The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-08-03

we in the submarine could hear the
thudding quite distinctly. To and fro
the destroyers went searching for U.s.
Evidently they picked up clue, for
there were two explosions ahead but
not so near US as that from the cruis-
su brnarine to tremble and then roll
about as tho in a heavy sea-
Prison camp conditions in Germany
were described by the British captain
as being depIorable.
Attic we were merchant ship cap
tafns i'm Imprisoned at Brandenberg. we
were made TO suffer various indigni-
ties" he said.
Hitched to Carts.
We were compelled to harness our
selves to carts which we had to draw
thru the streets to the station or post
office in order to fetch our parcels and
any commodities to camp. 1t was at
this camp also that l saw three hun
! bred Russian soldiers working, all Of
whom were in the last stages of tUber-
| cuiosis. The poor fellows could not
get enough to eat, and they would Gag
erly scrape discarded tin cans in the
hope of finding particles of food 1
have even seen German soldiers do
the same thing. We were glad to
! search the cinderpaths at any oppor-
| tuuity in anticipation of finding bits
! OF coke or coal with which to cook our
food"
The captain said his ship was tor
pedoed without warning and that af-
ter he and all the men were afloat in
| ufeboats the submarine appeared on
the surface and he was taken pris-
oner, the mates and seamen being per-
mitted TO start in the direction of
land. Describing the submarine the
British captain said
Taken by Large Submarine.
Sci Of
recent numbering. having three tor
pedo tubes. two in the bow and one
l aft and carried ten torpedoes- She
was also armed with a gun for shell
! fire lust forward of the coming tower.
NV first meal aboard the U-boat
consisted of a stew made with strin gy
meat. probably horse flesh, supple
mented by small portions OF sausage
| with black bread As the voyage prog
ressed this bread became widowed
/ and uneatab bic, and then some bread of
lighter color, which had teen kspt in
Theoretically sealed receptacles. was
served, but was even more unpaIatabIe
/ than the black bread. The coffee was
made of burned barley and acorns-
| The commander and officers OF the
U-boat Jared as the lower ratings, but
were able to supplement their allow
ances with timed ham and other
canned food"
As the submarine was forced TO
! keep below the waters surface a great
I deal Of the time, life aboard the sub
marine : anything but pleasant
Everything Damp irr Vessel.
The boat sweated and all spare
clothing became saturated with moiS-
I ture, while the atmosphere often be-
I came foul and breathing difficult, -
[ he asserted. While we were sub
merged the crew would start the
gramaphonc. That machine supplied
I rT,-T, Via
phantly when the U-boat got another
victim. Really the sinking of any in
nocent mer rhaEtman caused that crew
as much joy as if the members had
surk va ship
/ One night there was more than
| the usual amount of rejoicing and the
| ramaphoIle's Hveliest airs were
/ played The Germans had torpedoed
| an oil tanker which, according to the
/ commander. sank in thirty seconds
could not help wondering at the
mentality Of men who could rejoice at
such d thing. knowing that without
| giving them the slightest chance OF
, defending themselves or escaping they
| had sent innocent sailors to theil
| deaths
The next day we seemed to be out
| of the track of steamers, and I went
| into the coming tower and saw the
officers amusing themselves by shoot
ing at guIls or empty bottles.
BY this time the submarine evi
| IDENTIFY nd reached the extreme out
ward point of her voyage, and w
started on our retuSn trip to Helgo
land. Three Norwegian ships wer
/ stopped for the purpose OF obtainin
fresh food Soon after this there wa
much excitement when it was ascer
tanned that there was 4 British sub
marine in our vicinity BY listening
the crew could hear the enemy subrna
rine and the Germans feared she wal