Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-19
PRISONER TELLS
SECRETS OF HUN PIRACY
Officers and Crew of Submarines Get
Bonus According TO Amount
Of Tonnage Sunk.
ALSO ROB HELPLESS CAprIvEs
Sea Assassins Have Lnir I'm North
Atlantic, Where They Receive Sup
plies, Transfer Loot OF Sunkcn
Ships and Get Fresh Men.
international News Bureau

-.
was held prisoner in a German sub
marine. During that time the pirates
transacted his ship. They blew il In
two with bombs and had target prac
tico on what remained. While his cap
tors were thus engaged. Mr.. Stevens
made some startling discoveries in the
interior Of the U-boat. lie was shown
the exact position OF tho undcrsca base
Of the pirates in the North Atlantic. as
we'll as tho course followed by the
Huns after they leave KieLl
BY ARTHUR {. STEVENS.
of the Into Schooner william, CLIFFORD.
Without the slightest warning shrap-
mol burst in tho cross trees of the
schooner William clifford while she In ,
bccIlmed in mid Atlantic. The look -
outs leapcd down the hatchways shout
ing the alarm.
was fast asleep at the time. but
the second mate wakcncd mo with the
torso. hut simple, explanation. sub
marine"
dressed in douh!c-ruick time. We
launched our lfcbcat and hurriodly
pulled from The inferno.
We suddenly remembered that tho
dogs had been left on thct doomed
schooner. which new the stars and
Stripes. We pulled back for all we
were worth. earnestly hoping that We
would arrive In time TO save the poor
animals. The pirates started to shell
US when they saw us approaching the
old ship. The second mate spranC
aboard and dragged the frightened dogs
from their hiding places and threw
them into the lifchoat. once moro We
pulled away as fast as NC could.
Tho pirate ordered ne to stop. and
few minutes later came alongside.
Her officers ana gun crew stood out
i'm bold relief on her deck.
s:he was Of the smaller type. meas
uring 80 feet over ali y four-jnCr
Cun was mounted forward and 81
aft, Tina, she was aowiy built Nas
implied In her numerical name. ''3-U-i"
"a new system Of Identifying suhma-
rincs hitherto LITTLE known.
Who is tho captain
stand up,
who Is first officer!
stand mp:
You. the h,g man on tho sta, board
bow oar. stand up!
An thrco OF YOU come aboard and
go below,
The rest OF the crew Will ROMAN N
tho lifeboat and assist my men ia sal
vaEing the schooner"
IT was the CAPTAIN, speaking Soot
English.
He did no, waste u word. and the
frs, lieutenant and i've German sailors
lost no time in getting aboard tho
life-b"ats.
Never did a gang Of old-,imc wreck
crs strip a t.achcd ship as clean as
that German crew "aalvaGcd' tie elf
ford Furcru; the sailors TO act as
guides they cleaned her Of everything.
Tie ships dogs would have starved
on all the goods they LETT. They even
took the dogs biscuits. They ran
sacked tho captains cabin. opened his
safe and carried off all hi papers.
SeNtants. chrouomct"rs. watch, money
and clothing. Likewise, the fore
castle.
They went as far ~ 10 carry off
discarded socks. and they pounccG upon
every sheet. blanket ana mattress on
tho ship. Cooking utensils and brass
and copper iittings that could he car
ried by hand went, too.
Is = rROFITABI BUSINESS
F0T OFFICERS AND CREW
All this "salvaGng' took tine, and
able eenmnn, and nysc,f nnd Co.,. ,o
Io, an ,,,o .,h.,r,
spnk "sma1.
.N.ha, is ;bc ramo ~ Tho schoor,
What is her ,onnarc~ WIN NO b.,
owners? when and whore was .bo
built"
These were the frst questions Of the
l--hoat ran,;in ast.d ~ ~. ,,.,,
cal manner of a ccn.us-t,Ee,
hir, the information. ana In, r;crc,,n
carefully checked II with the lat. I'm
a Lloyd's register Latc- whom D,o
papcrs o! the Clifford were brought =,
him from the schooner. he again chc.k
cd up in the register
%" see II" remarked. with a Sigh,
attempt al picasan'n"ss, we get II
bonus i"r All tonnage over "a certain
amount 'ha' We SINK, 50 that Il pays
~ -" "''"id'c'
20" '"HN m"ch TONNAGE" I
o"u lieutenant answer
~ ''S''''S III "ioNiu say several