The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-03-11

IN q
 Friedrich, which sought refuge yester-
 day in American waters after a mer- chant marine wrecking voyage in two oceans, lay in the James river today awaiting the decision of United States government official whether she should be allowed to ref1t, obtain coal and resume her voyage.
 The German vessel had dodged un-
 harmed into this port through gauut- let of beIligerent warships whose wire less signals had betrayed their pres ence-
 In the wake of the German warship,
 barnacIe-covered and crippled. lay the hulk of an American merchant ship at ] the bottom of the South Atlantic ocean with the debris of seven ships of Eng, fish, French and Russian allies in the war against Germany. In the Pacific
 ocean, through which the EItel Fried rich had pIoWed for months before, there may have been other triumpns
 Of war but the lips of officers of this marine phantom paradox were sealed
 as to conquests unrecorded.
 The Efte1 Friedrich still had on
 board today victims of the hazards of war and her master, Commander Thierichsen, had asked American off, cta1s for time to repair his ship He indicated to Customs Collector Haui1- ton thas his vessel could not be re- paired under six weeks. Meanwhile,
 British cruisers whose signals had been heard wehe believed to be lying
 off the Virginia Capes.
 collector of Customs Hamilton was prepared, under instructions from
 Washington to proceed again today to the Esite1 Friedrich to get a formal
 statement from Commander Thiertch- sen as to why he sank the American sailing ship William F. Frye off the
 South American coast with $500 tons of wheat for England Commander
 Thierichsen was awaiting instructions
 from the German embassy at Wash Ifngton and was expecting Captain Boy Ed, naval attache of the German ernbassy, to be on hand to aid him
 Also, Captain H. IT. Kiehne, master of the sunken American ship William P. Frye, was preparing to give a supple mental statement regarding the fate of his Tn-fated craft.
 Tn Newport News hotels there awa1- ened on land the commanders of other known marine victims of the Eitel
 Friedrich, W. J. King, of the British ship Inyersco, sank on Feb. 12; A B. Dobbin, of the Mary Ada Short, sunk Feb. 8; Captain Monssion, of the Feb. 19; J. Wedgewood. master of the
 British ship Wi1lierby. sunk on Feb. 20: Aixmar Erickson, of the Isabella
 Brown, Russian ship sunk Feb. 27: " Leroux of the French ship Jacobsen, sunk Jan. 28, and Master Trenchant, Q sunk Ian 27.
 In addition to these were a group of first class passengers of the French passenger ship F1oride who were per mitted to remain ashore under guard of immigration officials.
 Only two ships left here yesterday,
 their commanders believing that the
 Eitel Friedrich would be interned. Ons was the Anglo- Mexican bound for Avonmouth with horses for England; Bolton Hall with wheat for Italy.
 It was stated here today that a mum Der of EngIishmen held on board the
 German warship had refused to agree not to bear arms against Germany and her allies.
 Early today the band of the Eatel
 Friedrich was playing German na-
 tiona1 airs in celebration of the birth day of Commander Thierichsen. All
 but port officials were still barred from
 her decks.
 Collector Hamilton prepared to get a detailed statement on the sinking or the William P. Frye and Captain H.
 H. Kiehne, of the Frye, came ashore to make a further statement. At nine o'clock this morning the EiteI Fried rich had been in Hampton Roads 36
 hours and no signs of any intention to
 move were apparent. British cruisers were indefinitely reported lurking off the Virginia Capes and a boatman who delivered papers to officers of the German cruiser declared members of her crew told him the Eitel had ac-
 tually been chased into American wa ters by British cruisers.
 ssWhen I returned to the EiteI Fried rich last nigft,'' said Captain Kiehne, 'sthe German officers seemed assured the EiteI would be interned but talked
 little They were most concerned last night in celebrating birthday of one
 of the officers and anticipating the 1 captains birthday today