The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-02-01

! liner Appam. supposed to have beer
sunk off the African coast. arrived
here today flying the German flag, q
Teuton war prize and with her pas
sengers and crew, prisoners.
The Appam was captured by a Ger
man commerce raider somewhere of
the Canary Islands, according to the
best Information from passengers
| There was bloody fight on her
decks during which two men were
killed and several injured. The most
thrilling fiction story OF the days OF
pirates has never eQualled that told
by men and women on the Appam, OF
how tho liner was overhauled. how
stout German sailors came clambering
upon her decks and clashed with the
Britons.
With the British nag lowered and
the double eagle at her masthead, the
Appam then set out on one Of the
most remarkable voyages in history,
which ended here when she put into
port.
Tho entire Atlantic is hostile wat
ers to the Germans. But the Appam
eluded British naval vessels, avoided
the regular passenger lanes on which
she would have encountered British
merchant ships without number and
slipped into this neutral port safe and
sound.
The Appam has about 800 prison
ers aboard in charge of the German
prize crew OF twenty-five men. They
are from British merchant ships. 1t
was first believed the Appam had
been captured by submarine, but
passengers and members Of the crew
declared the Appam had been taken
by raider. 1t was not even known
that German ship was at large on
the seas. once in .ae hands of the
Teutons. the Appam was herself turn
ed into commerce raider, however,
and is understood to have captured
two enemy ships while enroute here.
What became of them is not known.
The Appam was captured on Janu-
airy Is. Passengers expressed the be-
lief that the raider was only tramp
German ship, but this has resulted in
the superstition that submarine may
have captured the small British ship,
put part of her crew aboard and then
used the former English ship to bag
the larger game.
The original raider resumed her
business of attacking British vessels
after taking the Appam, sinking at
least one in view of the liner The
vessel sunk, according to all accounts,
was an Australian freighter laden
with meat. The freighter showed fight
and several Of her crew were injured.
The German tramp put them aboard
the Appam, took over the cargo of
meat and steamed away, leaving the
Appam to proceed to Norfolk in
charge Of the prize crew.
TY,cf hnx of fc, ha
put up before surrendering, is dis
puted. Captain Harrison says surren-
der was immediate since he had only
one 3-inch gun with which to resist
the raiders attack and that it was
Some passengers say the
British liner opened fire in answer to
the first shot across her bows. The
United States government win have
the point to settle.
The Appam passengers relate that
the raider placed 1873 prisoners from
other ships on board and that these
prisoners stories indicate the raider
had sunk at least seven other YES
sells.
Ine Appam is expected to go into
Newport News tonight, in which case,
since she seems little damaged, save
for a bent plate or two, she must
leave soon or De informed peTHaueut-
ly Only twenty-four hours can be
her in port, unless her condi-
ton calls for repairs that will require
longer 1t is believed she will intern.
here is the widest speculation as
to the identity of the mysterious
raider. Many here think she may be
the will-o'-the-wisp boat reported sew
eral times in the gulf OF Mexico just
after the escape. of officers of the
Prinz Eitel Friedrich aboard the yacht
Eclipse 1t is suggested she may have
picked them up off the capes. A re-
mark by Lieutenant Berg, prize crew
that he had come into
this port because he knew he would
get decent treatment, strengthened
this theory,
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