The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-10-24
Germany is Believed TO Be
Flaming to Attack Them to
Cut off Oil Supply.
MEXICO I'M THE SCHEME
Washington Officials aIono
with Foreign DIPLOMATS
There PerpIexed.

WASHINGTON, Oct. ga tangled
skeln Of circumstances is perplextng
officials here, pointing either to the
institution of a new commerce raiding
campaign by Germans in the Carrlb-
bean sea, or the beginning of a series
OF nl1pustertng expeditions against
MEXICO. The justice, navy and state
departments have worked on the mys-
tory several weeks, without success.
The departure Of several ssa going
motorboats. the escape OF German
warrant officers interned at Norfolk
and the mysterious movements Of sew
eral American yachts in the gulf az
Mexico have batiled, not only officials
o. the Washington government who
are anxious to prevent violations OF
neutrality through It's American terri
tory as base Of naval operations. but
also agents OF the British government
who fear commerce raiding cam
patgn Is about TO be begun against the
tank steamers which carry oil from
Mexican ports for use OF the British
navy. The circumstances, which oftic-
1als believe are all connected in a gen
eral way. follow:
Suspicious Circumstances.
!. The sudden departure Of six
interned German warrant officers from
Norfolk. in the motor boat Eclipse,
proyisioned for several days voyage.
2. The arrival at Buena Ventura.
Colombia. OF an American ship "Aca-
demy from San Francisco, heavily
provisioned. One Of the owners OF the
Academy telegraphed the government
here that the vessel had no instruc-
tons to go to Colombia. The captair,
OF the vessel claimed that be put into
the Colombian harbor for repairs.
some doubt exists as to the real iden-
uty OF the vessel, and officials have
sent to the American consul at Callao
the registry number of the Academy
and have asked for complete descrip-
ton.
Mexicans in Plot.
3. Two yachts, the Alameda and
the Ventura. have been lying at Key
West. Fla for several weeks. Louis
Vanhorn, OF New York City, who
owned them originally, ia understood
to have sold the Alameda to General
Pasquero. The Venture was recently
stolen. it is claimed. from Key West,
by Mexican pirates and recovered
by an American coast patrol.
4. An American sailing vessel
called the Two Sisters went aground
on an island of the coast of Louisiana
recently claiming to have come from
Mexico for repairs. Her status is
under Investigation.
The American ship zealandia left
Pensacola, Fla. suddenly at night,
with large stock OF provisions on
board for Tampico. Mexico. and with
q number OF Germans in its crew. The
arrival of the vessel at Tampico has
been reported, where an Investigation
will be made. An American flag paint
ed on the side Of the vessel originally
had been painted out 1t is claimed
the vessel flew the German flag at
sea but this has been denied by the
owners.
Yacht Still Missing.
An American yacht, Ethel, disap-
peared from Jacksonville, Fla, within
the last two weeks and has not been
found. Officials have two theories as
to the meaning OF this series of hap
penings. One is that wealthy Mex
leans in the United States are tinanc.
ing flibustering expeditions that have
some connection with the raids in the
vicinity Of Brownsville. Tex. and the
other Is that small boats putting out
from the United States are being met
at sea and armed with guns of maxiun
calibre for raiding purposes.
The latter theory originated when
a British tank steamer arriving in a
South American port reported that on
its way from Tuxpam, Mexico. it had
been fred upon at sea by small boat.
The belief exists in some quarters
here that base of operations has been
established on an island near the coast
Of Haiti. where guns have been accum-
ulatcd for use on small boats that are
brought there from the United States.
Great Britain and Faance have
maintained patrol OF cruisers in the
Caribbean and the seas are being
acoNrtA far enRnirin,,a - craft