Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-05-06
take MATE PRISONER
BECAUSE OF HIS HEALTH
German Submarine Officer Refused
to Take Captain Because OF
Illness.
NO USE FOR A DEAD MAN
Strange Experience OF Skipper Walter
Miller, of Brooklyn. After His Shi,
Is Wrecked by Enemy U-Boa'
March :.

NEW YORK, May 5--Carried dowiS
win has ship after being torpcdoed bSr
German submarine. escaping death bSr
diving through the hole IN The sh!p,a
side made by the torpedo. and ate &
being picked up by one of his boatSr
rejected as il prisoner OF war by tho
submarine commander on accounts o.
his WOUNDS. is the experience OF Cap,f
tain Walter *. Miller, of Brooklynro
commander OF the American steamer
Atlantic Sun, sunk March off I'll &
Irish coast. AS substitute for Cap,1
tain Miller. the Germans took as pris.a
oncr his first mate. /,
Captain Mil!er's story as he told it tie
the Associated Press follows: 10
Il had just Lett the bridge and was
eating my dinner when the alarm wac
given" Captain Miller said. Il starteS
UP the shor; f!ght of stairs 10 the
chartroom and had made about hahn
the distance when the torpedo h.t us. he
There was terrific roar and "
shock which seemed 10 shake the shi CIV
to pieces. | was stuneed and the nexut
thing knew ! was Wondering undub
the water. surrounded By wreclsagc. Inc
Instantly dawned upon ,ne that l ha "
been blown forward over tho bsidr er
and down into the hold through thst
deck ripped open b. the explosion. an 3f
that Was bc!nS carried down with
my ship. ii.
Il opened my eyes. however anan
looked around, and 10 my r!gh, l sa Mn
small patc!l of green water. not muc,o
bigger than window. toward which e.
awa;n and sucoeccad IN w!gsl!ns mrs
way through the jagged hole made bdl
g,o =. q
OF tho ship my real light coinmenceeoT
that OF overcoming tho suction anrn
getting to the surface where fouiA3
and grabbed hold OF a aoatiug barreg5,
TO which c!uns while getting ,n.s
breath. les
The barrel however. was bc;,ia
drawn into the vortex and LIT loos no
swimming away toward a caps!zefft
boat. which held mc safe until ,ial,
danger OF being drawn down was owes,
Shortly after | was discovered arm
n!cked up b. tho men IN one OF olsc
boats which had been launched y
The submarine which sunk us w;ha
hut short distance away and we wo:bu
ordered BY German officer 70 conf
alongside and surrendqNto one Of M
ships officers gu
My men tried TO shield ne b. RI
moving my coats. but somehow / mu--
nave been recognized. and WAS told =
get Into tho u-boat. was veal: troCf
my struggle and COY .rcd with hloJ
from acvc.s! lad Wounds en- nj .
shoulders and arms and tie GcrmaE
oHhccF refused to take me- saying: y
We have no use for a dead rnanRY
or one who ia going to Gie-l have TE
take back with mo an officer who wGa
hc alive when reach our base. ~
90 we get bonus. -
'lio then asked for one Of The mat
ana was told they had all gone dow
inc German commander. howevi--
would not take on, word FOR f, al
searched tho boats until -. ."orne ma
hcr he recognized the tirsg officer, an
he took him prisoner"
some hours after the torpedoinE
captain Miller and his men ware picks
Up By iraw!e-s and landed at Erit,I
port where they recelvdl medical aI
tention Captain Mile, recently ca,{A
nome and has already made Applicant n,
'oF another command. which nc viii e,ts
sumo JUS as sNon as his wounds !, ~
sufficiently 70: him 20 20 10 sea. SIS