The Washington times., 1916-02-02

ne SAYS he talked with Captain Har-
rlson, her former commander. Iiis story
is the only ono so far from which any
details OF the capture OF tho Appam
might be Rleaned. Pilot Foster quotes
Captain Harrison as saying:
1T was a bright clear dag when we
were captured: we were TAovlnR along
at fair rate Of sDeed wien suddenly
I'm the distance l saw what appeared
to be an ordinary tramp steamer
Gradually she came closer. We did not
fear her and continued ahead with no
attempt to escape nor without making
preparations to combat her. az We GER
tainly expected no attack. Suddenly the
tramp fired shot from q small gun
As did the false forecsstle head. made
apparently OF canvas or some other
fllnlsy material. fell away and revealed
battery OF huge guns. II Immediately
was apparent that resistance was use
less. 90 we surrendered without offering
resistance"
Disarmed the Crew.
The next chapter Of Fosters version
of Harrlson's narrative as TO how the
small crew of Germans piloted the APP
pam successfully across the width of
the Atlantic and kept the .Appan crew
and passengers IL subsection was
grnphic and romantic.
Once aboard tho Appan, Foster
quoted Harrison as continuing, the
German prize crew, under the protec-
tlon of tho battery cC guns If tho raid
er, Immediately disarmed the Appaln
crew and locked them in various cab
ms. A similar precaution was taken
with the passengers. In the course Of
this work the twenty German captives
who were b eing taken TO ENGLAND were
discovered. They were liberated that
they might assist the crew In taking
charge of the liner.
at,f.,s &c
from various vessels sunk by the Ger
mans theE were placed aboard the Ap-
nam. When the race for Hampton
Reads started a number OF the prize
crew were stationed. nt the wireiC IS
for the purpose Lt receiving all Ires-
saEes. but 10 send none.
BY this method the wherea pnuts OF
the British cruisers pRtrolllng the reg
ulAr ocean lanes were always known to
Lieutenant Bcree, who steered fer out
of reach of them. The crew and pas-
sengers OF the captured vessel were
given daily exercise, hut only in small
numbers at time. Thus ii was very
easy for tho few Germans to control
several hundred cRptivCs.
Arrange For Transfer.
immigration Inspector Morton went
aboard the Appam this morning to line
up the various crews and arrange for
their transfer to shore, with such pas
senEers as are found entitled to liberia
tion. He said seventy-siX OF those
aboard are without funds. The British
vice consul is arranging to return the
passengers and crews to England on
board British ships in the harbor.
Lieutenant Bergc, commander of the
German prize crew, has appointments
today with Collector Hamilton and Ger=
man Consul Schilling to prepare for
NAL statement regarding the German
claims to hold the vessel.
Prince Hatzfelt, counselor of the Ger
man embassy, arrived at Old Point COM
fort on this mornings boat from WASH
ingtOn to take charge Of the German In
With the German naval ensign still
flying at her stern, the Appams an
chorage, just off Old Point Comfort
in the roadstead OF Hampton Roads,
and only a quarter mile away from the
huge battery of Fortress Monroe. re-
smained unchanged today. She was the
center of a fleet Of harbor craft who
vainly sought to shout conversations
with the few passengers who lined the
rails, Drawing the rain which swept the
harbor this morning.
Wild runors are in circulation today
regarding the exploits of the mystery
ship Moewe. One report Is that she was
one of quartet of new German COM
merce raiders. Another report. given
founded. is that the Appam was con-
Voyed almost TO the Virginia capes by
a huge German seaR-oing submarine.
The veil OF mystery regarding the eN-
ploits Of the Moewe is but slightly lifted
today. Even to the American authori-
ties Lieutenant Berg is refusing all but
the most necessary information. When
the passengers of the Appam and the
officers and crews of the seven British
steamships sunk by the Moewe and
tranferred to the Appam are landed,
the full tory OF the new German sea
terror is expected to be learned.
No Visitors Allowed.
Following Lieutenant Berge's con-
ference late yesterday with Collector
of Customs Hamilton. the port official
declared that pending a decision from
Washington as to the status Of the
Appam since she entered United
States waters, the Appam must re-
main where she now Is. He said that
none cf her company save her captain
and the Appams original commander
will be permitted ashore and no visit
orss would be allowed to board her.
Collector Hamilton's full report will
lie in the hands OF Treasury officials
today. Captain Harrison, original
commander OF the Appam, Went
ashore with the British vice consul at
Hampton and went Immediately to the
British consurs office in Norfolk
whore he filed sealed report. The
report was sent at once to the Treas
uTy Department.
Although Collector Hamilton refused
to discuss the matters touched upon
in his conference with the German
commander, II is reported that a COM
prehensive account of the circum-
stances which led to the Appam's voy-
age was one of the results.
Lieutenant Berge, it is said, made
Main that he regards the Appam only
IN the light Of a prize of war, ofhcered
by q priZe crew.
The port from which she originally
cleared and the source and size of her
armament, he carefully concealed. He
volunteered. however, that before his
connection with the MoeNe, he had
been a prosaic merchant skipper.
The Appam full to her matches witt
the valuable products Of the African Of
coast. fell an easy prey to the guns
Of the MCewe, and. being new craft
with plenty Of cabin and deck space
offered a solution to the problem con-
fronting them in the hundreds Of pris
Oners.
Accordingly. in the tray sea dawn Of
January II. boatS ratified down the falls
OF the Moewe and thO transfer OF prts'
oners from the commerce destroyer tC
her latest prize began on that bleal
stretch OF ocean that had. during tho
past two months. heard the death knelli
Of six proud British merchant hulls
All Of that morning the boats PLACED
hack and forth between the captoT anC
her prize. BV noon the transfer wal
~ on -,