Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-03-23
AMERICAN SHIP SUNK
STEAMER ALGONQUIN BLOWN UP
BY GERMAN U-BoAT-FoUR
BOMBS USED.
sHELLED WITHOUT WARNING
Y. s. Consul at Plymouth, in Report to
Washington, Declares Submarine
Commander Refused to Aid Vletimo
All Members Of crew Saved.

London, March 16-The American
steamer Algonquin has been destroyed
by German submarine. The crew
was saved, j. G. Stephens, the Amer
lean consul at Plymouth, reported on
Wednesday.
The Algonquin was n freighter. 1t
was sent down at six o'clock on the
morning of March II. The submarine
refused assistance, the consul's report
said. "a.
Twenty-seven men have been landed.
According to later advices from
plymouth, the German submarine
opened fire upon the Algonquin from a
distance Of 1000 yards, firing about 20
shells.
These were not enough to sink the
steamer, so 1t was boarded by men
from the submarine, who placed four
bombs and the Algonquin was then
blown up. The crew was given plenty
OF time to leave the vessel.
1T was just after daylight on Mon
day when we were attacked" said the
captain Of the Algonquin, as quoted by
the Press association.
There was no warning. The sub
marine started fire at a range of three
miles. When about 20 live shells had
been fired at the Algonquin, Of which
four hit the ship forward, the crew de-
cided to take to the boats, ind pulled
away from the sinking vessel.
'"rhen the submarine approached,
and, with only its periscope showing,
sailed around the steamer several
times. Finding that the crew had
abandoned the ship, the submarine
came to the surface.
"Some Of the Germans boarded the
Algonquin and placed bombs aft.
These were exploded, and within a
quarter of an hour the steamer disap-
peared.
II appealed to the submarine com
mander for a tow toward land, in view
OF the roughness Of the weather, but
the German grufiy replied: I am too
busy"
New York, March 16.-The Algon-
quin sailed from this port on Febru-
airy 20 with a cargo valued at $780,
900. The ship itself was appraised at
$4,000. 1t was commanded by Capt
A. Norberg. a naturalized Norwegian.
-Four of the Americans on the AL
R0nquin were born in the United
States and the other six are natural
lzcd American citizens, according to
the records on file here. They are W
4. Holmes, Pittsburgh; Allan Hopkins
Ellsworth, Me. :; A. T. Forman, Balti-
more, and Frank Formason, Glouces-
ter, Mass, all native Americans; and
Capt. A. Norberg. Norwegian, Brook.
lyn; #. G.. Yerney, Belgian. Detroit
Mich; Charles Schulz, German, New
York city; Frank Johnstone, Irish
whose parents live in Scotland; Alex
hnder Paul, Scotchman. Brooklyn, and
ID. Zimmerman, Norwegian, Brooklyn
all naturallzed Americans.
Washington, March 16.-In the alb
sence Of official dispatches on the de
struction of the steamer Algonquin
officials withheld comment, but the un
official view was that nothing in the
Incident changes the situation between
the United States and Germany.
President Wilson already has taker
steps to place the nation in state Of
armed neutrality which, with the
breaking Of diplomatic relations Will
Germany, is practically the last meas
ure possible short of war.
American ships now are being armed
TO defend themselves against unlawful
submarine attack. The general view
Is that arming Of ships is the only an
swer to submarine operations short ot
a declaration Of war, which may b,
made only by congress.
The real issue of peace or war is ex
pected to come when an American
armed ship has q clash with German
submarine.