Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1915-09-22
Observation-Disclosures
AN ESCAPE:
AT SEA
q" -
A Yankee Prisoner Takes
to the Water
BY WILLARD BLAKEMAN


In the autumn of 1914 when the Ger
man cruisers were destroying British
commerce on the high seas Jack Mars.
ton, an American boy, was an or
binary seaman aboard the English ship
Sea Gull. That wasn't the real name
of the vessel, but there are reasons
why it should be fictitious. Jack had
been brought up on the Maine coast
and was as much at home in the water
as on shore and nearly as much at
home in it as out of it. At any rate,
he preferred to be in it.
Just why he shipped aboard Brit
ish vessel instead Of an American does
not appear, though American ships be-
ing few and far between it is prob
able that he would have been obliged
to look for some time in order to get
berth on one. He was in Portland
one day and, finding the Sea Gull there
and about to make trip to Valparaiso
and return, concluded to sign pr the
voyage.
One morning when the Sea Gull was
not a hundred miles from the port Of
her destination her captain espied on
her port quarter war vessel too far
distant to make out to what nation
she belonged. He was not long in
doubt, for the ship headed for the Sea
Gull, and when she came near enough
the German flag was seen flying from
her stern. She proved to be the EN-
den, one of the most remarkable Of
the commerce destroying cruisers Of
that period.
The Sea Gull being defenseless, her
captain and crew realized that her
sailing days were ended. They were
taken aboard the Emden, and their
ship was scuttled and sunk. That
citizen was no especial advantage to
him, for, being member of the crew
of British ship, he was subject to the
same terms as the others. However,
there was nothing to be done with the
captives until the Emden's commander
could find some way of getting rid of
them, and they were all kept aboard
the Emden. They were considered
prisoners Of war, but not placed in con-
finement. Indeed, there were crews
Of two other captured ships aboard,
besides number of passengers.
Jack had not shipped to be kept
aboard German cruiser, darling hith-
er and thither hunting for the mer-
chant marine Of Germany's enemies,
and was much disgruntled. He told
the captain of the Emden that he was
an American citizen and asked to be
furnished the means Of getting ashore.
But he had no proofs of his citizenship
and even If he had would probably not
have been entitled to different treat
ment from the other captives.
Jack having nothing to do, his mind
turned on the problem of regaining his
liberty. He did great deal Of think
ing, with no practical result There
may be regularly planned escapes, but
Jack, being out on the ocean, usually
hundreds of miles from shore, might
plan till the crack of doom without
hitting upon any way of getting ashore
even If he could elude the officers and
crew Of the Emden. If the cruiser had
put into port the matter might have
been feasible. But this she dared not
do, for British warships were watch
ing the harbors. Indeed, the safest
place for the Emden was far out at
sea, where the area was so large that
she was not likely to be found, and If
sighted by an enemy too strong for
her she would have plenty of room for
flight.
Such being the case, Jack soon made
up his mind that he must wait for an
opportunity, and an opportunity would
not likely arise unless the Emden
found 1t essential to approach the
coast, either for supplies or to get rid
Of her prisoners, who were making
great inroads into her stock Of provi-
siOns.
Jack one morning on awakening was
surprised to see land not two miles
from the ship. The Emden was steam
ing northward, skirting the shore. The
reason for this was soon apparent.
Jack saw seward British man-of.
war, cruising along in the same direc
ton as the Emden. 1t was evident
that the latter was keeping within the
limit Of three miles from shore, which
by international law is neutral waters
Jack looked at the shore longingly. he
would have undertaken to swim to it,
but in broad daylight it would be i'm
possible for him to leave the ship with,
out being seen. He resolved to wait
till night. But when night came the
idea of committing himself to the
black, inhospitable waters to swim be,
tween two or three miles to shore he
could not see was too much for even
his water pluck, and he dared not try
it. He hoped for an opportunity just
before dawn.
But during the midwatch a fog roll.
ed in, and the captain of the Emden
taking advantage Of it, ran out to sea-
and when the next day the fog lifted
she was out Of sight of land. Jack
ground his teeth, for he feared that he
would not again get so near the shore.
That day one Of the Sea Cults crew
died. The sailmaker Of the Emden was
engaged in making bag in which to
give the corpse sea burial, and as
Jack sat watching him at work an idea
entered his head. One might put him
self in the bag in place of the corpse to
be thrown overheard and thus escape.
Escape where? Swimming on the