The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-08-22
SEIZE TRAWLER AND
RAID FISHERIES OFF
THE CANADIAN COAST
Men From Hun Submarine in a
Daring Exploit.
Raiders Say They Will Destroy
Whole Fishing Fleet.
SHIP MANNED BY 18 MEN
Has Mounted Two Guns and
Wireless Outfit.
Destroyers Speed to the Scene
of the Sinkings.
HIP MANNED BY 18 MEN
tBy the Associated Press.)


A Canadi-n Atlantic PCrt, Aug. Fl.
The steam trawler Triumph. fitted
with two guns and wireless ana
manned by sixteen Germans from the
U-boat which captured her yester-
day, is raiding the fishing banks off
the Nova Scotia cost. Gre r of The
schooners Junk by t Triumph have
arrived here.
| Vessels known to have been sunk
by the converted raider are the Una p.
Andrew of Gloucester, Mass, and the
Francis J. O'Hara of Boston.
Sank Several Vessels.
Capt. Wallace Bruce, master of the
A. Piatt Andrew, said on his arrival
here that his vessel was held up by
the Triumph yesterday afternoon and
that he and his crew were given ten
minutes to leave the ship. The Ger
mans then sank her with bombs.
The raider then bore down upon the
Una P. Saunders and the Francis j.
O'Hara and sunk them likewise.
Dories carrying the crews of the three
vessels reached here a. 10 a. m. today.
| The fishermen say that while making
for this port they heard firing and
| believed other fishing vessels were
sunk by the raider.
Captain Myrtle, master of the Tri-
| umph, who landed here with his men
! this morning, said he was told by the
|
! tured his vessel, that he was only one
of six U-boats operating on this coast.
I'VE intend to destroy the fishing
fleets" the German commander said
to Captain Myrtle
Destroyers Hurry to Scene.
| Washington, Aug. 21.-Strong forces
| of swift naval patrol boats and de-
stroyers sped today to the north At
lantic fishing banks, where the trawier
| HriumDh " a
German submarine which armed and
| manned her is reported raiding fish
| ing fleets. Naval officials here think
| recapture of the trawler or her en-
/ forced destruction by the German
crew is certainty.
| Washington. Aug. 21.-Shrewdness
of the Triunph's skipper enabled the
navy to plan action against the new
raider without delay. Navy officials
| expressed by the fishing vessel cap
| tain that the unusual behavior OF the
| German prize crew evidently indicated
| their intention to use the vessel as an
auxiliary raider.
| Admiral Benson, chief of naval
operations, at once communicated the
information to the commander of the
| first naval district at Boston. The
| number of patrol craft at the dis
posal of the American commander will
permit him to spread a Gordon at
| right angles to the coast and stretch
ing for fifty miles or so out to sea.
This line should move forward at not
less than eighteen miles per hour a
rate far in excess Of anything the
Germans can get out of the Triumph
Frank admiration ofsehe courage OF
the German commander, who I'M
deubtedly realized the eventual fail
4 ure, was expressed by naval officers
| although the military value of the
/ Triumph's operations will be as un-
important as that of the submersibles
themselves.
i An Atlantic Port, Aug. 21.-A Ger.
man submarine late yesterday seized
the big fishing trawler, Triumph. The
crew who have reached shore safely
said they believed the Germans in.
tend to use the trawler as a raider
The fishermen reported that the
U-boat is playing havoc" with the
fleet of fishing vessels on the Crane
Banks.
The Triumph was halted on tn,
fishing banks by the U-boat and tht
crew was permitted to take to the
dories. The fishermen said that the
trawler was still afloat when they. las
saw her.
An armed guard of Germans had
been placed aboard and no prepare
tons were being made to sink thu
ship, the Triumph's men said
This led them to the conclusion tina
the Germans intended to use her as
raider.
Not Good for Raiding.
Boston, Aug. 21.-Fishermen here
said that If the German submarine
made use of the trawler Triumph
seized as a raider they would have L
recoal the craft at least every ter
days. The Triumph was manned BY
Canadian crew and is owned by
Canadian company. The vessels /,
125 feet in length and registers abou
ESQ tons gross.