Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-14
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GERMAN SPY HELD
IN halifax PROBE
Helmsman on Steamer Which
Collided With Ammunition
Ship Arrested as Suspect.
HOSPITAL NURSE lNFoRMER
Incident Leads. TO Spreading
Broadcast of Widest Rumors
Since War Began.
HOSPITAL NURSE FlNFoRMER
Try Associated Ptess.l


steamer limo. the Belgian relief ship.
whose collision with To ammunition
steamer Mont B'anc Ic. to the disaster
OF last Thursday. was detained as a
German spy suspect to-day. lie was
turned over TO tho military authorities
By officials OF the AIassachusetts relief
hospital where he has been under
treatment.
Ono OF the nurses at tho hospital, a
young woman from New York. whose
name was not revealed, ycste rGay noti-
fled officials that her patient was act
= ing queerly, and that he did not seem
:. ITO be wounded. Physicians examined
the man. and the conclusion was
/. reached that he was shamming illness.
Later, 1t was said. Johanscn offered
nurse $50 IL she would go out aud buy
him ncwspancr, the assumption being
that"hc had in mind an attempt to es-
cape in her absence.
After that incident. 4 military guard
was. placed on duty by his bed. the pro-
vost guard was sent for to-day and Jo-
hansen was locked up,
In connection with the arrest. the
wildes; spy rumGrs heard here since
tho war hogan were spread broadcast.
These culininatcd in a report that eight
Germans had bcen shot at sunrise. Mill
taTy and naval authorities. while ac-
knowlcdginG that the Johonsen Incl
don't was being thoroughly investi-
!. gated declared that the shooting story
was absurd.
Another persistent story was that
secret code in German had been
found on Johansen. and that Il wire
less station had becn uncarthcd in the
district destroyed h. fire after the e1-
plos!on.
+ SHIPPED on mo TO RETURN
TO HIS HOME IN NORWAY
. j. c. Burchall, counsel for the limo in
tn. Admiralty hearing oil the collision
OF tho Nesse!s, said tonight that the
secrc. code story, .as Tar. as It concerned
Johsnscn. was absolutely, without
fouada tiun. Jolansen. Air.. Burchall
f said. had been living In tho .iUnited
states ten gears aud as he was
nNious Ia return To his old home i'll
Norway he shipped on the Imo
Official inquiry was begun by the
Canadian government 10 determine re
sponsibility for the disaster last
THURSDAY, with the loss OF nearly l.se0
lives. Justice Dr.; ;sdalc. judge in ad-
mivai,y. presided.
Attorneys present represented the
Canadian and Nova Scotian govern
,nents, owners OF tho two colliding
vessels. the French munition ship Mont
Blanc and the Norwegian Belgian re-
lief ship Imo: the city OF Halifax and
tho Halifax PilotaGe Commission.
Citizcns Of Halifax were still oc-
cupicd to-day with the rehabilitation
OF their city that there was no public
attendance.
Among the first witnesses were Pilot
Mackay and Captain Lumodec, OF the
Mont Blanc. aud Alexander Johansen.
steward OF the limo.
The relief ship Northland the second
vessel sent from Boston with supplies.
arrived hero to-day.
Relief work is proceeding satisfac-
,orily, and with the injured all properly
cared for, the task OF restoring normal
conditions is going forward RAPIDLY.
NEED EXPERT oCULIsTs
TO PREVENT BLINDNESS
The most important need Is said to
lie for expert oculists to save hun
drcds from becoming blind.
TestfyinE at the government in
Guiry, Captain Lamodec said the Mont
Blanc was loaded with cargo OF
r. y. T.. guncotton and dry picric acid
and a deckload Of benzol for tho French
ilc 0fSSiibSd iit ulS-
tribution of the explosives in the holds,
and said all necessary precautions
were taken against an accident.
Captain Lamodec said the ship came
TO Halifax to receive orders where to
Join her convoy. He received his or
ders from the British pilot, Macliay
who came on board at Halifax the
evening of December 8. Mackay was
absolutely sober" said. the witness
No liquor was on the ship.
The morning OF the collision was
clear, the captain continued. While
proceeding up to Bedford Basin. his
ship sighted the In,o at $3.50 A. NJ. He
was then 120 feet from the Dartmouth,
shore. The Imb WAS heading to sea on
tho west side. but was taking a dircc.
tion across his course. He gave one
blast on his whistle to indicate he was
going to the right The Imo replied
by two short blasts. He thought the
Iino changed her course.
mos srEED THOUGHT
TO HAVE BEEN GREA1
lie was at this time going to star.
board and the Imo to port. in the
meantime he had stopped his engines
The limo gave two short blasts wher
the ships were about $50 feet apart
Tho collision was inevitable at, this
point The limo. judging BY the force
Of the collision. seemed to have great
speed.
The captain said he turned his shr
to the left and cave two short blasts
The ships then were fifty feet apart.
Asked If the vessels would not Law.
passed at distance Of fifty feet If nc
other change was made, the wttnes:
said this was SO, as the limo wal
travelling obliquely UP tho harbor. Tht
Imo then signaled she was "goins
astern at full speed"
Ho then signalcd his engines yastern
and put the helm to starbonrd, so tina
-s-sI-I. (ftnnfInued an Ninth r