Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-10-16
SILVER SHELL HERO
TELLS OF VICTORY
Captain John Fred Charlton
Describes Battle With
German U-Boat
JENKINTowN HoNoRs HIM

sank the nrst German submarine 10 meet
obstruction at American hands was told
today Dy Captain John Fred Charlton. mas
Ter OF the victorious vessel safe at his home
In Jenkinetown.
Crippled by rheumatism. Captain Charl-
ton was carried by his sailors to the deck.
where he maneuvered the storm-tossed
merchantmen through the vicious ocean
duel, In which the United States navy gun
crew on board the Silver Shell registered
the first American sinking of a Kaiser's
U-boat-on Decoration Day
Captain Charlton, whom all the Old
York road community will honor at a big
meeting at Jenekintown tonight, told his
story simply. Passing by 1t as affair"
he said earnestly
THE United states is in this war to
win"
Like a narrative from the days Of John
Paul Jones and the wooden men-o'-war that
met in death grapples on the high seas reads
the story OF Captain John Fred Charlton
since his return home
SIGHTING OF THE SUBMARINE
"The affair happened on the afternoon
Of May 30. Following a period of five
days of dirty weather. in which l was on
duty almost the entire time and in which
] contracted a severe attack OF rheumatism
was resting in my cabin. AS a matter
of fact / was really H.
Shortly before o'clock report was
starboard beam, seven or eight miles dis
tant. l was helped, almost carried. on
deck by two Of my men, and through the
glasses determined definitely that IT was
submarine.
''I kept my course, slowing down to per-
init the boat to approach and reveal itself
1t did-wlthout showing the flag of any
nation We showed our colors-the Stars
and Stripes. And still the boat refused to
hoist flag There was but one thing to
do nd a
There was terribly high sea running
So threw my boat across seas to prevent
the undersea terror torpedoing the Silver
Shell and at the same time TO aid in
causing the shots Of my opponent to fall
astern or ahead Of me.
U-BoAT DISAPPEARS FOREVER
''In ALL the German fired thirty-nne ex-
plosive shells. six-pounders. of these seven
were shrapnel, designed to kill my crew
One of these exploded seventy-five feet over
the bridge, and the shrapnel scattered all
about II was about 80 o'clock when the
Silver Shell crew fired its twenty-fourth
shot. striking the water directly in front
of the undersea boat. The gun was ele-
waited a trihe and the twenty-tifth shot was
a clean one, striking directly in front OF
the coming tower. and. Immediately fol-
lowing there was a terrific explosion The
submarine dsappeared-afI within ten sec
onds after the firing OF that shOt-dis-
appeared forever. And, that's just how II
all happened
Captain Charlton was asked II he cared
TO express an opinion as TO the possible
duration of the war He hestated, because,
as he said. There are some things we are
not expected to talk about" But with
keen look and a firm intonation Of voice, he
said
please publish this. We are in the war
TO win. We will win--there isn't any doubt
about It. But to win we must do every
L., lt.rV tn hal C,nVarnnPnt
And we must do everything in our power
TO punish TO the greatest extent of all our
laws all propagandists who do anything
against the best interests OF our Govern
ment"
Captain Charlton whose boat doclSed at
an American port last Saturday morning.
returned to Jenkintown late last night. Then
he spent several hours as the guest OF
Louis r. Dutton, chairman of the commit
tee planning tonight's celebration. 1t was
midnight when he consented to be inter-
viewed, and 1t was long after midnight
when the talk ended. Then Captain Charl-
ton retired to sleep couple of hours"
HERos DAUGHTER RECOVERING
Throughout his narrative the hero Of
Jenkintown" plainly showed his anxiety
about his little daughter. Katharyn, who
was seriously Ill at the time the Silver
Shell docked at the American port where
the vessel now lies.
1T was the only unpleasant hings that
has developed, and I'm hoping she'll soon
be WELL" he said. Or. L. T. Quinn. who
is attending the little girl, said she is
past the danger point and will recover
perhaps almost entirely before her father
sails again, in several weeks
Captain Charlton is about thirty-three
years of age and weighs about 155 pounds.
He has the deep blue eyes so common
among the Northmen-hs birthplace was
Sweden. He has a sharp7cut chin and a
quiet voice of penetrative power, slow of
enunciation. He was married seven years
ago to Miss Katharyn Dehl daughter of
Mr.. and Mrs. Godfrey Diehl who for many
years lived near Fourth and Diamond
streets, but who later lived In Wyncote
finally opening a business place In Jenlxin-
town. They have two Children boy and
a girl The little girl is named for the
mother. the son for the father John Jr
and seems happlest when he is wearing a
sailors cap with its gilt letters. ''Silver
Shell"
TONIGHTS BIG CELEBRATION
The big celebration in Jenkintown will
begin at 1880 O'Clock tonight There will
be parade consisting of officials of the
borough In motors. with Captain Charlton
riding with Samuel c. Schively in the lat.
ter's car; civic organizations, Home De-
Tense organizations from Oak Lane Ash.
bourne, Jenkintown and Abingdon details
of Boy Scouts and citizens OF the suburb.
Every householder has been asked to dec
crate his home and to burn red 1re as the
parade passes.
AT the ball park. Walnut street between
West and Greenwood avenues, the public
meeting will be held. The grand stand is
reserved for women and standing room to
hear the speakers will be available for
thousands OF suburbanites Louis r. Dut-
ton, chairman Of the committee in charge,
will preside The four speakers will be
Representative Henry Winfield Watson,
Judge John Faber Miller. of the Montgom-
cry County Courts; State Representative
Fletcher b. Sites. OF Narberth, and Samuel
H. High, of Jenkintown and Norristown
Citizens OF the borough have subscribed
literally to fund. and a costly wrist watch
"a n testimonial will he nresented tn Cantain