New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-23
American Liner Sailing
Through German Zone
Brings U. S. Citizens
PASSENGERS HEAR
CELTIC HIT MINE
Captain Denies Report OF
Wireless from White Star
Ship Telling of Damage

rived Yesterday afternoon with more
than a score of Americans aboard from
Liverpool. She sailed from Liverpoo!
at midnight on February IA, and Is the
first American Line vessel to sail AFTER
the German submarine proclamation
went into full effect, on February, ..
Captain Candy said that no incidents
marked the voyage. Many vessels
were seen in St. Georges Channel, IN
dicating, he said, that shipping was
little affected by Germany's submarine
blockade" of the British Isles.
Passengers said they heard that a
wireless message had been received
from the large White star liner CeltiG'
saying that she had struck a mine ana
had been forced to put back to Glas-
gov and thence to Liverpool for re-
pairs. But Captain Candy denied this.
Among the passengers was hoperI
Bowman, of Lake Forest, ILL.,, who for
the last fourteen months has been en-
gagged in Red Cross work as an auto
mobile driver with the American Am
bulance. lie has served on the Somme
and Nerdun fronts.
Won Cross of War
While at Verdun he was subjected 70
hostile shell fire several times and ms
ambulance was riddled with bullets
The Croix de Guerre, with single star.
was awarded TO him in recognition o.
his conduct on the battlefield.
Another passenger on the rhllsuel,
phia was r. ID. Pierce, who was one OIL
the twenty-nine horse handlers on the
Japanese Prince when the latter vesse!
was torpedoed, on February 10, SIXTY
miles of the Irish coast. He returned
Yesterday with twenty-six companions
Pierce said that the japanese Prince
carried crew of seyenty-two ana
cargo of $50 horses, as well as gram
ard steel bllets for the Allied govern
ments. He said that the large mer-
chairman was torpedoed early IN the
afternoon. She did not SINK until All
the crew and horsemen had taken 10
the boats. They were later picked up
BY a trawler and taken to the nearest
British port.
Frank BENJAMIN, OF Beaumont, Tex.
also a passenger. told another story OF
torpedoing. BENJAMIN sailed from san
Francisco last August rs third mate on
the British four-masted schooner BAL
four.
Witnessed Sinking Of Steamer
The Balfour carried 5000 bushels OF
barley and cleared for Falmouth. On
February 3, when i20 miles of cape
Clear. the vessel became becalned, dur
ing which time the crew witnessed the
sinking Of the British steamer Eastern
two miles off her port quarter. BenJa,
min said that the submarine signalled
the Eastern TO stop. and when the sig
nal was ignored q shot passed across
her bows.
The Eastern then stopped and her
crew took TO the boats. A few min
utes later a torpedo from the sub
marine sank the Eastern. Benjamin
said that he learned later that the cap
tain and four of the crew had per-
. ished.
The same afternoon, about $3.50,
BENJAMIN said that he saw the sub
marine approach Norwegian bark.
After an inspection the bark was al
lowed 10 proceed. Two hours later
the submarine approached the bslfour,
and, after examining the ships pa
pers. ordered the crew TO take 70 the
boats. Eight sailors from the sub
marine then placed bombs in the hold,
and. as the crew of twenty-five was
pulling away from their ship. several
/
struction Of the Bhlfour
The submarine toved the three life
boats for an hour and half As
thew approached the Irish coast the
boats were cast adrift. and the sub
marine submerged. Benjamin SAID
that A Canadian steamer picked up
the crews, but later put them aboard
n British travler, inbound.
Not Worried About Rochester
Henry +. Kerr, president Of the Kerr
Steamship Company, returned on the
Philadelphia after an extended trip
through England, France and Italy in
the interests of his company. lie said
he was not worrying over the Roches-
ter, owned by his company, which WAS
one Of the first American vessels TO
sail for a European port within the
restricted area. He said that she was
in the danger zone yesterday, but he
expected no word from her until she
was safely tied up at Bordeaux pier.
During the last twelve months only two
out Of the hundred vessels sailing un-
der his flag had been sunk, he said, and
he had the utmost faith in Captain
Hoertz, commander Of the Rochester.
Also on board the Philadelphia were
thirty-fve Of the crew of the Housa-
tonic. the first American vessel tor
pedoed after Germany's new submarine
edict. They corroborated Captain En-.
sor's story that the Housatonic had
been sunk by the U-53.
The Philadelphia carried more than
two tons of mail, including many
pouches of diplomatic correspondence
from the embassies and consulates
throughout Europe.