The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-08-02
'APLUMB HELLER"
That's Title Pro-A1ly Skipper
Gave to Deutschland.
"Game Little Devil" Wished
Godspeed by Everyone.
AS SUBSEA BOAT SAILED
NeutraIs Lost Their Neutrality
and Cheered Her Pluck.
She Said "Good-Bye" to All
When Going Out Port.
AS SUBSEA BOAT SAILED
BY DAMON RUNYON.

Baltimore, Md. Aug. 2.-The
Deutschland has sailed, homeward
bound
Such is Germanys answer to the
waiting world.
Slipping along the surface of the
water like a slim green snake. her own
power kicking her forward, the little
U-boat- dropped down the Patapsco
river shortly before O'Clock Tues
day morning.
Pro-German or pro-ally, no man
who saw her could help breathing in
his heart of hearts a little prayer of
godspeed.
She seemed so tiny and so fragile,
as compared with the big hulkS
around her, and yet so bold and de-
fiant as she went, catching the water
with her green nose and flirting it
high in the air in white beads, that
to wish her harm.
Her captain, the brave Koenig, the
weather-beaten little mariner who
brought the Deutschland safely into
port when all the world said such
thing could not possibly be done, stood
in the coming tower as the U-boat
crawled to sea- Beside him stood
the Baltimore pilot, who was showing
the way out.
The men of the crew were scattered
along the deck. They waved their
hands and their caps when people on
passing vessels waved at them. Ev-
erybody did that. Whistles footed and
voices whooped as the green boat
floated down the river
The skipper of the dispatch boat is
a profane man. He is not infrequently
profanely anti-Gennan. He peered
from his pilothouse with rather disap-
proving and hostile eyes as the
hi nd eJf ed W
ing his craft to the starboard so a
flock of moving picture operators on
his deck could get firm footing for
their machines.
1'She's a Plumb Heller"
Then without notice, he abandoned
his wheel and came boiling out of the
window of the pilothouse, onto the
bow of the boat He waved a soiled
yachting cap at the Deutschland and
in an excess of exuberance he stated:
Boys, she's a plumb heller-that's
what she is-a plumb heller"
GO it. you game little devil" he
yelled at the Deutschland. Il hope
they don't git you now"
He got back to his wheel just in
time to prevent the dispatch boat from
fouling the Thomas F. Timmins Some
sailors on the deck of the Deutschland
grinned broadly and waved in return.
They probably did not hear what he
u,
meant them well.
There was Dutch ship, the Wester-
dirk, out of Rotterdam, anchored in
the river. A lone man was standing
on deck when the Deutschland came
in sight with her escort. The man
was seen to turn and run and pres
emily a line of faces appeared at the
rail of the Westerdijik. They were
the members of the crew of the HoI-
lander, and the man had summoned
them from hard work, judging from
their garb. They were all in their
undershirts. They stood there very
stolidly watching the submarine, and
there was not a sound from the group
and not hand waved until the
Deutschland was almost past
Then a half dressed little man in
the center of the line yelled and flour
ished a hat. Neutrality could not sup
press him any longer.
Escort Was Slim.
1t wasn't much of an escort that
saw the Deutschland down the river.
There was the Timmins, the big.
bulking tug that escorted the Deutsch-
land into this port. During the three
weeks stay here the Timmins has
acted as guardian for the subsea boat
1t yanked the Deutschland from her
| berth and then chugged steadily in
the wake of the submarine down the
river.
Captain J. Frederick Hinsch, of the
war bound and weather furnished
German liner Neckar, who has had
much to do with the affairs of the
submarine here, was on the deck of
the Timmins as the Deutschland went
the river. Fat, prOprietorial, the mas
ter of the liner stood in his shirt
| sleeves with a pair of glasses in hand