Republican farmer., 1919-01-24

London, Jan. 17.---(CorTespondence of The Associated Press )---Captain William Martin, of the British tra,wler King Stephen, who, from fear of treachery, refused to take off the crew Of the disabled Zeppelin L-19 in the North Sea in February, 1916. died Il months later of Q nervous collapse caused by the mistaken belief that he had been poisoned. This and other facts concerning the incident now are available for the first time and it is possible to tell the story in detail. It is believed here that the IS Germans composing the crew of the L-19 per- ished.
 The action of Captain Martin evoked denunciations of alleged Brit ish 1nhumanity' in the German press which compared the affair to the eel ebrated BaralCng case. It is claimed here that public opinion upheld Cap tain Martin in his position that if he had taken the Germans on board the trawler they would have captured the vessel and his unarmed crew of ten men. It will be recalled they Rev. Arthur W. Ingram, Bishop of London, publicly declared, We ought to stand by skipper. The Germans have killed chivalry in war time"
 Because of his action, Captain Mar ton, it is learned, received @ number Of letters threatening his life. About II months after the North Sea incl dent, he became ill after smoking a cigarette from a package sent him by mail and he was convinced that the cigarette contained poison. Analysis Of the tobacco proved that his fears were unfounded but Ae never recov- cred from the shock The verdict of his physician was that he died from sheer fright.
 The L-l9 had taken part in raid over the midland counties of England in which 67 non-combatants were killed and 117 injured. The Zeppelin was damaged by gunfire and com- pelled to descend to the North Sea where Captain Martin of the King stephen found her resting in the wa i ter According to Captain Martins | story the Zeppeltn's commander of ferea a reward if he would take off the German crew hut Martin refused, saying, T don't trust you"
 1 T had talked il over with George Denny, my mate," Captain Martin is quoted as saying. "and we agreed that | if we lowered a boat and sent some of the crew to the Zeppelin they would be kept prisoners until we did as the Germans wished which would prob ably be that in the end we should have them take charge of the ship ii they came on board, or if we refused to fetch them off they would carry the crew of our boat Town with them
 l was determined to take on risks. Know what the Germans had done tc our class in the North Sea, and, be- sides, Zeppelin crews dropping bombs
 on houses and killing women anG children didn't appeal to me. There
 were IS Germans and only ten of us and you could scarcely imagine theil
 allowing Us to take them as prison
 CTS. There were two to one.
 So I told the commander plafnly
 that nothing he could say would in. duce me to rescue them. It was nor
 @ nice feeling to leave IS men |,
 drown even if they were your enc
 mics. When the commander saw wt
 were leaving and that there was nc chance of being rescued, he and tn, others set up a howl. Their rage wa.
 awful. Shaking their fists in despair
 they kept shouting out, 'Gott. straf,
 England And they kept shouting
 this again and again as long as W,
 were within hearing. The weathe
 had been steadily growing worse ant
 as no other vessel was in sight,
 knew the Germans were doomed, bu
 felt that l had done the right thin
 under the circumstances"