The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1917-08-16
U-Boat Officer Sinks Vessel
On Which Sweetheart
Is Passenger
FATHER TELLS
STORY OF TRAGEDY
Daughter Meets Death on
Ocean Voyage With
Father and Brother

told a story of U-boat romance
which, for dramatic interest, is per-
haps unparalleled by anything ever
narrated concerning the submarine
warfare.
Mr.. Larsen was an officer aboard
the Swedish steamship Ada, which
was sunk on June IL last, while
she was on her way from Gothen-
burg, Sweden, to Hull, England. At
first Mr.. Larsen parried questions in
regard to his experience with sub
marines by saying that the memories
were too. bitter, and he was trying
hard to-banish them from his mind;
but finally, he consented to speak.
Following is his story:
Before the war began a hand
some young German became ac-
quainted with my son, Sven, and,
before long, was a frequent caller
at our home in Stockholm. He fell in
love with my daughter, Minna, who
was is years old and considered very
beautiful. The German, Hans Won
Tuebinger, was an art student, and
had come to Sweden to study some
phase of his calling which, he said,
he could not find in any other coun-
try. / never understood exactly what
that phase was; but, at any rate, 1t
was the means of bringing unhap-
piness to me and mine; and so
curse it and l would curse him too
il / did not know that he was the
innocent instrument in the hands of
a relentless fate, and that he would
gladly have averted the tragedies of
which he was the unwilling cause.
Were to Marry After the War.
''Minna soon grew to return the
love of the good looking youngster,
and when the war broke out and he
received notice to present himself
at once to the naval unit to which he
belonged In Germany, the poor girl
was ready to die of grief. Evidently
it cost Hans a terrible struggle too;
but he said he did not believe the
war could last a week and that he
would return at the latest in two
weeks. And it was arranged that
when he did return he and Minna
were to be married.
1.-TWO months elapsed before we
got q letter from Hans. It told us of
his having been detailed to subma-
rine work and Of the unhappy time
he was having counting the hours
when the war was to end and he
could come to claim his bride. After
that we never heard from him again.
For a while Minna bore up brave
ly but she began to fade perceptibly
NY wife died three months after
Hans had gon2<away and, as my son
Sven was already sturdy help to
me aboard my schooner, the Baldar.
decided to take Minna along on our
voyages too.
Toward the end of April, as we
were nearing the coast of England,
on a return voyage from the west
coast of Africa, shell struck the
BaIdar amidships. A splinter of the
smashed woodwork struck Minna
and killed her. The rest of us had
barely time to get into a small boat
and get away before the schooner
sank, carrying down the body of my
daughter.
A Dramatic Meeting.
"It was only then that we noticed
the U-boat from which the shell
had been fired. 1t came close to us
and, judge my horror and that of
Sven when we discovered that the
captain of the murderous craft was
the man who was to have become
the husband of Minna. He also ap-
peared to be greatly affected when
he saw my boy and me; and his
first question was, How is my Min
ma: and does she still think of me?
Il pointed to the place where the
Baldar had sunk. What almost
shrieked Hans Won Tuebinger, Min
ma is dead?
"His grief was certainly unfeign-
ed when we told him what had hap
pened. He soon braced up, however,
and, after saying, Well, there is no
doubt that war is hell, he ordered
his men to stock our boat with pro-
visions and bade us goodby. A mo-
ment later his boat was speeding
toward another vessel which had
just hove into sight After many
vicissitudes we reached England.
Last June my son and / were
officers aboard the Swedish steam
ship Ada, under Captain Tension.
Again we were nearing the British
coast when submarine fired a shell.
There was no delay in getting into
lifeboats this time either: but some
how the gun Ere did not seem to do
the destructive work quickly enough
to suit the submarine captain, and so
d torpedo was sent into the vessel,
and soon she began to settle and
sink.
His Nemesis Again.
when the U-boat came close
enough to- enable us to discern the
features of those on her deck, we
were again almost para1yzed with
the shock of horror to find the COM
mander was none other than Hans
Won Tuebinger, my unwilling Mem
esis. had not noticed my son Sven.
Evidently the awful horror of the
situation had driven the poor lad
insane. When we got close enough to
the UL-boat Sven leaped to its deck
and made a rush for Hans. His hand
was at the mans throat when one
of the U-boat's seamen struck Sven
q blow on the head. II felled him and
he rolled of into the water.
Hans tore Off his coat and jump
ed into the sea after my boy. But IL
was in vain. Sven did not reappear.
The blow had stunned, IL not killed
him. Long the submarine remained
there and every effort was made to
recover the boy. Hans wept his eyes
red and swore he would gladly have
given his own life to save my sons.
believe he meant it.
Harbors No Hatred.
There was no need this time to
provision our boat. We had supplies
and drinking water a-pIenty. Do
you forgive me?s asked the U-boat
captain. What else could do? He
certainly was not personally respon-
eiDle for the atrocities which he had
been instrumental in infiicting upon
me. Duty, dutyl' he exclaimed Bit
terly; 'ah. this murderous. damned,
unspeakabie duty!'
Lars Larsen burst into tears
Pm trying TO forget he said to
the reporter. DO you think God will
ever be good enough to let me for
get? can always see my AIinna and
my son before me; and side by side
with them I can see their slayer
whom / cannot but forgive and
whom ! cannot md It in my heart
70 hate"