Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-03-02
Four Members of Yarrow-
dale Party Reach Copen-
hagen After Release.
SENT ADRIFT ON
REACHING BORDER
Hardships and Suffering Endured Dur
ing Imprisonment on Ship and After
Being Confined in German Prison
Camps-Qusrtet Fares Even Better
Than Others Because Ranking as
Officers. .H.

Washington, March 2-Germany, in
a note delivered to the state depart
ment today by DR.. Paul Ritter, Swiss
minister, promises the release of the
Yarrowdale prisoners, on March Z, say
ing quarantine regulations will have
been complied with by that date.
Copenhagen, March 2.-Four Amer-
cans from the steamer Yarrowdale,
who have been prisoners in Germany,
arrived here today. They are DR.. John
Davis, Columbus, Miss: Orville Nc
Kim, Watertown, N. Y; Dr. H. D. Sny-
der, Norfolk. Va: and Richard Zahris-
kie, Englewood, n. J. The four men
were practically destitute.
Few more dramatic tales have come
from the war than the story of adven-
ture and peril at sea, short rations on
land and the new danger from the sky,
related by these men to the American
Press correspondent.
Hungry and Poorly Clad.
Snapped up by the German raider in
mid-ocean, they cruised around for
days while the commerce destroyer
was gathering further prizes. They
then went to Swinemuende on the Var
rowdale under such conditions that
they expected the ships seams to open
and the vessel sink They lived for
more than two months in German pris-
on camps without food parcels which
1ightened the condition of other prison
ers. They passed thru four air attacks
on Karlsruhe, during which bombs in
tended for the railroad stations rained
about their camp.
They remained to the last ignorant
of whether they were held as prisoners
of war, orsas nsutrals. To add to their
anxiety their fellow Americans from
the Yarrowdale, when they left them
Ito be transferred with other officers
from captured steamers, were in a
state of destitution. They We're incuf-
ficiently clothed. some without shoes
in the December cold, and all in a
weakened condition. Ambassador Ger
ard finally succeeded IN locating them
and they were supplied with clothes
These four men. however, had escaped
the, ambassadors notice. -
Treated as Officers.
The recital of the four Americans Of
incidents concerning their capture and
their experiences on board the raider
is one with which American readers
are familiar from accounts Of the raids
of the Moewe and Appam. They were
confined in the hold during the chase
Of each successive prize. wondering if
the victim would show fight and per-
70 {11h hot
The men reached here with only the
clothes they stood in and will, under
the customs Of the sea, be supported
by the British consul until it is possi-
BILE to send them home. They owe their
release to the fact that as physicians
or veterinarians they ranked as officers
and were confined in the officers camp
at Karlsruhe. The horse tenders and
sailors who composed the bulk of the
American captives are still held in
Quarantine" at the prison camp for
enlisted men at Dulken.
Turned Adrift.
The four men left the camp at
Karlsruhe on Feb. 81 and travelled di-
rect to Warnemunde under escort
where, after being subjected to the
trSiiGiOi oOdiSt, ehSJ "SiS PoS
aboard a Danish ferry and left to shift
for themselves. The Danish police took
charge Of them and provided them with
quarters for the night and gave them
the first hearty meal they have en-
ioyed since they landed in Germany,
early in December.
Ancient seat practice makes seamen
stranded in foreign port the. guests
Of the consul of the nations under
whose flag their ship sailed.
Consul Winslow was therefore forced
to turn his countrymen over to the
British consulate The Identification of
the men was questioned at first.
Condition DepIorabIe.
/ There were no loss Of life except in
the case of the Mount Temple, on
which three French h-Canadians were
killed.
Until they reached swinemuende the
Americans had no idea that they
would be treated other than as neu-
trails. In fact, even the British officers
who were captured signed parole pa
ners while on the raid. with the under
standing that they would be transferred
to a neutral steamer for transfer to a
home port.
The valuable cargo Of the Yarrow-
dale Influenced to change the German
commanders intention and he sent the
men to a German port on that vessel.
The entrance to the Baltic was made
under severe weather conditions. The
prisoners were eventually taken to the
camp at Neustrelitz, where they were
held for a month in quarantine. The
condition of many Of the Americans.
including horse handlers from the
Georgic, was deplorable. They were
accustomed to work on the lower
decks in half wash with bare feet.
They were taken in this condition.
They went barefooted in the snow for
almost three months before shoes were
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