Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-20
Police Search city
for Escaped Raiders
Confined from PAGE One

Continued from PAGE One
Max Thierichens, secior German com
mander i'm charge of the nterned ships
added fuel to rumors that the attempted
wholesale delivery was the result of we'll
planned plot. involving persons higher up
Captain Thierichens left the navy yard yes
terday without guard in the automobile of
Adalbert Koerting Fischer one Of the al
legged principals in the chronometer snug
Cling plot Presumably he left to go to
the United states Naval Hospital but at the
hospital IL was officially denied that he had
been there or was there. Whether or not
he returned to the navy yard could not be
learned.
That the German commanders of the two
ships, the Prnz Eitel Friedrich and the
Kronprinz wilhelm, aided the escape was
the view expressed by some officials az
Washington today.
At the Navy Department II was said that
official action regarding Commandant Rus
sells failure to prevent the escape would be
delayed until an inquiry was made. what
to do with the four captured men, who are
in the Marine Barracks prison. also was
undecided.
AS a result of the thrilling venture Fed
eral officials at Washington hurried plans
for transferring the 700 Germans aboard
the TWO Snlps TO FOrt ogletNoIDe anu forJ
Mcpherson, Ga. The men probably will be
started southwark late today or tomorrow,
started southwark tomorrow. IL was said
Special trains will be run on TO the spur
track leading to the docks alongside the
vessels.
Search for the missing men virtually has
been turned over to the Philadelphia police
and Federal agents, who believe that
the missing sailors have made good their
escape from the League is and district and
are scattered in the city. Close watch
is being kept on the addresses given In the
lists of names, which are thought to be
those of persons who would give shelter t."
the Germans. Most of these names are
those of persons in Philadelphia, lloboken
and Jersey city, according to the police,
The name of one delphian-Richard
Stein--was said to be among those found
on a piece of paper in the pocket of one of
the Germans stein. who is owner of "A
small farm near Stonehouse lane and Twcn-
tieth street. has a son who drives South
Broad street jtneY. operating between the
navy yard and Skunk street.
MAYOR TAKES CHARGE
Mayor Smith was reused out of bed at
his home at Glenside at o'clock this morn
ing and hurried by automobile to League
Island. where he took charge of the city
policemen on the scene He personally di-
rected the search for the missing Tcutons,
Hlleu ctdicS mes NOihlu III SINUS
of one company each throughout the night,
gave up their search of the marsh
land northwest of the navy yard at o'clock
this morning.
Philadelphia mounted policemen played
an important part in the capture of the four
Germans. A warning shot from a marine
sentry posted at the stockade half.enclosing
the dock OF the raiders at 9;15 o'clock last
night brought three mounted policemeL who
co,lared four Germans--all they saw--with-
in five minutes.
The sentry. WHO was patrolling the mar
row lane between the high barbed-wre
stockade and an outer wire fence, heard a
soft splash in the water of the back chan
mel. near the sterns of the two vessels. He
fired his rife.
Mounted Policemen Burton Bennett, VII
liam Jester and j. H. Ellison. detailsa to
prevent communication between the raiders
and outsiders, were attracted to the spot.
They saw a dark object cutting through
the water. 1t was a swimmer, sturdily
fighting through the ice-cold water toward
the point where the west end of the stock
ade curves and meets The shore of the back
channel about fifty yards from the stern
of the ships.
They drew their revolvers and fired, cut.
ting the water about the man with hail
of bullets and shouting to him to surrender
or they would fire to kill,
The German, hesitating, finally threw w
one hand.
'kamerad =" he shouted. That is the Ger
man equivalent for II surrender.
The policemen waited for him to swim
to shore. He fell into their arms, painting
and nearly frozen to death from his plunge
INTO the water. He was wrapped in cork
life belt Bennett took him in charge and
ran him to the guardhouse.
Meanwhile the searchlight of the scout
cruiser Salem. aroused by the firing. was
flashing through the darkness. BY its light
Jester and Ellison a man fleeing west
ward along a path by the stockade They
spurred their horses and galoped after him