New-York tribune., 1918-02-08
Examination of 1906 VI,
ayers on Nieuw Am.t..
dam Most Drastic
Woman Passenger
Stripped of Cloth..
Lily Bulbs in Cargo To R.
Scrutinized for Poi.
son Pollen

OIL the government service engaged !
coping with German plots and w..
ganda IN this country were m,s,,.
this port yesterday and took sun..'
command of the Holland -Amer;c. H..
Nieuw Amsterdam, that dropped sn.,..
off Ambrose Channel on Wedns,d.s
night.
The search of baggage and ee....
was the most drastic ever condr...s
here. Persons suspected WA.
searched, and it is known tbs+
woman included in this class MO. >:
vested of her clothing by a wom,, :.
spector.
Liner Under Martial Law
The big vessel, with 1906 passer,.,.
was virtually under martial Ian 49,,
all customary courtesies accorded ~.
sengers, ships officers and official. :.
the line, even in war time, were sw.,s
aside and military measures were =,
forced from the moment the m;l;,...
and naval authorities took posses,o,
of the liner.
The landing agent Of the line va,
permitted to go aboard at Ouarant;,.
but he was warned that if he left N.
ship at the pier he could not retpr,
Business called him ashore when II.
ship docked, and there he had to ~.
main.
A. c. H. Nyland, passenger agent
sought admission to the vessel. but wa,
refused.
AS soon as the vessel was boardei
1T Is said that the intelligence open.
tives took an unusual method of spm.
moning before them travellers unds,
suspision. Instead of seeking them
out quietly they were "paged," and On
instance is reported where man unds,
suspicion Immediately went to tls
ships rail and tore up packet n
letters as soon as his name was called
Before the vessel docked all mas.
sengers were warned that every piece
OF baggage must be taken from ,th,
staterooms the moment a passenger re-
celvcd permission to go ashore. More
over. they were informed that unds
no circumstances would they be De,
mltted to return to the ship. II the
had overlooked anything that W.
their loss and no fault of the Govern
ment.
The travellers were grouped for .,
animation according to class. the a.
saloon passengers having one seeto
OF the steamship, the 612 second elias
another, and the 263 immigrants in m
steerage a third.
Americans Examined First
The twenty male Americans and TN
ten American women were djsnosed !
hrst. The examination, which becm
at 9:3o a. M, was concluded at DIM
At mat hour 1T IS estimated that on,
one-eighth of the passengers had bee.
examined 0''-
On the pier the baggage examine
S Ion was slow and tedious process
Inc admonition that care was nara.
mount to speed was borne in mind br
al customs inspectors. and if anythin,
got py them that might lend aid or
comfort to the enemy it was not tbe
fault of the examiners.
Apart from the general search for
dutlable articles close watch was
kept upon all manuscripts, letters pa.
pers' books, pictures or drawings.
lhese were put into stout envelopes
and sealed, and the owner in return
received receipt to claim his prop.
erty after it had undergone a Thorough
government test
Also every liquid, powder. utensi or
proprietary article that might be in
itself under the ban of the goyernmen.
or serve as container of some such
object or substance under ban was
seized and sealed.
Passengers who were fortunate
enough to be released early from the
Nleuw Amsterdam yesterday paid the
toll with empty stomachs. Their bag
gage examination served throughou:
the day as an anchor to hold them to
the pier. Meals were served aboa,a
ship, but they could not return to est
Neither could they leave the pier Il
get a meal, and many were hungry.
Friends willing to bring in coffee ana
sandwiches had no access to the pisF.
SO the returning travellers credte..
the inconvenience to ''war conditions.
Several hundred women in costg
gowns crowded about the pier in th
slush of Hoboken awaiting the arrFi
of friends. Their efforts to get with
the pier, to ascertain if mothers sha
brothers and sisters had arnssd
failed.
A small caravan of automobllss
formed a phalanx along the park ins.
skirts the pier. and in these vehlels'
men and women visitors waited in vail
At sunset word came out that %,
examination was over for the day 81.
that no more passengers would lea"
the pier until this morning.
Search for Poison Pollen
In the hold of the big vessel ~ I.
several thousand crates OF lily pu'D.
the only thing in the way Of conala',., =,
cial trade that Holland could seho ;"
this country. -,
Even these will be turned over WI VIZ.
microscopic care. and If there ,,ssssn is sS
thing in or about them that sugg,'ss
blight pollen or other subs'srs
! treacherous to American soil they "
be destroyed. :, 4
Despite the rigid rule observer =.
the pier entrance. Lou Tellegen, - -
actor, and his wife, Geraldine fa''t =,
and her mother were admitted 70 W ~
,, customs line gate, where they s..hs,
until 5 D. m. for glimpse Of ho,n,. Mo- !.
Helen, sister Of Mr. Tellegen, VIII ,nmsr.
returning from convent in Ho'lS'
, to take charge of the oder here. ,;s,si
The intelligence men were asss'ss,, 's,
by nearly hundred sailors, s;es.
f acted as guard to keep the pay;, ps,;o,
: gers in line during their examine Let
/ The searchers were assisted oy M
women in uniform, said TO nave wes
/ detailed for that service by the "a q
l ems Auxiliary Corps. They VIZ ts