New Britain herald., 1916-11-14
HELD PRISONER IN
U-BOAT SIX DAYS
american Captain Describes Ex-
|peri0nCeS As "GueSt'' Of Germany

Corunna, Spain, via Paris, Nov. IA.
-Capta1n Frederick Curtis, of the
american steamship Columbian, who
arrived here with the rescued crew of
ms steamship, declared to the Asso-
Iclated Press yesterday that he was a
prisoner on board the German sub
Innaflne U-49 for six days after the
destruction of his vessel.
All of, the 100 Of the Columbian's
1creW were saved, Captain Curtis
Stated.
Captain Curtis said the Columbian
was warned before she was torpedoed
aRnd sunk. The crew was left in life
boats as the captain was taken on
BOARD the submarine.
Captain Arthur Patterson, of the
IBrltish steamship Seatonia, says he
1Rlso was prisoner on board the
lU-49 for eight days, during which
time he heard the guns of the subma-
4r1ne in action and also heard dis
Itinctly the explosion of the torpedo
which, he learned LATER blew up the
/ Norwegian ship BALTIC, soon after
which Captain Yelugsen, Of the Nor
wegian ship Fordalen, Joined him in
marine, where they were Joined on the
Following day by Captain Curtis.
'My ship, registered at New York"
i said Captain Curtis to the CORE
! Epondent, carried cargo of about
79, 600 tons and crew Of 100, all Of
whom were saved, I stopped on the
command Of the submarine, whose
commander ordered me to abandon
/ ship with the crew imm ediately which
we did without other baggage than
two satchels with documents and
money.
Submarine U-49 fred at once two
torpedoes at the Columbian, which
immediately sank. The crew was left
in lifeboats, while [ was taken on
board the submarine, which plunged
hmm ediately after I was taken into
the small quartermasters cabin where
i found the captains of the Seatonia
and BALTIC. After me came Captain
Yelugsen, Of the Fordalen. The cab
in was very small. It contained a lit
tie folding table, folding chair and
three hunks. Everything was per-
meated with the odor of benzine.
There was no communication with the
exterior, and the cabin was absolute
1y dark night and day. We were fed
in the m orning with few morsels Of
black bread, a cup of coffee and
small portion of bad butter; at noon
with a stew of canned meat and soup,
and at supper at 10 o'clock, with cof-
fee or tea and black bread, with but
ter or marmalade. The hours spent
in this narrow prison were very long
and disagreeable."
The captain of the submarine, said
Captain Curtis, was about thirty-six
years old, while his crew Of forty
sailors were all very young. All were
attired in clothing Of glossy leather.
Captains Curtis and Patterson, re-
lating their experiences, said that they
were allowed at intervals, between the
operations of the submarine, to go on
deck to smoke. They were watched
on deck by the crew, armed with re-
volvers, but when they went below the
crew put aside their weapons. There
was only one chair in the cabin, which
the captains used in turn; otherwise
they had to lie on the hunks.
The submarine signalled the Swed-
ish steamship Varing thirteen miles
off the Spanish port of Camarinas
toward noon on November 9. The
vessel stopped and was ordered to
take aboard the captains and land
them She also was ordered
to take aboard the crews of the
Columbian and the Norwegian steam
ships All were welcomed aboard the
Varing. The submarine watched the
operation and then ordered the Var
ing to make for the coast six miles
from Camarinas. The Varing was di-
rected to set out 1ifeboats and embark
the shipwrecked men in them. This
was a long and difficult operation, and
an American from the Columbian fell
into the sea and narrowly escaped
drowning He was slightly injured
during his rescue.
Arabia Sunk Without Warning.
Paul r. Danner, the only Ameri-