Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1917-04-01
Republican, A. P. Leased WireJ

.1cDuCIICan -. r. Leased wire
WASHINGTON, March 31-Official
dispatches from Copenhagen today
confirmed reports that two American
seamen had arrived there from Ger
many with the story that some fifty
others taken in raids Jy the commerce
raider Moewe were held in detention
camps. Reports from many sources
have convinced Officials here that
Americans captured on the British
steamer Esmeraldas are held. AS yet
no reply has come to an inquiry sent
through the Spanish foreign office a
week ago as to whether there were
Americans among the crews of the
vessels captured.
Dispatches from Minister Egan to-
day told of the two seamen reaching
Copenhagen. They were Alexander
Meyer and Jack Benson, taken from
the Norwegian bark Staut. They said
that in addition to fifty men from the
Esmeraldas the Germans are OBTAINING
one from the British steamer Breck-
norshire. All, they said, are in deten-
ton camp in Westphalia. The two
were released beca Ise they We're on
an unarmed ship. This government,
it is considered certain, will make a
vigorous demand for the release of the
American sailors. In releasing. after
the United States had made an ener-
getic protest, the SO American sea =
men taken into Germany on the prize
ship Yarrowdale, the German govern
ment announced it was taking that ac-
ton because, the men did not know
when sailing that Germany had de-
clared armed merchantmen warships.
Meyer and Benson said the Staut
,Ial
for the Southern Georgia Islands, Min
lister Egan continues their story as
follows:
The Staut was sighted by the Brit
ish ship st. Theodore on February 3,
1917. which shin had been captured by
the Germans and was manned by a
German crew. A German officer
boarded the Stuat and ordered the
crew to pack up belongings and en-
bark on the ST Theodore. After en-
barking, q bomb was placed in the
main hatch of the Staut and she sank
within 20 minutes. The Staut carried
16 sailors and officers. Benson being
the only native American and Meyer
being a naturalized citizen. They re-
manned ten days on the ST. Theodore
and then were transferred to the Ger
man cruiser Moewe and arrived at
Kiel March p, having been 43 days on
the Moewe.
Benson and Meyer were confined
I below while on the Moewe, but knew
whenever a ship had been sunk or tor
pedoed by the new prisoners. Accord
ing 10 Benson the British schooner
Jean already had been torpedoed and
! also the Readnorshire, the Royal Mai
boat, with a crew of SO men and the
Netherby Hall, with a crew of 40 men
, The Staut was captured with its It
men. Afterwards the fBrecknorshire
was captured with SS men. including
one American from Seattle. British
steamer Eddy, with "a men; British
steamer French prince with SO men;
British steamer Rodenta with 20 men;
i British steamer Katherine with q
men; British steamer Otacka was cap
| tured after a fight, eight men being
/ killed.
THE Pacific Steam Navigation boat
Elysium Meralda. from Liverpool, hav.
ing delivered American horses. cap
! tured with 116 men so of them Ameri-
cans. One man named Smith had al
army discharge. Steamer Governor
captured after fight five men beins
killed and British steamer Demerdinf
cantured with 3s men.
"Benson and Meyer were released t
Copenhagen after remaining on tn,
Noewe for three DAYS in the harbor o
Kiel. The remaining Americans takei
off the MoeWe are believed to hav,
been sent to Westphalia.'
Although the dispatch as received
here gave the name of the Sip from
which most of Americans were takel
as the Elysium Meralda, Officials
thought it was an error in transmits