The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-13
Captain of American Ship Sunk by German Cruiser Positive Warship Will Be Interned
DECLINES TO GIVE AUTHORITY FOR
 HIS STATEMENT
Cruisers Captain Reiterates Intention of Leaving Just as Soon as Vessel is Made SeawOrthy

Newport News, Va, March 12.-1 can say positively that the Prinz Eitel Friedrich never will leave this port until the end of the European war" This declaration was made tonight to a representative of the Associated Press by Capt. H. H. Kiehne, master of the American sailing ship William |P. Frye, which the German raider destroyed in the south Atlantic ocean January 2S last.
 Captain Kiehne had just bade fare well to Commander Thierichens of the German cruiser had paid off his crew and was leaving for Washington to re- veal the details of his ships destruc- ton directly to heads of the govern ment.
 'ewhy do you make such a positive statement?p the American captain was asked.
 That l will not say he replied, but l kuON SIC IetS tOiht hCiC to oeS's >-~~ til the war is over.'
 Notwlthstandine this the commander of the Eitel Friedrich tonight reiter- ated that it is his purpose to leave American waters as soon as possible.
 Reason for Action Regarding the reasons for the sink ins of the American ship Frye by the Is-. aI night that officers of the converted cruiser reached a decision after finding in the Frye's papers a record that the ship with its cargo of wheat was bound for "Queenstown, Falmouth or Ply mouth for orders" Under the British proclamation of contraband, it was pointed out that foodstuffs were classed as conditional contraband If consigned to a fortified port. Plymouth England. is a fortified port.
 Captain Kiehne also threw addi- the Eitel Friedrich to this American port and insisted that the German com- mander did not choose Newport News hazardly as q port of safety.
 After February 20 said the cap tain, the Germans entiro- changed their tactics Up to that time when ever a smoke smudge was sighted there was a cry of Alarm, Alarm. Ev- cry man was ordered to the guns and the ship sailed straight for the smoke. After the sinking of the Willerby there was a change.
 From then on the Friedrich ran from everything. On the last three IL getting the wireless from British cruisers. On the last two nights bee fore passing into the Virginia capes the order to the crew was Everybody to the guns nobody to sleep. On the last night two of the British cruisers were within 10 miles of us.''
 Captain Kiehne said that several of the German officers asked him 10 or 12 days ago if he knew where they were going to land.
 T told them I knew they were go- ing to Newport News, where they could find good shipyard. said Kiehne.
 Went Due West
 Then they asked me what I con- sidered the best course to follow to escape detection. I told them to hang to the longitude right up and then to strike due westerly into the coast.
 
 Two of Captain Kiehne's crew re- fused to accept payment today because of a decision based on statutory law that they were entitled to wages on,v until January 2S, the day the Frye was sunk. All other members of the crew accepted payment under protest and urged that the German rovern- | ment should pay them for 43 days spen4 On board the raider
 But despite their shortage of pav tbe crew of the Frye tonight sent with their compliments" to the German cruiser eight kegs of beer for the cra,u and cigars for the officers' mess Late today a naval board of three. m der orders of Rear Admiral Beatty. head ed by Naval Constructor Dubose inspect- ed the Eitel Friedrich. Under regulations which require that all warships coming into American ports be examined, they made survey of the ship Naval Con- structor Dubose would not discuss his report. which will be forwarded to Wash- ington at once for information guiding oHlcials with reference to the request of the Friedrich's commander for time to repair his vessel. Other members of the board were Lieutenant Commander Nor ITS and Lieutenant Allen
 tolowing this Inspection, the Eitel Fneoricn, having been scraped and paint cd below the water line, it was announced she would withdraw from drydock to- morrow and move in one of the ship yard piers to await information from Wasnington as to the request for repairs. Collector of Customs Hamilton today sent to Commander Thierichens the fol- lowing letter. after he had been informed of the commanders opinion that it would
 (Csatanaea el Haes Ewsave,