South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-03-31
LONE STOWAWAY
HOLDS Up CREW
German Forces Captain of
British Steamer to Change
Ships Course.

ing Jnem at the point OF "A revolver 4
20 change the course Of the vessel |
and 'and him at the Delaware break /
water after he had rided the ships
safe and taken their valuables. was
told Thursday night oy Capt. Berg /
ner, master OF the Matopho. The I
stOwaway. who saws his name is
Ernest Schiller and that ne had lived 7
IN HObOken, y. j., for the past eight /
months. is now locked mp in Jail /
here awaiting the arrival of the /
United States district attorney from I
Wilmington. Del, and the British I
cOnsul-general from Philadelphia.
Outside Three Nile Limit. \
The holdup took place outside the
three-mile limit and federal author /
tiles here say that this government. F,
under the circumstances. probably /
viii have nothing TO do with the !
matter. Schiller. they say. will be I
returned TO the Matopho and turned (
over TO British officials at St Lucia, I
where the vessel Will stop for coal |
The MatOphO sailed from New /
York Wednesday for Nladivostok |
with a cargo consisting chiefly OF |
barbed wire and farm implements. |
She passed out Sandy Hook at s !
o'clock in the evening and two hours !
later upon entering his cabin. Capt. |
Bergner says he was confronted by |
a young man with a revolver in each |
hand.
Captain Bound i'm Cabin.
"Hanc up and not sound if YOU /
value your life" was the command |
that greeted him. The captain was /
then bound hand and foot and lock- |
i'm his cabin. promising. under pen
atty OF death not 20 raise an alarm. |
Then cautiously making his way |
To the wireless cabin, the stOwaway, /
who is about % years old put the /
Instruments out Of commission. and /
threw the ships guns. consisting OF |
six rifles. overheard. lie then re- |
turned TO the captains cabin. rihed |
The safe and destroyed many import /
ant papers. lie had expected he |
told capt. Bergner. 10 ind at least I
1000 pounds in English money
aboard the Matopho but i'm this his /
hopes were shattered There was /
not "A penny i'm the safe Later, how |
ever. Schiller compelled the captain |
and the first officer TO hand over /
their pocketbooks containing "a total !
OF about 80 pounds
Rounds Up Crew.
With Capt. Bergner still "A pris- |
oner In his own cabin. Schiller pro- I
ceeded TO round up the crew Of Sc |
men. all but a few of whom were i'm /
their hunks He lined all hands up
I'm one end of the ship and threat I
vned TO blow everybody To pieces |
with bombs ne said he had placed |
in different parts OF the vessel IL
enyone made a move.
At o'clock Thursday morning
Schiller released Capt Bergner and |
stiU gripping a revolver i'm each !
band, ordered the steamer headed
toward the shore. other officers and /
members OF the crew were likewise
ordered TO their places and told TO
put on all speed for the Delaware |
capes. When the Matopho came |
within sight Of land about noon, I
Schiller ordered "a small boat low
cred 10 take him ashore Mean /
while the steamers signals asking /.
FOR assistance had been sighted by /
he pilot boat Philadelphia, which T.
Immediately responded to the call +
and took the small boat i'm tow, dis I
regarding the threats of Schiller who /
still was in possession OF his guns
and threatened TO shoot anybody F.
Whc laid hand on him.
schiller Disarmcd.
Steaming for the Delaware break f.
water. the Philadelphia Nas met off
Cape Henlopeu. Del 10y a coast
guard power boat which had put out
from Lewes i'm answer 10 Matopho's
signals Capt John s. Lynch. coast
Guard keeper at this station. who
was in command of the power boat. !
made short work of disarming Schil-
ler who was placed i'm irons and
rought ashore. Later ne was lock
ca up i'm the Jail here and the Unit
ed states district attorney at Will
m.ngten and the British Consul-gen-
eral at Philadelphia were notified.
Both are expected here Friday.
First reports Thursday were 10 the
cfrect that the Matopho carried
cargo of munitions for the entente
allies and that Schiller was IN the
employ II the German government
These. how ever. are disCredited by
Capt Rergner as well as government
CtHcials here. Bergner denied en-
phatically that his ship has on board
any munitions. stating that his cargo
is d general one. and his statement
f- borne out 10y the New York agents
If the vessel He said he believes
~chuIer's sole object was TO obtain
the large amount OF money which ne
thought was in the ships safe
Believe Man Unbalanced.
Government officials expressed the
opinion that the mans mind is UNI
balanced.
Since being placed In jail. the
prisoner. who speaks excellent Eng
ush. has refused 20 discuss his al
legged exploits He said. however.
that he had been living for the past
eight months at HOboken and for a
number OF years had lived i'm Eng
land. He said he had been slowed
away in the Matopho for I'VE days
before she sailed
The public school OF Argo. sub