The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-08-06
.,rtain Of Merchant Vessel Who Was
Taken Prisoner by Germans
Who Sank His
Ship.
NOT PLEASANT ON BOARD
vetory Music From Photograph
every Time Helpless
ship Was Tor
pedoed.
rBy United Press.l

rBy United Press.]
LONDON. July 1.-(by maiD-
Among those who recently have been
saleased from German prison camps
md who have reached this country
ria switzerland is captain of a
merchant vessel who was taken pris-
anar Inv the commander of subma-
Inc after his vessel had been torped-
nod, nod and who spent fifteen days in the
nhoat. This was the second ship in
vhich the British captain had been
orpedoed.
The captains story follows:
any ship was torpedoed without
warning. The force OF the explosion
was so great that the bridge was
wrecked, and when l recovered from
the shock l found the ship was sink
ing. None of the crew was injured
and we were all able to get away in
the boats.
GAS we were in British waters, and
was broad daylight l did not fear
that we would not soon reach land,
but hardly had we pulled clear of the
sinking ship than the y emerged. The
commander summoned us to his YES
sell and ordered ME to go on board.
After asking fore details OF my ship
and cargo, he told me to consider my
self prisoner, and sent the boats
away. I was at once taken below and
the vessel dived.
"From what some English speaking
members of the crew told me the sub
marine had been away from her base
for some days. She was a fairly large
craft of recent numbering, having
three torpedo tubes. two in the bows
and one aft, and carrying ten torped-
oes. She was also armed with 4-lnch
run lust forward of the coming tow
er. / had arrived just in time for the
midday meal stew with stringy meat
which was probably horseflesh, small
portions of sausage, and black bread.
This bread as the voyage progressed
became miidewed. and some bread
Of lighter color which had been kept
IN an Theoretically sealed receptacle
was served out, but was even more I'M
palatable than the black bread. me
other meals were breakfast and sup
per at which coffee, made of burnt
barley and acorns, was served.
The commander and officers Of the
U.boat Jared the same as the lower
their allowances with timed ham.
Life on board the submarine was by
no means pleasant Forced as we
were to keep below the surface to
avoid the British war vessels the boat
sweated and all spare clothing be-
came saturated with moisture. while
the atmosphere often became very
foul and breathin- difficult. While we
were below surface the crew would
switch on the talking machine. That
vas the band which PLAYED trium-
pNantly when the U-hoat got a victim.
Sinking Of an innocent merchantmen
caused that crew as much joy as ii
they had sunk a war vessel.
While / was On board we had
victory music" OF Sc. en- occasions,
for six steamers were tori edoed, and
one sailing vessel sunk by gunfire,
thirty-nine shells being necessary to
DO this. The U-boat also attacked by
gunfire several other steamers during
The voyage; but had to submerge.
owing to Intervention of British war
vessels.
On the third day / gathered that
Tue U-ooat was about to carry out an
attack on a convoy which had been
sighted. The boat approached under
WAGER for some distance, and tor
pedoed large steamer. Our where
aoouts were evidently detected for we
aised rapidly to a great depth. Hardly
lai the boat got on an even keel when
we heard tremendous explosion
Which caused the submarine TO vi
eiate from stem to stern. 1t was a
aepth charge. The effect on the crew
was evident All stood trembling.
WIN faces blanched with fear, not at
tempting to SPEAK word, expecting
second charge. For some moments
we waited. Engines were stopped
sad all means were taken to prevent
SWING away our position. Minutes
seem like hours in ruch situation.
must admit that was turning over
my mind whether / should ever see
my family again No further explos-
IONS, however, took place, and after
Hihg some eighteen fatLoms deep for
Voyage
We had another experience with
uepln charges, or "wassar bomber"
as the German sailors called them.
me sailing ship referred to above had
do,.h 1uhh ny shell uTe wien wv
Sestroyers were sighted on the hori-
NJ sun and down we went. By the michn-
puohes the propellors could be heard,
quo as the vessels came nearer. We
a. me submarine could hear the thud-
S S,ne quite distinctly. To and fro the
ss ,s went, searching very care
,any Tor US. Apparently they picked
up clue, for there were two loud ex-
r.oslons ahead quite near enough to
sause the submarine first to tremble
Ssaa men roll about as though in a
Late the following night there was
considerable rai0icinp in tho S1hma-