Rock Island Argus., 1915-04-12
Belief az Newport News Is
German Cruiser VIII
Be Interned.
FOURTEEN SHIPS SUNK
Commander Permitted to
Take on Coal and Sup
plies to Last 8 Days.

Newport NrWE. April i2-Occupy-
. ing anchorage iu the James river al
mos, On idcuticaiiy the same spot se-
Iertsd by the Priuz Eitei when she
reached here March 30. the German
+ converted cruiser Eronprinz wilhelm.
. which arrived here yesterday after
. spectacular dash through the allied
varships lowering or he Virginia
caprE. today began taking on coal and
supplies.
Although Commander Paul Thier-
fielder asked 500 tons OF coal and pro-
visions Tor three layf. the federal au-
th1rltica allowed him $50 tons OF coal
and supplies for three days. Provis-
ions we're for use in this port oniy.
They consisted of vegetables and fresh
meats. lack OF which was responsible
for au epidemic or bcri-heri among
tho crew and prisoners. sizty-aiX 800
uf she disease we're 90 be taken 20 a
hospital today. They include 80 mem /
beers OF fHr British steamers lamar I
and Coirtv. sunk recently. AitoEcfh- .
er the Wilhelm destroyed ~ ships .
which. with carEocE. were valued az
FT.1H1nI1. Nearly one thousand pris- I
orerE we're taken
Believe ship WI Inferno. ]
Commander ThierfeIdcr has asked 7
time 60 survey hts ship and submit I
% examination By n board OF United I
States naval officers before making .
formal request aH 90 che time Do
wishes fp remain ir American waters 4
fog full supplies and repairs The .
machinery after 2-5 dayE' voyage from .
New York harhur iE rEli 90 br tn {
fairly good condition.
Although ThisrfriIFr expressed hope .
ie would De- able 90 MAX. another .
dash 90 Fra. 90 is generally believed .
that hr will iutrru JEs ship. Ali was
shipshapr on the Wilhelm at sunrise +.
today. officers and sailors in their F..
queer tooEine ErEy uniforms ut .
Preach army cloth clpturDd from the 7.
steamer Guadaioupc presenting a /
fresh appearance after their first uu-
disturbed nights rest iu eight months /.
% persistent elusive operations on I
the hiEh seas
Investigation ndcr Way.
Investigation % being made % the
conditions under which the Wilhelm
slipped out % New York harhor Aug
Q. 90 being reported that she did not !.
have proper clearance papers when
she made her dash. as % now dcyel-
ops. under dircc; orders from the Ger
man government. Several % the Off
GERS and men of the cruiser are wear
ine the iron cross. but they refuse 90
discuss thc featE performed 90 gain %.
The 81 prisoners on board were coop
81 up on the upper afterdeck guarded
by armed sailors. The Wilheim's
crew % 500 e. composed almost entire
iy % uRturaiized Americans who lv-
Cd 30 the United States many years.
Prisoners to BE Returned.
Some are former members Of the
crew Of the United States batticship
KearsarEe and German cruiser Karls-
ruhc. transferred 20 the Wilhelm In
the south Atlantic. Several are mem
bcrs Of crews of ships sunk By the
auxiliary cruiser. The prisoners will h
be sent back 20 England on the Brit
iEh steamer Casandra. now In this
port
Narrowly Escapes Capture.
How the Wilhelm was chased by
British warships after midnight sat
urday and barely escaped capture Is
described By officers OF British mer-
chant vessels destroyed by the VIII
helm In the South Atlantic. Sixty-one
British officers and men of the steam
crs lamar and Coieby were taken
from the wilhelm shortly before noon
and rushed down the river on a tug TO
the British horse ship Cassandra
which will sail today for Glasgow.
The harbor vas lined with British
merchant ships as the eaptives were
released Hundreds Of British sail
ors lined the decks OF their ships
and chccrcd. The British captives
signed pledge. under duress. they
said. not 90 participate IN the war II
released Because u was taken un-
der hurcss vc don't propose 20 keep
the pledge said Second ofhcer VIII