The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-03-31
.SINCLE-HANDED, CONFESSED SPY
 CAPTURES SHIP
Youth, in Delaware Jail, Says He Acted Under
 Orders From Berlin.
SAYS HE'S READY
 TO BE PUNISHED
Big Grew at Mercy, And. Heads Big Liner
 Back to Port.


 Lewes, Del, March 31.-The young
 German who captured the British
 steamer Matoppo and terrorized her
 shortly after the ship had sailed out
 of New York harbor for Vladivostok
 with railroad supplies for the Russian government, declared today that he was a spy for the German govern ment.s
 Ernest Schiller, the prisoner, weary from all the excitement he had under gone in his efforts to escape from the steamer yesterday after he had held the crew in his power with pistols all of Wednesday night, threw himself upon a cot in the Lewes jail early to- day and sought sleep.
 Yes, I am spy for the German government he said. "You can be- 1ieVe it or not-it makes no difference to me. I got my instructions from the German government to go aboard the ship and blow Her up-to prevent her cargo from reaching Russia [ could have blown her up but the captains s plea for his wife and daughter was too much for me and hadn't the heart to do it. I am ready to take the consequences but ask that they keep me ashore instead of sending me back to the Aship for the captain to take charge of me- >
 Schiller had been told that as his daring exploit occurred outside the three mile limit he would in all like lihood be taken to British possessions in the West Indies for trial for piracy. Federal authorities and representa- tives from the British government came here today to examine Schiller and to decide what to do with him. If the United States finds it has no 5u- disdtction under international mari time law he will be turned over to the representatives of Great Britain.
 An examination into Schiller's men tai condition will be made. Those who have talked with him believe he is irresponsible and that his story of his career is not true. Schiller was reluctant to tell his history.
 "I was born in Germany he said. Never mind the town or my parents name. was sent by the German government to England soon after the war started and enlisted in the Brit ish navy and was assigned to the training ship Conway at Liverpool.
 1T want to say right now that there are several good Germans in the Brit ish navy.
 1T know what this means to me. It's the Tower of London if they get me back to the Matoppo. But won't go. just bear that in mind.''
 Captain Richard Bergner, of the Ma toppo, said he was convinced Schll- Ter was a. former British naval off, cer.
 Despite his assertions that he had concealed any bombs on the Ma toppo and that he made. threats to blow up the ship merely to frighten the captain and crew into obeying his a thorough investigation of the cargo of barbed wire and farm implements will be made before the vessel proceeds on it's voyage to Via divostok.
 sI spent three weeks in Hoboken preparing for this," said Schiller. ''I went along the docks buying drinks for the sailors and learning from them what ships were sailing with contralband. l
 q lay in the nfeboat- on the up per deck waiting for the ship to sail from Thursday until the following | Wednesday night. For two days l did not eat I had only brought some | sandwiches with me but I stuck 1t | out.'' Dr. Messiek, wh O examined the pr1s- oner after he had been captured by 1 he crew of the Federal coast guard ! launch as he was being conveyed | ashore from the Matoppo, declared hat he believes the man is mentally