The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-02-17

Capt. Polack said he met the em- bassy official in January at the North German Lloyd offices in Hoboken. The orders to disable the ship were given at that time in the presence of Capt. Moller,- superintendent of the com pany's lines in this, country. he tes- tif1ed. Capt Polack was preparing to visit Hot Springs. Va, at the time but changed his plans and returned to this city.
 -Consinuing his testimony, the cap tain declared that the embassy official said to him:
 sThe relations between the two countries are being severed and the condition is very serious"
 The witness said he inquired wheth- CT the machinery was to be disabled immediately and that, he received an affirmative answer. Capt. Moller, ne said, did not take a share in tAis part of the conversation.
 The Kronprizessin Cecilie is in the possession. of United States Marshal John J. Mitchell, pending the deter imitation of a suit for damages brought against the North German Lloyd Steamship Go. by the Guaranty Trust Co., and the National City bank of New York. for failure of the vessel to deliver a shipment of gold to bank CTS in England and France which she had on board at the outbreak of the war. After sailing from New York the liner turned back and put into Bar Harbor, Me.
 The vessel was seized in Bar liar Dor Nov. 6, 1914. After the crew left the vessel here recently an examina- tion by experts showed that the ma chinery had been so damaged that it could not be repaired and made ready for sea in several months.
 Describing in detail his actions. Capt Polack said:
 Some time ago, about the time when the Sussex case was up and when difficulties had arisen between Germany and America, was asked to go,to New York. It was an invitation from the company's office. I was told that was to meet gentleman who wanted to speak to me.
 ''I knew the gentleman. He told me that since difficulties had arisen here he thought it was about time that should destroy the secret code of the vessel, her charts and plans and secret books, in order that in case anything developed. they should not fall into hostile hands and that the ship could not be used for any length of time if they should be needed by any hostile power.
 "When I returned from New York I spoke to my chief officer and my chief engineer and told them what I had learned. I told my chief engineer that would leave it entirely to him to do what he thought necessary to do to disable the engines of the ship.
 ''I told my chief officer that when I was not on board and he received a telegram from me. the time had come when the order was to be executed"
 Asked whether he had told the rep resentatiwe of the German govern ment that the vessel had been Hbelled and was now in possession of the United States court, the witness re- piled that this had not occurred to him.
 No order had been given to, the German embassy, as far as he knew, that the ship had been seized by or der of the court
 In January, the witSess said, he again visited New York and on Jan. 31 had another interview with the parties from whom he was taking his instructions. At the end of the interview he went directly to the of- fee of the Western Union in Hoboken and sent this message to his chief of fcer, Simmund Nierans, in Bos- ton:
 "Ten Peterson everything O. K"
 Asked who Peterson was, he said, nobody" It was an open telegram and was understood because it had been agreed that on it's receipt the engines were to be disabled.