Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-26
INTERNED TEUTONS
. ON WAY TO SOUTH
Raiders Crews Leave Navy
Yard for Georgia
Forts
SCENE GRIMLY DRAMATIC

rich from the Philadelphia Navy Yard to
detention camps in Georgia forts.
The interned Germans on the raiders
left the Philadelphia Navy Yard this morn
ing on two special trains for the South
three-inch gun ou board the scout
cruiser Salem moored zoo yards from the
interned raiders. was kept trained on the
departing Germans. A gun crew stood be-
hind the gun, ready for action, ana beside
the gun was a neat pile of grim looking
shells. The gun and shells were not covered
with their tarpaulns until the trains carry
ing the Germans pulled out.
More than 500 policemen, detectives and
plain-clothes men formed a Gordon about the
trains to prevent any possibility of escape.
and a force of zoo marines accompanied the
Germans on the trip southwark.
At : :35 O'Clock this morning the special
trains consisting Of day coaches. backed
up 70 the navy yard from the Girard Point
elevator on the tracks of the Pcnnsylvan MIA
Railroad The trains came to stop 800
yards west of the Broad street gate.
IN MERRY MOOD
The first to leave the interned raiders
were Captain Berfeder. of the Kronprinz
wilhelm; Captain Thierichsen OF the Prinz
Eitel Friedrich and Lieutenant Hanz Berg,
who was in charge of the prize ship Appam.
lntSt men were tnetTtu ny tue 'IerIndn
sailors they walked down gang planks
under heavy marine guard and were es
Corted TO the trains.
Before Captain Thierichsen left his shin he
urged his men to conduct themselves in
"a manner becoming German salors.' IL
was apparent that the captain felt deeply
Tears gathered in his eyes and several
times his voice seemed on the verge of
breaking. 1t was the one pathetic touch
in the whole scene.
I'VE are now called upon" he said. to
leave the ships which we have learned to
love almost much as own own homes
in far-off Germany. For many months we
have been comrades in arms, sharing the
same hardships. joys and sorrows. Because
We have been so long on foreign soil we
are closer together than the soldiers who
fight in the trenches and the field y more
brotherly feeling exists between US than
there exists between most sailors aboard
ship.
"It makes me feel sad that we are to be
divided. one section to go to one fort and
the other section to another fort. But, men.
this is the fortune of war, and we must
act like men and conduct ourselves in a
manner becoming to German sailors OF the
imperial navy Of Germany.
There We're many wet eyes among the in
termed Germans when the captain finished,
and all joined in giving their commander
hearty cheer.
The spectators were given a glimpse of
the stern realities of war when Captain
Thierichsen passed out of the little gate
of the stockade, inclosing the German vii
lage and walked over the little temporary
bridge. Three marines with rifles equipped
with flashing bayonets walked behind him ::
three other marines preceded him, To the
left of the bridge stood Captain Robert l..
Russell. comma ndant of the navy yard. and
Lieutenant Commander Allen. aid to the
commandant Captain Therichsen wheeled
with military precision and faced Com
mandant Russell and his aid Stimuli
taneouslY the hands of the German cap
tain and the commandant and his aid went
10 their caps in salute. For a space of
thirty seconds the German captain and
the commandanl stood facing each other
each gazing into the eyes of the other
The faces of both Captain Thierichsen and
Commandant Russell stern. The
salute was in accordance with strict naval
etiquette. The hands of the German cap
tain and the cbmmandant dropped stiffiy
to their sides the captain wheeled swiftly
to the left and continued his march to the
train. with armed marines before and be-
hind.
The German sailors wore navy blue uni
forms with wide collars of lighter blue and
carried knapsacks, The Germans seemed
to be in a ,merry mood and they exchanged
merry greetings with the American ma
rines.
TAKE PETS ALONG
Besides their knapsacks, the Germans were
loaded down with kettles, washboilers, grips
and suitcases. Many of them were accom-
panies by pet dogs, which boarded the trains
with their masters The Germans filed off
the raiders between two corumns of marines,
who carried loaded rifles equipped with
bayonets which cleaned in the morning
sunlight All of the interned Germans went
aboard the trains. with the exception of
fourteen who were left behind to guard the
ships.
The first ca, OF each special was the
first TO be loaded, and then the second car,
and so on until each coach was filled. As
fast as the Germans entered the coaches
they threw open the windows to let in the
fresh morning air. and assumed easy po-
sitions in The seats lighting pipes and Gig.
arel.es. Some of them talked with marines
and policemen and cseveral made inquiries
as to the steps necessary for applying for
American citizenship. Before the specials
pulled out. marines and detectives went
through the coaches inspecting baggage Of
the Germans in search for weapons and
explosives Each special was provided with
a baggage car, in which were quartered
marines armed with loaded guns. During
the trip southwark marines will patrol the
aisles and platforms of both trains.
The first section pulled out for Fort
Oglethorpe, Ga, at S:45. AS the train
moved away one OF tne petty herman OIL
GERS left aboard the Prinz Eitel Friedrich
waved a long white banner in farewell. He
stood on the bow of the raider, and was
seen easily by the departing Germans This
was the signal for a great demonstration
on the part of the Germans. They leaned
out Of car windows and waved and cheered.
Before the second section pulled out a
petty officer delivered a brief address to
his men, urging them to be peaceful and
abide by the rules laid down by the United
States navy. When he finished he was
warmly applauded by his men, The second
section viii proceed to Fort Mcpherson.
Ga, via Chattanooga, Tenn.
With the departure OF the interned Ger
man sailors, the marine sentries and
mounted policemen who have been on guard
for days at League Island declared that
an investigation would show that much Of
the machinery aboard the raiders had been
beaten into scrapiron. Since Wednesday,
these watchers stated the sound of the
hammer has been heard almost constantly.
1t was audible yesterday at distance Of
800 yards from the wharf where the Prinz
Eitel Friedrich and the Kronprinz Wilhelm
are moored.