Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-12-06
BRITISH CAMPS
NOT PLACES OF
JOY TO GERMANS
TeutonS Removed From China
Tell Graphic Stories Of
Their Imprisonment

man beings but as wild beasts was
the assertion of the Germans and Aus
trians who are on their way to San
Francisco today on the China Mail
liner China after being prisoners in
British detention camps sFnee last
February. when they we're forcibly
removed from the same steamer by
the British converted cruiser Lauren
tic, which stopped the China on the
high seas Is miles off Woosung, port
OF entry for Shanghai
OF the IL first cabin German and
Austrian passengers who we're taken
off the China by the British cruiser
four, A. Gerl, W. Hinkel. G.. Grotjam
and r. Schuetter are on the China to-
day, on the last portion of the voyage
they began on the same steamer last
February. Schuetter's wife is waiting
for him in San Francisco. They were
travelling to the states together on
the China when he was taken from
the steamer with the others.
Ten Stay in Hongkong
In the China's second cabin list OF
passengers are 81 more Germans and
Austrians who were taken off the
steamer by the Laurentie They are
mostly German sailors. clerks and
small businessmen. The first cabin
passengers taken off included profes.
sional men. merchants and former Of
ficers of the Austrian army. The
ether 10 first cabin passengers who
were released from the detention
camps did not come on the China, al
though they were free to do so. They
are remaining in Hongkong and
Shanghai trying to earn living until
the war is over The others are en-
route to the states, some to live there
permanently, the others until the war
ends.
One Of the most graphic stories of
the prisoners experiences was told
yesterday by F. Schnetter, one of the
four first cabin German and Austrian
passengers now continuing their long
delayed voyage to America.
Kept Alone In Cells
Eve were treated terribly in Hong
kong" said Schuetter in excellent
English I'VE were kept in solitary
confinement at the British detention
barracks and treated as criminals for
eight days. For breakfast we were
given only dry white bread and tea.
for tiffin, very poor soup, with beef
boiled in it and potatoes, while for
supper, at 5 p. M, we were given
bread and tea again.
Treated Like Criminals
1--WE lived on this diet for three
weeks, the food gradually becoming
better, but always we. were treated
like criminals. We were then placed
aboard the steamer st. Albans, SO of
us. all told, and taken to the Liverpool
internment camp. Two men who had
also been removed from the China
were left behind They were Russian
Jews. THE two passed through Ho-
nolulu on the China's last voyage to
San Francisco. several months ago.
They are Turkish subjects, but not
Turks by BIRTH
Rooms Had Iron Bars
"On the ST. Adams we were kept in
rooms that were practically cells.
They had large iron bars and barbed
wire between the bars so we could
not even reach our hands out. There
was even barbed wire stretched across
the ventilators and on the rigging, as
If we we're dangerous wild animals
and would devour someone IL we got
loose.
Mere Prison Confinement
"On arriving at the Liverpool camp
for Germans, an hours ride by train
from Sydney, we were treated some
what better The food was sufficient
in quantity but low in quality. We
were kept at Liverpool until October
4. when we were released and taken
to Sydney. There, they kept us con-
fined in the worst prison OF the city
for two days, when we were put
aboard another steamer, the Tayan,
and carried to Hongkong. On reach
ing that port we were again kept in
the vile detention barracks about 10
days.
Under Police Guard
W. Hinkel, another of the four first
cabin Germans. said he and the others
we're then taken under guard of pc.
lice to Shanghai from Hongkong.
They waited six days in Shanghai.
where they boarded the China and
are now on their way to the United
States, true Land of Liberty" to
them. Hinkel has written the story
of his experiences for the newspapers.