The Oskaloosa herald., 1915-04-15
KRONPR|Az SLIPS
PAST A WARSH|PS
REACHES NEWPORT NEWS Az.
TER 22s DAYS AT SEA.
CRUISERHAS SCANT FUEL SUPPLY
Provisions for Crew and Prisoners Al.
most All Gone. kronprinz Has
Sent Down ~ Vessels and Car
goes, value $7,oOO,0 900.

Il
Newport News, Va. April 12.-The
Herman converted cruiser KrOnpfinz
Wilhelm, elusive raider of commerce
in the South Atlantic, slipped into
port Sunday and asked for fuel and
provisions Many times reported de,
stroyed, the former North German
Lloyd liner had eyaded hostile war
ships for eight months while she sent
fourteen merchantmen to the bot
tom. ' w. -.
Her officers said she was forced to
steal her way past four allied cfufS-
ers off the Virginia capes to reach
this refuge.
I'VE get in without being seen by
same way" declared her commander
Lieutenant Captain Paul Thierfelder,
formerly navigating officer of the Ger
man cruiser Karlsruhe. .
When she dropped anchor the Kron
prinz Wilhelm had less than twenty
five tons OF coal and scanty provisions
for the crew OF 500 men and 81 pris-
oners from British merchant ships
sunk in the South Atlantic.
OF the fourteen ships that the 5000
ton cruiser sank, nine were British,
four French and one Norwegian
The values of these ships and their
cargoes, officers of the Wilhelm esti-
mated at 100000.
Commander Thierfeldt announced
today that his ship would be ready
for the sea in two weeks. -.
OPS Days at Sea.
The auxiliary cruiser had been at
sea 255 days, during which time she
sank Is merchantmen. Twelve OF
these were British, two French and
one Norwegian. Her last victims
we're the British royal mail steam
ship lamar and the British steamer
Daleby.
Commander Thierfeldt on his ar
rival in port explained that his ship
was badly in need of repairs. Her
bottom, he said, was foul and her
boilers needed oyerhauling. He stated
that he would request permission to
have the repairs made here.
- "Ship Carried Contraband."
The sinking Of the Norwegian sail
ing ship Samantha, the only neutral
vessel sent down by the Kronprinz,
was almost a duplication of the sink
ing Of the American bark William P.
Frye by the Prinz Eitel, her sister
raider. Asked why he sank the Nor
wegian vessel, Commander Thierfeldt
said:
She was carrying contraband OF
war. She had cargo of wheat which
! believed was intended for the use
OF the British army and navy"
Submarine Acts as Escort.
The big liner, 613 feet in length and
OF 14,700 tons displacement, steamed
majestically up Hampton Roads early
Sunday morning and was directed by
the United States submarine GIL to
an anchorage off the plant of the New
port News Shipbuilding & Drydock
company.
Collector of Customs Norman r.
Hamilton Immediately boarded the
vessel and held an extended confer
ence with Commander Thierfeldt -
Commander Thierfeldt gave brief
but graphic description of his voyage
to DIR. Hal McCatferty, United States
quarantine officer at Old Point.
Chased Three Times.
We were chased by British cruis-
ers three times" said Commander
Thierfeldt, but were fortunate enough
to escape each time, although some
OF the escapes were too close for com
fort.
Since leaving New York 255 days
ago we have touched at no port. For
weeks we were forced to eat rice to
live, and that is responsible for the
sixty-six cases Of illness aboard. The
men are suffering from beri beri
After while, though, we captured
and sank French steamer and got
provisions and stores which lasted
US long time. Among them were
ten thousand bags OF coffee"