The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-02-08


and herself"
MAY ARM AMERICAN
j SHIPS IN DANGER ZONE
4 ,Cou,inued rom page IL
definitely postponed. The mail stu
alton wiz remain without relief u IN
i less il is decided to transfer mans
to the White Star liner Cedric, sched
iuIed TO sail for Liverpool Saturda'
or Sunday.
/ Hiding on Dock.
| NEW YORK, Feb S.-A German
| fireman, Joe Lellar, who formerly
was employed on the German line
Philadelphia, now lying in DOCK ~
Hoboken, was found hiding penino
pile OF tobacco boxes on the American
line pier early today.
| He had eluded twenty guards and
was found only after an hour
search when q guard reached his De-
! lief that he had seen some one on
| the pier.
Lellar claimed to be Russian and
said he had come through the guard
with the crew As every person en-
4 lST1u5 Tic pier SSShN - 49,
to be vised by two guards and he had
no pass, detective who speaks Ger
man was called and it was found
LeIlar spoke more German than Rus
sian. He finally admitted he was
formerly OF the crew Of the Phtla-
delphia and had recently been WORK
| ing on the fTeighter Manstobai, load
ing in Brooklyn
| While the man was held, the
American line started thorough eA'
animation OF the crews and OF the
engSe rooms of the ST. Louis, st.
Pan, ard Larlecd, ccg lying 81 the
company's West 22nd street pier.
Fleet Of Ships.
NORFOLK, Va, Feb. S.-Loaded
to the gunwales with war munitions.
cotton and general supplies for the
entente allies, a fleet OF twenty-five
British, French and Italian ships,
sail and steam, left Virginia ports
today. Twenty-Five miles off shore.
allied warships picked the cargo
coats up and will convoy them.
The munitions laden ships have
pbeen concentrating at the mouth OF
Chesapeake bay since Sunday. Others
from that and points along the coast
are sailing to join the fleet. It was
said in shipping circles here today the
allies have adopted plan OF convoy
| ing cargo boats in squadrons OF ten
or more hereafter.
Several Danish. Dutch and Swedish
ships are keeping close trail behind
the guarding vessels.
| Arrived In Port.
| Ttrra -cyD<oc or a
of the French lire docked at $3.50 q.
m. today from Bordeaux. The Espagne
carried 167 passengers, including sew.
eral Americans. She left Bordeaux
January % and was out of the sue
marine zone before the new program
( was put into effect
| Elliott Cowden, an American avia-
tor with the French forces. return
| ing for a visit at his home in Tuxedo,
y. Y, was among her passengers.
Gunners Wanted.
NEW YORK, Feb. S.-Wiaile main
| tanning that they have reached no
decision regarding arIning their lin.
ers for defense, officials of the Amer
/ lean line announced today that they
are anxious to get into touch with
ex-gunners Of the United States
navy.
| 1useania Arrives.
NEW YORK, Feb s-The TVS
cania, queen Of the Anchor line ships,
arrived today with fifty-six passen-
gers form Glasgow. She was three
days late, due to bad weather and
the roundabout course taken on the
way over.
! Robert W. Bedford, Montreal agent
for the Anchor line. was among the
passengers. They had not heard of
the sinking of the California until
they reached port.
First to Defy.
NEW YORK, Feb. s.-The Interna.
tional Mercantile Marine is likely 70
be the first American line to defy the
German submarine proclamation by
sailing its ships armed for defense
and refusing TO paint them with red
and white stripes as ordered by the
German admiralty.
Officials OF the line announced to-
day that they are trying to get into
touch with former naval gunners
They were advised by Secretary Lans-
ing that they may arm their vessels
for defensive purposes II they desire
II don't think wen paint our vessela
up to look like barber poles. We
haven't decided to do so az yet" said
an official OF the line this afternoon.
The ST. Louis, CO the American line
a branch of the Mercantile Marine
which has been held in port several
days, probably will furnish the first
test 1t is expected the Philadelphia
now In Liverpool, and the st. Paul
scheduled TO sail from New York Sat
urday or Sunday, also will be pro
tected by men trained by the United
States navy. The company officials
refuse to admit that final decision fol-
defensive armament has been reached
but admits openly they are locating
the necessary expert gunners.
FIRED UPON