Evening star., 1915-03-23
j. S. GOVERNMENT
TO SUE 0DENWALD
Action to Be Taken Against
Either Her Captain or
Owners.
CONFISCATION OF VESSEL
IS A POSSIBLE PENALTY
Proceedings VIII Be Under Neutral
ity Act Passed at Last Ses-
sion Of Congress.

Proceedings under the neutrality
resolution passed during the closing
days OF the last Congress Will be
brought against the captain or owners
of the aamburg-American liner Oden-
valid. halted by shots across her bows
when she attempted, to leave San Juan.
Porto Rico. without clearance papers.
last Sunday This was made known
today at the White House.
Attorney General Gregory said as he
went to the cabinet meeting that he
had not determined whether action
would be brought against the captain
or the owners, but that definite steps
would be taken within the next few
days.
Forfeiture Among Penalties.
Forfeiture Of the vessel to the United
States Is among the penalties which
may be imposed in case it is establish
ed that she attempted to leave the port
without clearance papers for the pur-
pose Of carrying supplies of any KIND
or men to a belligerent ship at sea
All the facts In the possession of the
Treasury and War departments have
been communicated to the Department
acting United States attorney in Porto
Rico has been instructed to prepare
the case.
The coast guard cutter Algonquin rs
en- route from Guantanamo bay, CUBA
to San Juan, to stand guard over
the German merchantmen Odenwald.
There is no naval vessel in Porto R1can
waters.
The Algonquin was ordered by Act
ing Secretary Newton of the Treasury
Department to proceed with al has.e
to San Juan Capt. Jacobs. command
ing the coast guard cutter, cabled that
he started last night.
The Algonquin has been on duty of
transporting American Consul Cen
eral Eberhardt to consul posts in Cuba
companying the Algonquin to San juan
Clearance has been withheld for the
Odenwald because OF what customs
officials believed were suspicious cir
cumstances and when the liner at
tempted to sail Sunday shots were
fired across her bow. She put back.
and today was anchored under the
guns of Moro Castle
Congress recently authorized the
President to direct port collectors to
refuse to clear any vessel which he had
reasonable cause to believe to be about
to carry supplies to any warship, ten
der or supply vessel belonging to a
belligerent nation.
The odenwald, it Is understood. has
no other cargo than coal and supplies.
Forfeiture Is Provided.
The resolution further provides that
in case any such vessel departs or at
tempts to depart from the Jurisdiction
of the United States without clear
ance, for the purposes set forth. 1t
shall be forfeited to the United States.
and the owner or master or person or
persons having charge OF command"
shall severally be liable to a nne Of
not less than $4,000 nor more than
$4,000 or to Imprisonment not to ex
ceed two years.
Officials Of the State. War, Treasury
and Justice departments were In con-
ference over the case today, and they
will consult further when complete re-
ports have been received.
1t became known today that the
Treasury Department has had its at
tention called to the Hamburg-Ameri-
can liner saxonia, now laid up at
Wash. with a cargo Of grain
loaded at Portland, Ore. last July for
Hamburg. Recent activities aboard
this vessel have caused officials to take
steps to assure that she will not put
to sea again without inspection and
clearance.