The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-02-01
Appam Captured Off the Can
airy Islands by Germans is
Brought In.
WAR PRISONERS ABOARD
Arrival of the Vessel Gives the
State Department Another
Problem to Solve.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va, Feb. l.
The British South African steam
ship Appam, given up for lost, was
brought into Hampton Roads this
morning flying the German man-of-
war flag with a German prize crew
of twenty-five men, commanded by
Lieutenant Berg. 1t was captured at
sea on January Is, four days after
1t left Dekar. British West Africa.
The Appam was captured Off the
Canary islands by a German raider,
which a few hours before had sunk 4
British steamer.
Whether the captor was a German
U-boat or a hitherto u%nreported Ger
man auxiliary cruiser is undetermin-
ed. From what was learned by some
OF the officials, who boarded the APP
pam, it is believed that some steamer,
armed as a German auxiliary, raiding
shipping off the African coast, took
the British liner and put the prize
crew aboard. This view Is supported
by the fact that a submarine could
hardly have spared a lieutenant and
such a large to a prize.
The Appam brought its original
passengers and 1873 persons, said to
have been taken from other vessels
by the Germans. Four injured pas
sengers on board are said to have
been taken from an English ship
from Australia. About AIS persons.
including passengers and crew, are
aboard the ship.
While Lieutenant Berg came
ashore to pay his respects to Colonel
Haynes, commandant at Fortress
Monroe, quarantine officers boarded
the ship. Meanwhile no one was
permitted to come ashore.
Many Of the passengers OF the APP
pam are women and children. There
are also several high British colonial
officials who we're returning to Eng
land from Africa. There are also four
wounded sailors taken from one Of the
sunken ships which resisted capture
and was shelled.
According to the information
CLEANED from those who talked with
Lieutenant Berg the Appam was cap
tured without any show OF resist
ance on January Is, the day that Brit
ish news reports said wireless COM
munication with the vessel suddenly
ceased. A prize crew was placed on
board and the same day the raider,
which captured the Appam, gave
chase to another British steamer
bound for Australia with a cargo Of
meat. The meat ship gave battle, was
captured and was sunk after a large
portion of its cargo had been taken off.
Six more vessels then we're de-
stroyed in rapid succession. The crews
were taken on board the Appam, which
ran due west across the Atlantic.
When the Appam passed in the
Virginia capes early today and took
on a pilot it was asked by the Fort
Monroe wireless station who 1t was.
The reply was, it is stated. that 1t was
the German cruiser Buffalo"
When it arrived at Old Point.
Quarantine Officer McCaffery went
aboard and after his inspection
brought Lieutenant Berg ashore.
The Appam got a clean bill Of health.
The four wounded sailors were the
only cases of sickness found.
The German consul, l.. Marshall
Won Schillin, took charge of the sit
uation and Lieutenant Berg placed
himself under the consul's orders.
Lieutenant Berg and Consul Won
Settling sent messages to the Ger
man embassy at Washington. and
later had conversation over the tele-
phone with the embassy and with
Customs Collector Hamilton,
Pending the receipt of instructions
from Collector Hamilton no one is al
lowed on or near the Appam. Guards
are near the rails on every side and
no gangplank is down. Efforts TO
communicate with the passengers
from small boats encircling the
steamer were forbidden.