Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-02-06
LITTLE CHANCE
OF RELEASEOF
GERMAN SAILORS
Explicit instructions Received
From Washington Make
Efforts Doubtful

Little II any success would attend
movement al this time to secure
the release OF the German seamen
now interned at the federal immigra,
ton station in the custody of Inspector
Richard L. Halsey, in the opinion OF
the local L. s. attorneys office.
While no notification could be Sc
cured today II is reported that the
law firm OF Thompson, Milverton &
Cathcart, legal advisors of II. Hack.
field & Company, is contemplating
taking certain legal action to secure
the release of the officers and men
Nothing has been definitely decid.
ed as yet,' judge John MattheWman,
a member Of the firm, told the Star
Bulletin. The matter was recently
considered but DO actual steps have
been taken" -. .s:.--...
If IL were attempted to secure the
release of the men by habeas corpus.
u. s. Attorney S. c. Huber believes
that such a move would not be sue
cessful. ~
Official instructions Explicit
He points out that the instructions
received by Inspector Halsey from the
department of commerce and labor are
explieit-to assume custody OF all
German seameu here The. officers
and men OF all the German refugee
ships are now held at the immigration
station. They are being cared for at
the expense of the federal government.
Haiseys instructions were received
following the arrest of the officers and
men Of tie Pommern and Prinz Wal
demar. The officers and men of the
other refugee ships were then given
their choice of voluntarily entering
the custody of the immigration author
tiles or being Immediately arrested.
Men Surrender Willingly
These officers anG men surrendered
themselves willingly, thus avoiding the
process of actual arrest. In the 'opin-
ion of Marshal III Smiddy the Off
GERS and men of the German refugee
ship at Hilo will be brought to Homo
lulu and informed in the local immi-
grafton station. Halsey's orders were
to seize all German seamen, and as
there is no immigration station in Hilo
there presumably is nothing left to
do but to bring the men here.
At 1920 o'clock Monday evening
Marshal j. ]. Smiddy received cable
gram from the department of justice
notifying him that special funds have
been placedto his official credit for
use in any emergencies which might
arise. Marshal Smiddy said today
that he did not care to divulge the
amount of money he is now at liberty
to draw on
Many Would Be Deputies
Two deputy u. s. marshals are in
Hilo and will remain there until re-
called by the customs officials. At
present Marshal Smiddy is not ac.
cepting any further special deputies,
but a long waiting list assures him
of plenty of men should their services
be needed. He has arranged matters
so that these men may be Immediately
gotten in touch with.
With the officers and crews of two
vessels under arrest and with the
remainder of the German seamen
safely~ interned, the u. S. attorneys,
and the marshal are relaxing from
the strain of last Sunday and await
ing further instructions from Wash
ington. The district attorneys office
believes that, il further instructions
come regarding the disposition of the
German seamen, they will come direct
to Inspector Halsey.