The Prescott daily news., 1918-01-15
Kaleidoscope History of Vessel
 Which Flew Two Flags.
FOOLS GERMAN RADIO MAN
Youth Shortened Length of Sound Waves So That No Vessel Could Pick Up Messages He Made Pre-. tense of Sending-Hls Life Is Threatened by Officers of Enemy Ship.


 A dramatic incident of the sea, in which young wireless operator fooled the enemy, was related In the prize court in London recently, when the crown was asked to condemn the steamship Edna on the ground of un- neutral service and enemy ownership.
 The attorney general, Sir Frederick D. Smith, described the kaleidoscopic history of vessel which flew two flags. The plucky operator was "one Smith, an Englishman," who since has received a commission in the R. N. A. s.
 Frederick Jebson, German, said Sir frederick, was a prominent man in San Francisco shipping circles. He chartered the vessel and was believed to have perished afterward in a Ger man submarine. The vessel was built at Bergen in 1902 and in those days sailed the seas as the Jason. Jebson used the vessel for his Mexican busi- ness. He had been in the German navy and was In the naval reserve.
 Jebson purchased the vessel, the ownership of which was vested in the Lloyd Mexican Societe Anonyme, in which he held the bulk of the shares. Finally he managed to get back to Ger many disguised as Scandinavian sea- man.
 Vessel Was Disguised.
 The Edna took on board wireless and gun-sight apparatus and tried to communicate to the German cruiser Leipzig the dates when British vessels left port-an attempt which was frus- trated by the resourcefulness, ingenu- ity and courage of Smith.
 In an affidavit read by the attorney general, Guy Duncan Smith, the wire less operator, said that he was on board the vessel when the war broke out. He awoke one night at midnight and heard the Steamship Aztec an- nounce that war had been declared be- tween Russia and Germany.
 At this time the vessel had Ham burg" painted on the stern. After the announcement that war had begun Hamburg" was removed from the vessel. La PaZ" was painted in and the Mexican flag was run up.
 Before leaving San Francisco he had heard that the coal taken on board was intended for the Leipzig. Infor- nation was sent to the British consul, and the authorities at San Francisco demanded that the coal should not be delivered to the cruiser.
 Deceived German Operator.
 A German wireless operator was taken on board and Smith was told that If he refused to do his duty the German would take his place. The German operator, however, did not un- derstand the Marconi system. Smith shortened the length of the sound waves, and though he appeared to be sending out calls for the Leipzig no vessel could pick up the message.
 The German operator spent three nights and three days trying to call up the Leipzig. Smith returned later, and then occasionally called up the German cruiser, putting the wireless in order to allay suspicious. but the wire- less was always out of gear when the German operator tried to use it. At La Pax, Smith forwarded a message to the admiral on the American cruiser California.
 Some of the officers threatened to shoot Smith and throw him overheard If he did not send a code message to the German cruiser. and he then pre- tended to send 1t.
 The only thing that Smith sent to the Leipzig was an inquiry as to where she was, which brought forth the re- ply that she was hanging around waiting for the Edna. Finally the Ed na was communicated by the Mexican government, which put an officer on board, and Smith said that after that things were more comfortable"