The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1916-10-13
LINERS zIG-zAG
INTO u. S. PORT
U-53 Has Nation Practically in
Blockade.
GERARD ABOARD ONE STEAMER

Nine. Bernhardt and Lima cavalieri on
French Ship That Went Out of
Course-Dive Boat Seer by Greek
Captain-Thought 1t Signalling
"Mother Ship"
NEW YORK, N. Y.-The last re-
ported position of the German subma,
rine U-53 was given by George Bar
betas, chief officer of the Greek liner
PATHS, at 1876 miles due east of Fire
Island at o'clock Monday morning.
At that time the U-53 was floating on
the surface with her engines stopped
and signaling in the Morse code.
When the PATHS reached her pier
in Brooklyn Chief officer Barbetas
and Third Officer M Helmas, who
were on the bridge of the PATHS when
the submersible was sighted, said they
believed the signals were meant for
the vessel which is reported to have
been acting as a mother ship"
Friendly Vessel Awaited.
"They undoubtedly were waiting for
some friendly vessel" said the chief
officer. 81 think they mistook us for
her. AS soon as they found we did not
understand their secret code they
flashed their searchlight on us and
then continued signalling to the east
ward. No attempt was made to stop
us and we were only too thankful to
get away. 1t is easy for a submarine 70
make a mistake in the dark and tor
pedo is not always an easy thing to
dodge"
Captain d. KairiS, commander of the
PATHS, denied the report that his ship
had been stopped twice by two u
boats operating off the Atlantic coast.
Only the one submarine was sighted
and the PATHS passed her at dis
lance of about 500 meters.
Three big transatlantic liners, rich
prey for the U-53 reached port by de-
waiting from their regular plotted
course as far south as the Virginia
Capes.
Passengers Practice Life Drills.
The Cameronia from Glasgow and
Liverpool with $50 passengers crept
up the coast from the Capes as close
to the three-mile limit as Captain Da-
vid Bone deemed safe. From the time
the first wireless warning Of the U-53
was received on Sunday Captain Bone
kept all the port holes darkened, life
boats swung out and remained on the
bridge until Sandy Hook was reached.
Monday the passengers were served
with life belts and put through life
boat drills without their realizing the
proximity of danger.
Sarah Bernhardt Is Aboard.
La Espagne of the French line, bear
ing Sarah Barnhardt, Lima Cavalier
and other notables, received warning
from the British Steamer West Point
on Sunday a few hours before the
West Point was sunk. Captain Lau.
rent told some of the passengers Of
the message but assured them he
could dodge the U-boat. He pointed
out the ffve-inch guns mounted on the
stern of the liner and then headed the
vessel to the south. Instead of arriv-
ing at her pier Monday afternoon the
liner did not reach quarantine until
about o'clock Tuesday morning.
Gerard Told of Menace.
Captain Thomson, Captain of the
andinavian-American liner Fred
erick VIII, said that he received
warning of the U-boat's presence on
Sunday night when his vessel was
$50 miles east of Sandy Hook. Cap
tain Thomson continued on his course
but doubled his lookouts. Only Ambas-
sador Gerard and Mrs. Gerard among
the passengers were told of the men
ace.