The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-18
GERMAN FIRES
us. TR0oPSHIP
Hamburg American Line
Agent Starts Blaze on Patricia
Carrying 5000 Soldiers.
USED STATEROOM WIRES
Man, Saidyto Be Insane, Placed
in IrOns-BostOn Welcomes
Returning Fighters.

returning FlgnterS.
Boston. April 17.-Julius Fischer,
an agent Of the Hamburg-American
Steamship Line, set fire to a state
room Of the transport Patricia on
Tuesday night while the vessel was
steaming to this port with nearly 5000
American soldiers. The fire was ex-
tinguished by members Of the crew
and Fischer was placed in irons.
The Patricia halls from Hamburg
and is one of the first Of the German
merchant fleet to be turned over for
Use by the United States according to
an agreement with Germany. Fischer
is one of several Germans who we're
allowed TO remain on board the liners
to represent the vessels owners.
The German was taken to the Naval
Hospital tonight for observation.
Other German agents and d number
Of American officers on the Patricia
said that Fischer began to act
strangely when the steamer was four
days out of Brest. and that he waa
confined in a stateroom under guard.
Says Man Was Insane.
Ernest .weimmer. chief of the Ger
man agents, insisted that Fischer was
mentally unbalanced when he started
the flre
Major Frank W. Cavansugh. former
Dartmouth football coach. said ths
doughboys had an exciting few minutes
when Il was learned that German had
set fire to the ship and that members OF
the crew were fighting tho blaze.
I'VE had no idea at the time" he said
'how serious the Are was. The German
kept cat of sight for the remainder OF
the voyage"
Fischer, according to Major Cava'
naugh, set the fire by manipulating cleo
trical wires when the man who was
guarding his stateroom went to another
part OF the ship. When the guard re-
turned he found that Fischer had locked
coming from the openings along the
door.
The guard yelled at Fischer and re-
ceived no response. He called members
OF the crew, vino smashed down thu
stateroom door and flooded the cabir
with water and chemicals.
Refuses an Explanation.
The bed clothing and the woodwork ir
a corner Of the cabin were burned
Fischer was standing in tho stateroom
apparently unconcerned. Oficers were
unable 20 obtain an explanation from
| him.
Capt. Charles s. Windsor OF the Patri
! cia said the. first time II was noticed
that Fischer was not acting normal!
was when he threw overheard a silve
cigarette case lent TO him by an Ameri
/ can Captain. Tho officer had Offered
/ the German a cigarette. Fischer raj
to his stateroom after this act and re
turned with a dollar bill which he at
tempted to give to the American.
Later, Capt. Windsor said. Fische
violently abused anything American
The Germans were given free run OF tn
vessel. and. except for Fischer. causet
no trouble.
The Patricia was met in the harbor b!
naval vessels and craft carrying officia
welcoming committees and relatives o
soldiers A delegation from Rhod
Island on board the ferryboat John Fl
Sullivan met with misfortune. Thi
craft no sooner had reached the Pa
tricias side than the transport lifte'
anchor from Quarantine and steamed q
its berth At Commonwealth pier tn
ferryboat was unable TO hold Its plac
In the parade up the harbor and fell IA
astern, but a band on board kept playinl
'"The Gangs All Here"
Major-Gen. Clarence r. Edwards wen
down the harbor on a scout patro
boat to greet what he termed the Sui
eide Squads" of the Twenty-sixth Di
vision. The ship brought home the 102
and 103d Machine Gun battalions, an
members Of all the companies told OF tn
sensation of firing their guns into soil
waves OF advancing German infantry
Major John II. Sanborn Is in comman
Of the l02d Battalion and Major Herber
l.. Bowen OF the l03d. They reporte-
that the FIRST unit OF machine gunners Z
get into action was Company b Of tn
l0Ist, which went out for a raid on tn
enemy lines at Grand Port (Chemin -des
Dames) February 2S. 1918.
Col w. u. Kevilie OF the 10ist Ammu
milton Train was in command OF tn
troops on the Patricia He said that tn
lO1st Ammunition Train supplied a
units Of the T~enty-sixth Division wit
ammunition and boasted that It nsve
lost a truck or a caisson.
Other units reported on board the Pa
tricia were the 101st Field Signal Bat
talon. the 10Ist. 1924 and to3d Fiel
Artillery. the 10Ist Mobile Ordnance Re
pair Shop. Mail Detachment and Sale
Commissary Unit No. 16. Besides tn
members Of the Twehty-sixth there wer
on board 2s3 casual officers and % cl
/ yillan0