New-York tribune., 1918-02-27
Captured Spanish Steamer
lgotz-Mendi Hits Rocks
OFF Denmark
Intern Teuton Captain
twenty-five Survivors of Six
Destroyed Vessels Taken
From Captors

COPENHAGEN, Feb. 26.-The Span
lsh steamship Igotz- -Mendi, with Ger.
man prize crew from the Pacific Ocean
on board, is ashore near the Shaw
lighthouse.
iNo Emercans were among the pris-
oners aboard, who had been taken from
six ships which had been sunk. Sew
eral of the prisoners had been aboard
the vessel for eight months while she
cruisc' in the Pacific Ocean.
twenty-five persons, including nine
women, two children and the two Amer
lcans. have been landed by lfeboat
from the Skaw
Nlne women and two children were
among the rescued passengers, who in
Guided one Dane, one Swede, one Nor
weglan, two Firms, two nndus, one
Chlnesc, one Turk. one Greek, one
chilean and two Americans. The re-
malnder of the prisoners we're British.
Many of them suffered from inadequate
nourlshment in the last five weeks.
The Danish authorities have interned
the German commander of the Igotz-
Mendi The German prize crew refused
to leave the ship.
mere had been an epidemic of beri-
berl and scurvy on board the vessel.
Capture of Americans
American and English seamen on
board the lgotz Mendi, says a dispatc!
to the Exchange Telegraph from
captured May 81 last, when the Igotz
Mendi was on her way TO Australia
with coal. About midday a 6,O0O-ton
merchantman, painted black, appeared
on the horizon, steaming slcwly. Sud
denly the steamer detected the Igotz
Mendi and made for her at full speed.
One of the sides of the strange
steamer was removed, displaying a
number Of cannon. Several shots were
fired at the Igotz Mendi, which was
forced to stop. 1t then vas discovered
that the strange steamer was the Ger
man auxiliary cruiser Wof The Wolf
hoistcd a German flag, and prize crew
was sent aboard the Igotz Mendi
The next victim was the British
steamer Natunga, which had valuable
cargo. The British sailors were taken
aboard the Wolf, and evidently were
we'll treated.
All three ships then proceeded to de-
sert the vicinity Of the Dutch Islands.
where part of the Matunga's cargo was
stored. The Wolf took aboard the most
valuable portions of this cargo. The
Matunga was then sunk by d bomb
Sinking of the Beluga
A few days later the American bark
Beluga was sunk Her crew was saved
The next victim was the japanese
passenger steamer Hitachi Maru, which
was crowded with Asatics. The Wolf
being overcrOwded, number of prison
ers were transferred to the lgotz Mendi
A l. l.
l1itachl Maru, with orders to capture
the coal OF the steamer. This, however
they were unable to accomplish, and
had to return to the Wolf. Thereupon
the Hitachi Maru was sunk.
The Wolf was now near Australia
and the captain decided to return to
Germany. The voyage commenced four
months 40. The route taken was along
The coast of Africa. A sailing vessel
was fired on and sunk. The Wolf after
ward proceeded at full speed north
ward, still followed by the Igotz Mendi
The plan was TO go TO the north of
Iceland, but the heavy ice prevented
this. South Of Ireland the two ships
parted company, the lgotz Mendi going
north and the Wolf south.
The seamen said their treatment by
the Germans was good, but that dis
comfort was caused by vermln and lack
of adequate clothing in the cold At
lantic. When the Japanese, Chinese
and negro sailors landed on Danish
soil, there was a great demonstration
of Joy, the negroes dancing and shout
ing with delight.
LONDON, Feb. 26 Tho steamship
/ 1gotzMend. according TO a dispatch
from Copenhagen to the Exchange Tel
egraph Company, was captured by the
German auxiliary cruiser Wolf nine
months ago in the Gulf of India. Thr
German navigators who were PLACED
aboard had been following the Wolf
ever since. All the persons who hac
been held prisoner on board the vessel
the correspondent adds, have beer
taken ashore.
The German auxiliary Wolf has
reached port after a raiding expedition
of fifteen months in the Atlantic, Pa
citic and Indian oceans, the German
Admiralty announced yesterday. a
British statement yesterday gave tn,
names of eleven ships assumed to have
been destroyed by the Wolf, one o
which was the Igotz- Mendi, 4,648 ton.
gross. In addition to this vessel an
other captured ship, the Turrtella was
fitted out as raider, but was quick,
sunk.
The Skaw, where the Igotz- Mendi ha'
grounded, is the northern extremity O
Jutland, Denmark.