The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1916-11-04
THE CASE OF THE 'U-53"

! and that she was fighting submarine.
When l saw the German imperial nag,
and the guns fore and aft, l knew
then she was q warrior and got her
Identification from Rear-Admiral
Austin M. knight who had received
a radio from the U. S. submarine d..
The d. had run in front OF the U-53
from outside Brentons Reef Lightship
until the U53 anchored.
| "While l was looking at the sub
marines through glasses, the two
boats were still under headway. After
sending her identification, ! put IN
my own motor boat. pulled UP along
correspondent of The Associated
Press, and l was the first person al
| lowed on board the visitor. l got the
story of the trip from the submarine
commander, Captain Rose, and let
ter to post to the German ambassador
in Washington was handed me. Out
side of some of the American naval
officers 1 was the only person then
allowed on board the submarine
MY motor boat was the only one
to keep in sight Of heR when she
steamed away, and | was the only
newspaper man to see her submerge.
So we appear to have been the first
and last to sight her.
! 1t was not through mere luck that
The Associated Press scored its beat.
Newport is protected by two regular
correspondents and although such a
story as that developed by the ar
rival of the submarine was quite un-
/ expected, Newport had been one of
many points at which The Associated
Press men had for weeks been keep
ing a patient watch for the German
freight submarine Bremen. Every day
| had brought rumors Of the approach
or the craft, and every rumor was run
down and disproven. 1t was a tedious
wait, but when the U-53 arrived she
| was caught in the newspaper net so
carefully laid.
The second chapter of the U-boat
| story opened before daylight the next
| morning, and H. found The Associated
Press forces mobilized. On orders
from the eastern division headquar-
ters of The Associated Press In New
York, the Boston Office had dispatched
extra men to Newport and from the
moment that the U-53 had departed a
close watch was kept. AS a result. at
$50 o'clock Sunday morning one of
the deadeSt hours in newspaper work.
Mr.. Wheeler was able to announce
the first report Of the U-boat's move
ments, the holding up of the Ameri-
can freighter Kansan off Nantucket
Lightship. Even at this quiet Sunday
morning hour The Associated Press
ofnces In Boston were ready for the
emergency. Walter Myers, night tele-
phone operator. gave the bulletin to
such papers as could be readily reach
ed. and Eric Rockstrom, a practicing
operator, raised" New York on the
leased wires and dispatched the bull
| letin
This was followed by the announce
ment that the Kansan was permitted
| to proceed, but the indication that
the German submarine commander
purposed to do something further
brought the entire day and night staff
Of the Boston office on duty, and soon
there Were more than 20 men directly
or indirectly at work on the story. A
dozen sources, including radio sta
tons. marine observers and shore
correspondents, contributed in making
iup the 10000 words that were sent
out OF Boston on Sunday night and
the 1000 words additional that were
| started at $3.50 a. m. for the after
noon papers OF Monday.
| All shipping in the danger zone on