New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1918-03-12

i'll Order TO Mako German Crafts
Task Simple Affair
An Atlantic Port, March Pin
connection with the cast of Edward
Otis, the % year old native of Riga,
Russia, formerly quartermaster Oh u
United States transport who is
charged with espionage and is being
held under $4,000 bail, have become
known the details of the perilous voy-
age over seas OF the transport, which
riddled with Hun shrapnel, bears 81
lent testimony of an actual clash
with a German submarine.
Otis, it is alleged, tampered with
the mechanism which controls the
transports course in the submarine
zone. 1t is charged also that he ran
the American flag upside down and
he reported a false reading of the
carriers log.
At Otis trial here last Saturday it
was brought out that the alleged
tampering with what is known as the
zig gag clock of the transport had
shifted the zig tagging course of the
vessel to a material degree and the
ship was placed thereby in grave
danger of submarine attack
The transport, safe at her berth,
brings with it a crew, the members
of which tell of the @brush'' with the
undersea vessel and of the courage
Gus conduct under fire Of those who
manned the American guns, who.
fighting against great odds, had won
the day. All stand ready to brave the
submarines again, and the morale of
the unit is unimpaired.
Compelled to Leave Convoy.
The transport made but one trip
overseas. After clearing from an At
lantic port she joined her convoy and
began the trip across the Atlantic
without special incident until she
ueared the hostile zone. Then things
began to happen. First her engine
went wrong and she was compelled
to drop behind the convoy, believing
the trouble could be corrected in a
short time. But this was not the
case and when the repairs were made
the transport was separated from
her convoy, but not alone. for pro-
ceeding along her course the look
cut sighted u submarine dead astern,
less than q mile away.
The gun crew Of the transport was
thrown into action and the stern gun
was opened up at the enemy craft.
-At this time the undersea boat
showed fight and, remaining on top
of the water, began to drop shrapnel
shells on the transport.
Closing her shrapnel guns, the sub
marine crew let loose one of her tor
Tedoes but the transport maneuvered
IL time to let it pass close to her
stern. Lettin loose again with shrap-
mel, the German crew worked eff
fectively several shots finding their
mark. The crew of the transport
W ere having trouble with the range.
TO add to the Transports predica-
ment, the chief gunner had his cloth
ing nearly stripped from his body in
q hail of small shell. He was wound
an American present who jumped
into the breach, took the wounded
eunner's place and proved himself
equal to the occasion. The volunteer
was q II year old youth.
In the meanwhile the enemy craft
had pulled up to within 900 yards
and sent up the signal: Surrender,
we are overhauling you" The gun
crew on the transport answered with
their first hit.
Again came the signal s-Surrender.
we are overhauling you" from less
than 500 yards, but the transport re-
piled with another hit and the men
swore they would die fighting rather
,, than give a satisfactory answer to
the Hun challenge.
The shot that closed hostilities
was q direct hit, which landed fairly
on the periscope deck of the sub
marine and with its bursting the
undersea craft was seen to dive or
sink The crew exhausted but en-
thusaistic, did not Hnger to inveSt-
gate the fate Of the enemy ship
c+oax,,,x. E7;ot,tr nn po,4