Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-02
Armenian's Captain Says He
Tried to Run Away From
Teut0n Submarine.
HIS ENGINES DISABLED
BY THE BURSTING SHELLS
London Press Foresees Complications
for President Wilson and the
German Chancellor.

LONDON, July Capt Trickey OF
the Armenian in an interview today
said that he surrendered to the Ger
man submarine only when the freight
er was afire in three places and after
the ships engines had been put out of
action and a dozen members of the
crew had been killed by shrapnel fire.
THE submarine. as a signal for US
to STOP" said Capt. Trickey, first put
a couple of shots over our bow, when
We were four miles off. I put my
stern to him and ran for it.
THE submarine then began to shell
us in earnest the shrapnel bursting
all around us. killing several of the
crew and knocking others overheard.
I soon realized that the enemy was
gaining on US, but / did not propose
to surrender without a struggle, but
my steering gear was soon hit and
placed out of commission. Then a shell
fell into the engine room, and another
carried the Marconi house away. Still
another cut down the funnel and dis
abled the stokers, preventing them
from keeping steam up.
Ship Afire in Three Places.
by this time the ship was on fire
In three places. and I decided to sur
render. We had resisted the enemy
for an hour. and twelve or thirteen
men lay dead on the deck.
The submarine commander then
forced me to clear ship. and at s:07
tered by two torpedoes.
Il must say that the submarine COM
mander showed US every fairness after
We had given up. picking up many
~ al 10 m.
aged boat. had fallen into the water.
Most of the crew who persisted were
Americans"
LONDON. July Except in dis
which the steamship Armenian is
described as a transport. there is moth
ing in the British press to indicate
the status of the vessel. Stress is
laid upon the fact that she is the
largest steamer. with the exception of
the Lusitania, thus far attacked by
German submarine. The contention of
the few morning papers which discuss
the question editorially Is that what
ever the nature of her cargo the Ger
Comment by London Press
The Chronicle argues editorialiy that
the commander Of the Armenian dis
regarded the signal to stop because he
knew he would not be treated in ac-
cordance with international law. but
that his ship would be illegally sunk
and the crew cast adrift in open boats
fifty miles from land. The paper con-
tends that he was justified. therefore.
In running away and that the re-
suited from this course cannot be laid
at his door.
THE dead Americans" says the
Chroincle. are just IS much victims
Ct Germany's illegal submarine war
fare as If they had been drowned after
the ship was torpedoed and one would
need be very anxious to shirk the is
sues their deaths raise IL one accepted
any other conclusion"
Foresees Complications.
The Daily News considers the sink
ing of the Armenian must complicate
the task both of President Wilson and
DR.. Won Rethmann- Hollweg. the Ger
man chancellor. assuming that the lat
ter really desires to preserve peace
with America Discussing the question
in an editorial the News says:
Germany has not yet replied to the
American note. but in practice the
sinking of the Arme MAN is a very per-
emptory reply. The incident brings
into thorough relief the justice of
President Wilson's contention that sub
marine warfare as the Germans prac-
tice IT is inconsistent with the OBJ
servance Of the rights of neutrals"
The Express also takes the view that
the incident constitutes a cynical reply
by Germany to America. but infers
that nothing will result from 1t.
criticises German Commander.
The Standard assumes that the Ar
menians cargo must have been exam
ined by United States customs officials,
but says whether this was SO or not
there was no warrant for the proceed
ings of the German commander The
editorial continues:
He ought to have stopped and
searched her. but II he took the ex-
treme course Of destroying her at sea
he was bound to provide for the safety
of the crew, as the last American note
emphaticaily declared. The captain
seems to have taken pains to commit
all the acts against which President
Wilson has solemnly protested This
outrage In principle is quite as bad