The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-03-18
DESTROYED U. S. SHIP
GERMAN CRUISER SUNK AMERl-
CAN VESSEL AFTER SAVING
THE CREW.
RAIDER AT NEWPORT NEWS
Prinz Eitel Friedrich Is In Need of Re-
pairs and supplies-owners Of Boat
Declare 1t Carried Cargo of Wheat
NO contraband Was on Board.

Washington, March 12.-The Ger
man cruiser Prince Eitel Friedrich
arrived at Newport News on Wednss-
day, bringing the captain and crew
of the American grain vessel William
P. Frye, which the German warship
sunk at sea on January q.
The owners of the vessel have
claimed that she carried no contra
band Of any kind. Official and diplo.
matte headquarters were much per.
turbed over the matter, but nobody
was willing to make any comment
until the facts are fully established.
The customs officers at Seattle
wire that the manifest of the William
P. Frye, whichswas loaded there, show
that she carried 1852 bushels of
wheat.
The Frye sailed from Seattle on No.
vember for Queenstown and Fal'
mouth. She passed Tatoosh, Wash
the next day and had not been heard
from since. The Prince Eitel Fried
rich officers report that, on the ground
that she was carrying contraband OF
war, the warship stopped the Frye in
the South Atlantic on January n
took off Captain Kiehne, his wife and
crew and then sunk the freighter.
The Frye was valued at $15OOOC
and her cargo at $2S0,000.
The Prlnz Eitel Friedrich put In al
Newport News, presumably for Goa
and supplies. She also is said to be
in need of repairs and may intern
here. She is reported to have S2t
French and Russian prisoners of wal
aboard One report, which was un
confirmed, has it that the big steamer
was chased to the mouth of Chesa
peake bay by British cruiser.
Immediately after she dropped an
chor the coast guard cutter Onondags
went alongside. While at sea the Ger
man cruiser had been painted white
on one side and black on the other.
The Prinz Eitel Friedrich started
out on her career as warshlp IRON
Using Tao. She formerly was regu
lar liner of the North German Lloyd
She reached Using Tao shortly aftel
the outbreak of hostilities and the Ger
man marine authorities at that por
equipped her with naval guns AMI
turned her into an auxiliary cruiser
She carries a crew of $50 men ant
officers.
The cruiser sailed from Using Tat
before the Japanese attacked that por
and early in November she was report
ed off the western coast of Souti
America, where for several months sh'
has been active in the pursuit of Brit
ish and French shipping. One OF ne
exploits was the sinking early in DC
cember of the British steamer Charca
off Chile.
Washington, March IA mos
searching inquiry will be made an
whatever action is taken will be base
upon the result of that inquiry"
President Wilson issued this state
] ment on Thursday regarding the sinl
ing of the American sailing ship WI
liam P. Frye by the German auxiliar
cruiser Prinz Eitel Friedrich. Tn
president took the initiative in direc
ing the investigation and will have
l personal hand in it. That the Unite
!. States will call on Germany for prope
g amends and reparation for the sinkln
I of the American ship was the conse1
sus of official and diplomatic circle
S in Washington.