Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-02-05
Story Is That Machinery of
Vessels Has Been Rendered
UseIessi Officers Cordially
Receive Malone,
FORMAL STATEMENT is
ISSUED BY COLLECTOR
Every PreCaution Is Taken to
See That Big Liners Are
Not Destroyed or Perman-
emily Disabled,

| tsY MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wipsI
New York, Feb. 4.-Officers and
crews of the twenty-five German
steamships which have been self-de-
tained here since the outbreak of the
European war were ordered late today
to remain on board their vessels. At
the same time the guard of custom
officials about the piers virtually was
doubled, while police ordered visitors
to keep away from the approaches of
the docks.
Reports that the government au-
thorities contemplated seizing the Ger
man ships, the total tonnage of which
is 261 900, were denied tonight by
Dudley Field Malone, collector of the
port, as absolutely false and without
the slightest foundation"
Statcmrnt by Malone.
I Mr. Malone issued the following
statement from Hoboken, where most
of the North German Lloyd and Ham
! burg American steamships are dock
| ed:
! Il have come here in accordance
with orders from the treasury depart
ment at Washington, to lend assistance
to and cooperate with the department
of immigration in passing upon the
status of the officers and crews of all
self-detained ships in the port of New
York. | am here for no other pur-
pose. In order that there may be CO.
operation ! have been in consultation
with the representatives of the North
German Lloyd and Hamburg -Ameri-
can steamship companies
The collector asserted that the of
ficers and crews of the German yes
sells had not been ordered "forcibIyI
detained" but that they were Simply
requested" to remain on their ships.
Cordially Received by Germans.
He refused to discuss the instruC-
tions he had received from the treas
nry department, or the plan of pro-
cedure to be pursued by the depart
ment of immigration. 1t was learned,
daily received by the representatives
of the two German steamship lines
with whom he conferred concerning
his orders from Washington.
Shortly before the doubling Of the
guards on the steamship piers, a re-
port was circulated to the effect that
the crews of the German vessels tied
up at Hoboken had put the engines of
the ships out Of commission. A sailor
from the Kaiser Wilhelm III was said |
to have asserted as he and others
r,ll Il "A I.,x ~ l. o..
ton order was announced, that the |
engines on his own and other ships
had been damaged beyond repair.
No confirmation OF this report |
could be obtained, however, from the
United States officials.
100 Police on Guard.
While Collector Malone was in Ho-
hoken, IL platoon of 100 police was
hurriedly sent to the Hudson river
piers at 135th street, where five Ger
man liners are docked. Upon their
arrival, it was announced that the
officers and crews of the vessels had
been forbidden to come ashore. The
police asserted they we're ordered
there TO await the arrival OF Collec.
tor Malone.
No explanation of the hurried
movement Of customs officials and
police was forthcoming from those liz
charge. The guard on the piers at
Hoboken was doubled in less than an
hour
With the tightening of the rcgula-
tons about the piers, number of
persons, friends of the officers and
crews of the German liners, who went
aboard the vessels earlier in the day,
found it difficult to leave in the ev-
ening. They were compelled to iden,
ufy themselves and satisfy the Gus
toms inspectors on guard that they
were not members of any of the crews
of the sef-interned ships. 1t was
learned tonight that the guards on
the piers had received strict orders
not to permit any of the men connect,
ed with the ships to depart.
Heads of departments and en-
ployes at the government immigra-
Continued on Page Two.)