New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-12
LIVED OFF ENEMY,
OFFICER DECLARES
British Supplied Guns and
Coal, and French Gave
Uniforms.

Nowport News. Va, April 1.-The
Wilhelms long voyage from New fork
was told tonight by Lieutenant
Warneke, the first officer, who left New
York harbor with the ship:
1--WE left August 3 and put out into
the great, big ocean," said Lieutenant
Warneke. I'VE were not warshlp
then. but three days out, of the Ber-
mudas. we met the German cruiser
Karlsruhe. We took from her two
three-inch guns, which we mounted on
the bow Of the ship, and took Lieu
tenant Captain Thierfelder, her navl-
eating officer. 10 command our ship.
we also took seventeen Of the
Karlsruhe's junior officers and men,
took on more coal and provisions and
put TO sea.
I'VE made for the South Atlantic, and
the first vessel we encountered was the
British ship Indian Prince, which we
sank on September 4. 1914. From that
time on We remained on the ocean, de
stroyiug the enemy where we might
find her
British Supplied Guns.
II want to say that Sir Edward
kind 20 us, and that if Great Britain
had been organized as well as we were
to patrol the South Atlantic we never
could have remained alive these many
months. Sir Edward Grey sent US those
two big guns on our afterdeck. lie
sent them 90 US on the British ship La
COrrcntina on October z. When we got
those 4-inch guns we felt pretty safe.
LA Correntina couldn't use her guns
because she didn't have any ammuni-
ton. We didn't give her battle be-
cause she was helpless. but after we
took her guns and what of her cargo
we wanted we put some bombs into
her, and down she went. We made
ammunition for her guns on board
ship.
"Some of the merchant ships we
sank with our own guns. some we blew
up with bombs, and in some cases we
were compelled to ram the ships also.
"Sir Edward Grey was also kind to
us in sending us coal, for we took on
board from the enemy's ships during
our voyage more than 10000 tons.
I've were peculiar looking crowd
until France came to our rescue with
the uniforms we wear We made the
uniforms for all our merchant crew
from cloth captured from the French
steamship Guadeioupe on February %.
The color is not exactly German, but
the cloth is good.
We wanted dark blue, but could
only find this gray blue. and so you
see We are strange looking German
sallormen to-day. From the Guade-
loupe we also got shoes. leather and
thousands of dollars worth of things
la
French army. tell you the sinking
Of the Gaudeloupe was bad stroke
for the French"
Hits at Odenwald Affair.
Lieutenant Warneke was asked il the
kronpriuz Wilhelm had not hoped 20
get help from the German steamer
Odonwaid. held up by the United States
al San Juan, Porto Rico, several weeks
ago. He made no direct reply, but de-
clarcd the action on the part of the
United States in denying clearance TO
the OGenwald was the worst thing
American had done
"Why did you Americans not give
clearance 20 the Odenwald?" he asked.
1--WE heard all about il by our wire
less. We didn't need any newspapers
We had good wireless apparatus aboard
all the time, and Sir Edward Grey
kindly sent US several new sets when
we needed them. The denial of clear
ance to the OdeuwaId was the only bad
America had done
Several weeks ago, the officer said.
the Prinz Wilhelm was getting short Of
coal and supplies and some of her crew
and prisoners were afflicted with beri-
berl. caused by lack Of vegetable food
] he Germans had hoped to get supplies
from the German ship Macedonia, re-
ported TO have escaped from Las
Paimas several weeks ago. This yes
sci. they learned, however, had been
captured by British vessels. They then
steamed north through the middle Of
the Atlantic and were in touch with
events Transporting regarding the Prinz
Eitel Friedrich.
a member of the crew. who was for
merly in the United States navy. de-
clared the crew witnessed an encounter
between the Karlsruhe and the British
cruiser Bristol
When off the Bermudas.' he said.
the British cruisers Bristol. Suffolk
and Berwick came up and we were
forced 10 run. While the Karlsruhe
was engaging the Bristol we were
steamug straight away. We made
twenty-siN knots IN that flight. and we
never heard from the Karlsruhe after
Oh e except once.
"Our last message from her told us
that the Bristol had been damaged and
was making for some port for repairs.
and that the Karlsruhe had been onlv
slightly damaged and no one had been
killed. We then began our cruise as
a warship.'
TT = THY Y-- ~