Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-08-12
U-BOAT CAPTAIN,
EX-U.S. NAVY MAN,
SINKS Z SHIPS
Identified by Crews of Vessels He
Sank Off N. E. Coast
Saturday.
TURNED SAILORS ADRIFT

Gloucester, Mass. Aug. IL
Fishermen claim to have identified
the commander Of German sub
marine which has been sinking
fishing boats off the Atlantic coast
as a skilled navigator formerly IN the
United States fisheries service. Two
men from different schooners that
were sunk claim to have recognized
former acquaintance who had chang
ed little except that he had grown
beard since they last saw him.
Washington. Aug. 12-Destuction Of
the British steamer Pcnlnstone and
the Swedish steamer Syland by a
German submarine off the New England
coast was reported today To the Navy
Department. The Peninstone was sent
down yesterday one hundred miles east
Of Nantucket, and the Svdland on August
S. southeast Of Nantucket No news of
the fate of the crews was gwen In the
departments dispatch.
The PenInstone, a vessel of about 4 900
tons gross, apparently was sunk by the
same C-bOat that destroyed nine hshing
schooners Saturday. First reports made
no reference to the crew safety and gave
no details of the attack
Later the navy was advised that the
American schooner Harman winter had
been sunk IN the same general locality.
There Is no record here of schooner OF
that name An American coastwise
steamer named Herman Winter is report
ed safe in port
All OF the members of the Sydland's
crew were rescued.
All the vessels are believed by naval
officials TO have been accounted for by
the U-boat which has been operating in
North Atlantic waters for two weeks or
more The Peninstone was sunk near
Georges Bank, off the Massachusetts
coast, where some eleven fishing boats
were destroyed yesterday.
An Atlantic Port, Aug. IA British
merchant steamer was sunk recently OIL
the North Atlantic coast, according TO
the second officer of the German sub
marine which sent nine fishing schooners
to the bottom off Georges Banks Satur-
day and Sunday This report was given
members of the crew of the Kate Palmer,
n fishing schooner when they were taken
aboard the U-bOat. prior 10 the destruc-
ton of their vessel The fishermen did
not learn the name Of the Britisher, but
were informed she had two smok es tacks
ne I6fltlu1tb Wtlt DfoAtbiIb Al,it N"'iy
today aboard the auxiliary schooner
Helen Murley, after having been set
adrift in a dory shortly before nightfall
by the submarines commander They
reported that probably sixty fishermen
were cast adrift in small boats after the
U-boats attack upon the feet Naval
and marine men expected, however that
most of these soon would be picked up.
The crew Of the Palmer reported that
probably 80 sailing vessels were IN the
immediate vicinity at the time Of the
attack. They said they heard firing all
day Saturday from 10 a. m. Most of the
sinkings occurred on Saturday rather
than Sunday as early reports indicated.
They said that when the submarine
appeared they attempted to get away,
but changed their minds and surrendered
Captain Russell and his small crew were
ordered alongside the submersible and
taken aboard. Immediately they were
sent below and were kept there for about
an hour while the submarine proceeded
in a westerly direction. Later they were
told to get into their dory and were cast
adrift about o'clock Saturday night.
They were picked up five hours later by
the Murlev
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