Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-02-20
DAMAGED SHIPS
!, DUE TO ORDER
Captain of German Steamer
Says He Was Directed
to Injure Vessel

Boston, Feb. 17.-Capt Charles A.
Polack of the North German Lloyd
steamship Kron Prinzessin Cecilie,
testified today at federal court hear
ing on a petition for the sale of the
vessel that he had been ordered by
man connected in an official capacity
with the German embassy to disable
it's machinery. This was done, he said,
to prevent the ships use by this gov
eminent in the event Of hostilities with
Germany. He refused to divulge the
name Of the man giving the order.
Captain Polack said he was in Hobo.
ken, N. j., when he received the order
and that he telegraphed his chief engi-
neer here to disable the engines. The
work Of destruction was done on jan
uary 81 and Feb. I, he said.
When asked by counsel for the petit
TONERS to give the name of the per-
son from whom the order was received
Captain Polack said:
your honor. am an officer of the
German navy and If ! should have to
disclose the name Of this gentleman
in this hearing might be tried for
treason when I went home to Ger
many. l wish you would not oblige
me to answer that question:
The question was not pressed and
judge Morton decided that it would
not be necessary for the captain to
answer it at this time.
Captain Poack said he met the en-
bassy official in I"nllarv at the North
German Lloyd cffiros in Hoboken. The
orders to disable the ship were given
IT that time in the presence of Captain
Moller. superintendent of the COM
nany's lines in this country. he testi-
fed CAPTAIN Polac'Z wac preparing to
visit Hot SPRINGS. Va. at the time but
changed his plans and returned to this
city.
Continnine his testimony, the cap
tain declared that the embassy OFF,
Gals said to him;
"The relations between the two
countries are being severed and the
condition is very serious
The witness testified that he en-
ouired, whether the machinery was to
be disabled Immediately and that he
received an affirmative answer. Cap
tain Moller, he said, did not partici.
pate in this part of the conversation.
Describes His Plans.
The Kron Prinzess1n Cecilie is in
the possession of U. S. Marshal John
u. Mitchell pending the determination
of suit for damages brought against
the North German Lloyd Steamship
Co. by the Guaranty Trust Co. and the
National City bank Of New York for
failure of the vessel to deliver ship
ment Of gold to bankers in England
and France which she had on board
at the outbreak Of the war. After
sailing from New York the liner turn.
ed back and put into Bar Harbor, Me.
Describing his action. Captain Po
lack said:
81 told my chief engineer that l
would leave it entirely to him to do
what he thought necessary to do to
disable the engines of the ship. | told
my chief officer that when was not on
board and he received telegram from
me, the time had come when the order
was to be executed"
Asked If he had told the representa-.
tive of the German government that
the vessel was now in possession O.!
the U. S. court, the witness replied
( that this had not occurred to him.
f, Before adjournment for the luncheon
recess Judge Morton stated that II the
point were pressed he would find that
the owners had acquiesced in the dam
age to the vessel and would hold them