The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1916-02-08
Appan CaptiOes Landed
From Former British Ship

prisoners by a German prize crew on
the former British liner Appam We're
Informed tonight that they were at
liberty to land on American soil. More
than 200 others aboard, including the
German captors, the captain and crew
of the liner and certain passengers al
legged to belong to the armed forces
of Great Britain, will be held on board
until the United States government Il
nally determines their status and that
of the ship itself,
This arrangement was reached on
orders from Washington at a confer
ence between representatives Of the
German and English governments on
the Old Point wharf, with the Ameri-
can collector, Norman R. Hamilton,
acting as Intermediary.
The captured liner, which has swung
at anchar in Hampton Roads off Fort
ress Monroe since she put into the
Virginia Capes Tuesday morning, will
move up OF Newport News early to-
morrow to disenbark her passengers.
With the others will land G. D. Tag
iiaferri, a raturalized American Of Ne
vada, the only citizen of the United
States aboard. Tagliaferri, who, al
though carrying his citizenship papers,
had not made his identity known, was
discovered today by the immigration
officers
Berge Still in Authority.
Lieutenant Berge, the Germas re-
-servist commanding the prize crew,
still asserts and maintains full au-
thority On board the liner, but he is
acting under orders from the United
States government through Collector
Hamilton. He has agreed to move the
ship to Newport News and hold her
there pending further Developments.
After the conference on the wharf
the British naval attache told Collector
Hamilton that those aboard who were
free to depart had some uncertainty
about their right to go. He prevailed
xpon MIR. Hamilton to return TO the
ship and make the same statement ne
had made at the conference.
The passengers were assembled in
the dining saloon and Sir Edward
Meriwether introduced Mr.. Hamilton
The latter then explained that all those
aboard were free to leave except the
German prize crew, the crew OF the
Appam and twelve passengers whom
the Germans contend have British mil
itary connections.
A passenger who spoke as the rep
resentatiye of those twelve men asked
Collector Hamilton whether they would
have the protection Of the United
States government while the ship was
within American territorial waters.
Lieut.. Berge objected to the passen-
ger using the term american protec-
tion,'' reminding MIN that he was
aboard a ship flying the German flag,
which was equivalent to being on Ger
man soil
United States Protection.
The collector interceded for the pas
senger.-
'fYou have sought asylum in a port
of the United States" said Mr.. Ham
iIton, addressing Lieut. Berge. while
you are in these waters you will be
afforded protection and all the Others
will be given similar protection"
The passengers expressed their ap-
proval of the collectors stand by loud
applause.
VERY we'll" returned Lieut.. Berge.
Reports agree that all the passen-
gers were accorded the best treatment
possible by the prize crew under the
circumstances. Food and water were
short during the last few days of the
long voyage across the Atlantic from
the Spanish coast, but the passengers
say they had the, same fare as their
captors and had no complaint to make
Raiders Identity Uncertain.
Versions of the identity of the Ger
man raider which captured the Appam
and the other craft still differ. Prince
van Hatzfldt of the German embassy
at Washington asserts tnat she is the
German cruiser Moewe, built in 1913
or 1914 for the imperial navy and com
manded by Capt. Count Dhona. All OF
the captured British shippers agree
however, that the raider is a converted
merchantmen Of about 5000 tons
named Ponga, probably completed a
few months ago, mounting six masked