What
could we do? We had to destroy her"
An investigation Is being made Of
the conditions under which the Kron-
prinz Wilhelm slipped out OF New
York harbor August last, It being re-
ported that she did not have proper
clearance papers when che made her
dash, as 1t. now develops. under direct
orders from the German govefrment.
Should 1t be found that the ship did
not secure clearance papers. she would
be subject to pains and penalties" for
breach Of the customs law OF the
United States. 2t
Several of the oflicers and men Of
the cruiser are wearing the iron cross,
but they refuse to discuss the feats
performed to gain It.
The sixty-one prisoners now on
board the Kronprinz who were taken
from the Royal mail steamer lamar
and the British steamer COLBY still
were cooped up In 4 space on the up
per deck and guarded BY armed sail,
ors. Efforts to talk to the prisoners
were prevented by the guards; but
later today they viii b brought
ashore.
A newspaper. taken on board, and
offered to one who begged for IT, in
order to get news from homo. wasecon-
fiscated by an ohicer. Several Of the
prisoners, including Captain Cr1ghton
Of the Coleby and Chief Omcsr Math-
ews of the lamar. asked that mes
sages be sent to their families n Eng
land, but before the addresses could be
secured tho guard intsrvened and
newspaper men were ordered from
that part Of the ship.
The crew Of the Kronprinx 10 COM
posed almost entirely OF persons who
are naturalixed Americans, who have
lived in the United States for many
years. Some Of them are former
members Of the crew OF the United
States battleship Kearsarge and OF
the German cruiser Karlsruhe, trans
ferred to the Kronprinz In the south
Atlantic. Several others are members
Of the crews Of ships sunk BY the
auxiliary cruiser.
British Vice Consul C. e. Ken
worthy Is In communication with Col
position Of the prisoners. It ID the In
tention to send them back to England
on the British steamer Casandra, now
in this port. The Casandra is fitted for
carrying passengers, but has been en-.
gagged In the freight carrying trade Of
late.
German Vice Consul Grassau also
paid an oficial visit to the cruiser.
Early today United States naval
patrol of the James river was begun
in the vicinity of the Wilhslm's an
chorage. The naval tug Patuxent took
a position alongside the raider while
torpedo boats and submarines oc-
cupied the positions leading to Hamp.
ton Roads.
Eve came dangerously near being
captured by British warships," said
one OF the sailors of the Wilhelm to-
day. I'VE were sighted by one and
they asked US for our name.
WHO are you? p they signalled.
WHO are you've replied.
"'This is British warship. What
is your name and where bound?
1--WE told them we we're British
vessel and bound to Havre. We had q
barge standing by US just before we
were sighted and we took this In tow.
We figured that the British officer, II
he had any suspicion that We were