The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1915-02-12
GERMAN FIGHTERS
FROM GU|NEAHERE
ON WAY:T0 WAR
SWenty-three Colonists Who
Bluffed English Into Grant
Z ing Safe Conducts Arrive.

Strangest wards Of all the world war
TO sift into Now York were the ninety
seven German colonists. men women
and children, from German New Gull
nea, away down in the water wilder
ness OF the Antipodes, who arrived
abo9rd the Southern Pacific steamer
Antilles from New Orleans to-day.
Ssventy-three Of them are husky
fighting men who have fought the
English once. behind coral breastworks
In New Guinea, and boast that they
win Tight the English again somewhere
In the trenches of France. For, they
say. they bluffed the commander Of an
Australian fighting ship into giving
them safe conduct to Germany as the
price Of their surrender at Nauin. on
their island possession. with no prom
isss not to fight again exaoted.
The seventy-three valiants, with
Gov. DR.. Eduard Haber. their former
chief In the island colony. expect to
take the first Observation-Disclosures
Lane steamer to Sweden, and 70 home
and to the battle line.
DR.. Haber, the Governor Of German
New Guinea, came overland from San
Francisco and arrived here few
days ago. But the rest of the COL
onists, swinging around by New Or
leans and the sea route north, were
slower to arrive.
A big Hamburg-Amer tug took
them OF the Antilles and across the
North River to the Hamburg Ameri-
, can liner President Lincoln, all be-
decked in bunting In honor of the
birthday Of her name giver. There
twenty-five of the refugees from
Kiaochow who came last week still
remained, and between China and
New Guinea there was a love feast,
toasted in brimming schooners.
The New Guinea strays will re-
main on the President Lincoln un-
til they can take ship to Europe, the
women going to Italy and the fight
Ing men to Sweden.
Karl Hacker, a bronzed trader who
has spent years Swimming the South
Seas for copra and pearls. told the
story of the epic fight at Nauin.
''Our big wireless station was there"
we heard nothing Of the war until
Aug. II. That night several Of us had
Invitations to dine with John Slater.
the only Englishman In the settle
ment. We went just the same. though
the spark through the air said we
were enemies.
"Next day we started making prep
arations for defense. We made
trenches and got out all our ammuni-
tlon, determined to save the wireless
plant whatever happened.
But we heard nothing from the
English until Sept. II. when an
Australian battleship showed UP and
sent a landing party ashore. We
gradually retired under fire to the last
line Of defense at the wireless sta
tion, but there we put UP a big fight.
There were only little more than n
hundred Of us. but we burned enough
powder for a regiment. The English
were deceived. Finally they sent a
nag of truce and asked for q parley.
Tour Governor said the only terms
Of surrender he would listen to were
safe conduct for every lighting man
back to Germany and no promise not
to night again. The English accepted
these terms, and in Australia, where
they took us. the Minister OF State
signed a special pass for every one
) Of us. So we 20 back to fight.
They tell us we will be the only
German reservists to leave New York
since the war began"