Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-03-10

said. You remain here aud remained.
i asked, Now shall we do what has been
agreed TO do 20 our engines y he said, Yes.
The superintendent did not say anything.
q. What had been sgreedi
A. Last spring, when the Sussex case was
up and there were difficulties between Ger
many and Ameri[A, was asked, TO come 10
New York. The instructions came from our
coinpany's office and ! went TO that office.
They said. ''You shall meet gentleman
who has something TO say to YOU" recog-
nized the man. He told me, am acting
for our government l replied that ]
knew IT,
was 70 Destroy Secret Codes
He said: Thee difficulties have arisen
between America and Germany. 1t is about
time that you should destroy the secret code,
all that pertains to the plans Of the ship, the
secret books and everything. so nothing viii
be left TO fall into hostile hands. You under
stand. too, that the ship should not come
into the hands Of any hostile power so that
it could use her for any length of time.
O. Did you 60 into details as to injuries
O What details did you go Into with your
officersf
A. When / got back from New York
spoke to my chief officer and elTief engineer.
I told them what ! had learned and said
must leave il entirely to the chief engineer
whatever hethought necessary TO disable the
The chief officer I told that whenever I
was not on board and he received q telegram
from me or this friend. that the time had
come when the order was TO be executed.
One Man Of Official Staff
q. We're the man you talked to IN New
York and the man in Hoboken the samel
q. Were both connected with the Ger.
man embassy
in New York, the first man. The man ] saw
in uobokeu was member OF the official
staff
Captain PoIsck did not think that the man
last spring knew that the liner was tied up
legally in Boston, under the custody of the
United States marshal He had not told him
so nor sent any communication 10 such. effect.
A representative Of the owner was present a.
the January 81 conference, though moi at the
first
s Captain PolacL had had no official com
munieation sinced January 81
THAT day I said gocdby TO the superln-
tendent aud went out and sent telegram
90 the first officer from the Western Union
office in Hobokeu. 1t was an open telegram.
but in form agreed upon. II read, Tell
Peterson everything Q. K. and was signed
Peterson was Nobody -
9. Who was Peterson
AFTER that . the witness vent on.
went 10 my hotel, packed my things and left
nj once for Boston. got TO the ship about
10 p. m. saw the chief officer and the
chief engineer. I went 10 Che gallery in the
engine room and saw the men working on the
destructionkof the engines
O. What had been donef
A. / do not know. The chief engineer
just said, We are working at disabling the
Engines think Il was finished about noon
Of the next day, February j. / made no
Mr.. Biodgstt asked questions also about
other minor damage. such as the breaking OF OH
not know about il. He supposed it was al
done az the same time, but did not know N
detail what was done or how:
"when you want to break thing, ne
said smiling, 'syou can't do it. Sometimes
It breaks BY itself; but when you want i to.
All instructions Oral
His instructions to his subordinstes were
oral. not written We never do anything
in writing. he added.
Several questions were asked about locked
doors and the disposal Of the keys.
1--WE could not very well come OFF AND
leave the lockers open with the mems per.
scnal p0ssessnos or the closets for silver and
linen open II was proper that they should
be locked The keys to them are on the ship. |
mt are locked up and could not readily be !
found unless man was shown the place.
Yet he asserted that these keys were not
A;dsen--that there was no chance to hide
anything when Marshal Mitchell and bis |
nen came They were just locked up in the
rooms OF the chief steward or chief cook or
rhosoeyer's job it was TO care for them.
Through q suggestion Of the court it was i
made clear that Superintendent Moeller was
he captains superior He made no obiee-
ions TO the orders Of January 81, although
10 gave no orders, and the witness did not
NOW whether Moelle was informed of the i
arlief instructions or not.
Q. But he knew you were going to dam.
ge the shipi
A. I asked the government official. I do
lot recall whether the superintendent was
here then or rot.
James NJ Beck. formerly assistant United
'tates attorney general. associated with Mr.
llodgett asked only one question.
Q. Since April 1916, then, there had been
n understanding You knew that any mo-
1ent instructions might require w 70. dis.
bic the enginesi q