New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-09
PLAN TO FEED
GERMANY ENDS
In BANKRUPTCY
Petition Is Filed Against
New York Transatlantic
Steamship Co.
BLOCKADE RUNNING
FOILED BY FEAR
British Creditors Act Here
One Ship Seized-Concern
to Fight Proceedings.


Persons familiar with the relation OF
the European war TO shipping interests
see in The involuntary petition IN oahK-
ruptcy fled yesterday against the Ne"
York ransatlantic Steamship Company
with CHS es at IT Battery Place, a direct
result OF the failure OF Germany's plan
to forward contraband foodstuhs from
New York through scandinavian por's
to the Fatherland.
This plan. carefully arranged by Ger
man agents in this city who had en- ,''-
cd ,he cooperation Of local banking
Lon.os and commission merchants was
oxnosed in The Tribune May 20 Ar
,a,ocments made 20 send out cargo
Glued al $500 900 were abandoned SUD
daniv after the Lusitanig went down
Sbins owned By the New YORK ] ISL ,N'.
iantic Steamship Company were 70 hase
hcnn used 10 evade the British Dlochaue'
Recent activities of the Russian war
sbins in the Baltic have demons aOeu
thet cargoes OF contraband might no.
have an unmolested trip from SWeuiSn
nor,s 10 the sea coast OF PRUSSIA d
hanger that was not taken INTO oo"-
sideration six weeks ago.
Creditors Force Action.
British creditors forced the action
AGAINST the local steamship coihpa"!'
','5Linb announced. through it's attor-
nos that the case will be fought OUT
81 Tho netition was fled yesterday al
.ernoon by Ralph J. NJ. Bullowa, OF w
Eroadwav' attorney for Phs. Van Om-
r,oren Limited. of London, England,
creditor for S5.sO7 on claim Ior coal
supnlied to the steamship konalo aO
Sunderland on April II. In the pet''Ioi'
il IS alleged that the company savt d
mortgage for $4,000 or me steamship
Maracas TO d. Steen, and that II LraHs
rsrred its charter TO the motor barge
Elfeda TO an outside party anu "i"'''
other transfers Of property Ga.
Engel Bros, of l32 Nassau o.lee"
lawyers for the company, saiG yes,et
day that they would hght ,ne Dama
runtcv netition and demand an IHine-
49, rial The attorneys said that the
comnanv il solvent, but has been $40"
in navments on account OF the seizure
bv the British as prize OF war OF the
Maracas IN March, bound for CoPeh-
hapen with cargo OF meat ms
steamship was taken to HUI! 70 await
a decision of the prize court. NJ.
A claim for $3.50, 900 against the BTU
isb government has been filed by tne
company. the attorneys SAID ana
Wednesday q cable message was re-
caived AZ the local Offices containing an
ofrer Of settlement for $l7S,OO0. Fur
tbermore. the vessel is likely to be re-
Leased il WAS said As for the mort
oage referred TO in the creditors peti-
Ton. il was part Of the purchase price
Of the Maracas. Engel Bros. declared,
In addition TO the claim for coal, the
London firm specifies an obligation oil
s4l5 in insurance premiums.
Planned New Line.
The New York Transatlantic Steam
shin Company was incorporated uhder
the laws of New York State on Noyem-
her ( 1914. to start Il new line to Medl-
terranean ports. s. l.. Crossing was
president and David Vogel treasurer
After The Tribune's exposure OF the
attempt to ship food supplies TO Ter
many. B. W. Laughed and Joseph Sna-
MIRO both interested in the company
returned from Hull, where, the Maracas
is held. They said that they had eitner
seen or heard on good authority OF
neutral and occasionally tnglish shlps
putting into Swedish and Danish ports
with contraband cargoes. mere the
careoes were transferred to herman
ships that had put in for that purpose
Shapiro said that he had seen thls
transfer take place at Gothenburg' next
10 Stockholm the most important city
of Sweden, and he believed that IL was
done at Malmo. a Swedish seaport op-
nosite Copenhagen and connected with
the Danish capital by ferry. From the
Swedish ports the contraband cargoes
were taken across the Baltic, a water
way less carefully guarded up to the
last few weeks, to Swincmunde, a
strongly fortified port and pleasure re-
sort in the Prussian province OF Pome-
rama.
A Mr.. Hansen, leader of the German
agents in this city, with an Office at the
Transatlantic Trust Company, William
and Liberty streets, had made arrange
ments for the New York TRANSATLANTIC
Steamship Company's ship Donald to
leave here with a valuable load of con
traband. Mr.. Vogel, treasurer, said
that Charles Firestone, a lawyer, OF
1851 Broadway, actually held an option
on the ship for two days for such a
purpose, but finally was not able to get
the cargo. DR.. Carl Schimmel, of 81
Chambers Street, was supposed to be
active in carrying out Mr.. Hansens
orders. Both of these subjects Of the
Kaiser disappeared soon after their
plans were made public. They could
not be found yesterday.
Charles Firestone. the lawyer inter
ested in the steamship company's af-
fairs, left his office at 1851 Broadway
seven months ago, it was learned yes
terday. None Of his associates knew
of his present address.
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