The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-04-21
HOW he SLIPPED IN
KRSN PRlRK Ran PASS GUNS OF
BLOCKADING FLEET
CAPTAIN Tells STORY

CAPTAIN TELLS STURY
Commerce Destroyer anchored in the
James River-Leaking Slightly and
Boilers in Bad Condition-Needs
Repairs Badly-Captaia Wants to
Go to Sea.
The German merchant raider
kronprinz Wilhelm, by order Of the
United States government, will not be
permitted to go into dry dock at New
port News until Lieut.. Capt. Thier-
fielder, commander Of the ship, has
made formal request in writing, for
the repairs desired to. render his YES
sci seaworthy and for supplies neces-
sary to take him to the nearest Ger
man port.
Near while the commerce destroy
er remains at anchor in the James
river. She was examined by experts
from the Newport News Shipbuilding
and Dry Dock company, who found
her leaking slightly and her boilers
in bad condition. Unofficially it was
learned that the Kronprinz requires
much attention before she can be
made seaworthy. This was taken to
indicate that she eventually may be
forced to follow her predecessor, the
Prinz Eitel Friedrich, and intern her
for the period of the war.
The German captain, however, is
insistent that he must hasten to re-
pair lis ship and resume the work as
signed him by the German govern
ment as a merchant raider on the
high seas.
II will decide upon repairs neces-
sary as soon as it is humanity pos
sible," Capt. Thierfelder said, "be-
cause it is necessary that proceed
as soon as possible. 1t is Of the ut
most Importance that I resume the
duties assigned me by my govern
ment atsse
The German commander discharged
officers and men of the British ships
lamar and Colby whom he brought
to this port. They were transferred
to the British horse steamer Cassan-
] dra amidst the cheering Of their fell
low eountrymen aboard ships in the
harbor. Monday night they left for
Englard, all of them wondering how
they slipped through the warships Of
the allies off the Virginia capes. That
! the escape was a miraculous one was
attested by Capt. Thierfelder in an
| interview on his experience in racing
to this refuge from the equator, after
destroying the Colby March 27, last.
eve started north from the equa-
tor short of coal and provisions, -
said Capt Thierfelder. eve also
had sick sailors aboard afflicted be-
cause of too much rice diet and lack
Of fresh vegetables.
1--WE had planned to meet German
supply ships. Unfortunately none OF
| the supply ships turned up. What
| became of them I do not know; ex-
cept we saw from the shelter Of over
hanging clouds one collier we had ex-
pected being chased by two British
cruisers.
"On our trip north through the
mid-Atlantic we did not meet up with
any merchant ships from which we
could get coal and supplies. In this
situation it was necessary for US to
get to port and also to a dry dock
and l decided to come to Newport
News.
heard the British warships talking to
each other on the wireless. 1t seem
ed OF some nights that there were as
many rs eight of the warships within
a radius of few hundred miles. But
| we kept on due north, running as
rapidly as we could with our ship
darkened at night.
Zone night we heard about the
Prinz Eitel Friedrich being at New
port News. Thereafter we heard in.
formation about the Eitel every
night. But a few nights ago we got
the news from the British wireless
=, that the Prinz Eitel had been intern.
ed. Immediately thereafter all this
talking between the British warships
ceased.
1--WE presumed that the feet o1
warships was breaking up and on
Saturday night we decided to run foI
the Virginia capes. With all lights
out we started at top speed but had
not gene far when we again picked
up the wireless Of the allied war
)! ships. AS We got nearer the coast 1t
,seemed to US from the signals that
| there were as many as three British
warships and one French ship within
distances varying from three to so
miles of US. One ship seemed dan
gerously near as we approached the
capes and took aboard pilot who
steered US here"
From other sources it was learned
that the collier mentioned by the
/ German commander as having been
chased by British warships was be-
lieved to be the Macedonia, which
was reported to have put out from
Las Palmas about two weeks ago.
Capt. Thierfelder denited state
! ments by British prisoners aboard his
vessel that his ship ever was in wire.
less communication with the Prin2
Eitei while the latter was in port OF
before that time during the sea raid
ing career of the two German ships
/ Official inquiry was made concerning
these reports. The commander de-
clared that he had tried repeatedly
after being commissioned as a mer-
chant raider to get in communication
with the Prinz Eitel, but failed. He
said that when the Kronprinz Will
helm left New York last August and
was cvertaken by the German cruiser
Karlsl uhe, the commander Of the lat
ter gave him a naval code. The Eitel,
he exr lained, later was provided with
revised code. Thereafter, Capt
Thierfelder declared, every time the
Eitei heard the Wilhelm calling
Commander Thierichens thought he
was being lured by some British war
vessels that had managed to get hold
Of the old German code and kept
| silence