Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-02-15
SEA RAIDER PRISONERS
RETURNING HERE TODAY
II. V. Williams and Albert Santec,
Captured by Mocwe, Released
by Germans.
CAN TELL GRUEsoME TALES
Two Men Strafed by Huns and Com
PEELED to Live for Weeks ON
Turnip SOup-Rcact America Via
Denmark and London,

When z. V. Williams. released after
months spent in German prison camps,
arrives ut his home here tomorrow
ne Viii have tales to tell of high adj
venture and grucsome detail that will
rival IN interest any chronicles that
have come out of the war.
TO have been captured in midocean
by the notorious German raider, the
Moewe. and taken from his ship. the
iIsmeraidas; to have spent nearly
twenty months in different German
prison camps; to have lived on turnip
soup week in and week out, with an
occa sional banquet from n lump OF
and his first regular meal of ham and
esSs. and finally to have gotten back
to the heart of old Virginia we'll and
sound, these are the high-lights in the
years.
With Williams on the Esmeraldas
S was another he, Ri man. Alber,
went through nearly the same har-
rowing experiences as befeIl Williams.
Santee has arrived in Newport News
wearing German clothes such as are
furnished prisoners.
WE'RE CORDIALLY STRAFED
By GERMAN PEOPLE
In. youthful nrdor the two embarked
on the good ship Esma RI ldas back in
January two years ago. They made
400 good sea miles off Newport News
when gray ship, bearing guns, APP
peared on the horizon. and within forty
minutes the Esmcraidas went TO Join
the harnaclcd company OF many other
good ships. and the -Moewe. bearing
the crew OF the Ssmeraidas. went sal
iopinS UP TO Iceland TO evade the Brit
ish fleet. and then crawled along the
Scandinavian coast through the SkaC-
gcrat. into the Baltic and the port OF
Kiel.
Just about that time the United
states broke diplomatic relations with
Germany. so Williams and Santee were
held as military prisoners. They state
that their treatment, by the crew OF
the Moewe was passably good, but that
as soon AS they reached the interior
OF Germany. Brandenburg. they were
night.
COMPELLED TO WORK
HARD For LIVELIHOOD
They had TO work hard for the lit
Tie living they, got. Occasional parcels
maintain minimum nutrition. The
regime was very strict. as many Brit
ish hers YER Hern,s with them in the camps.
sured OF victory up until last July.
when they knew the Yankee power.
Then discipline loosened. and the pris-
oners were treated more humanely. al
though the food continued to be mis-
cradle.
we used to gather dark green
leaves and chew them said Williams
in a letter.
The Germans refused to let them go
eNtu tne armlStlCc was signed,
until Lublec, one of the Hansard towns
70 which they were transferred from
lSrandenburg. reclaimed it's freedom
from the Huns and instituted its own
government.
TWO RICHMOND MEN
FINALLY REACH LONDON
Then Santee and Williams were per
mitted to 90 to Denmark; from which
country they proceeded to I.eith.
Scotland. thence to Liverpool. where
they, were sadly stranded on account
Of their nondescript standing, British
seamean of American citizenship.
Williams Is thirty-three years old.
lie came 10 Richmond about five years
ago from Newman, y. g.. and secured
employment In a large box factory
Before leaving he lived with his
brother. j. q. Williams, at $50 North
Thirty-fourth Street. During his CON
finemcnt in the prison camp he wrote
frequently to his brother. He praised
the Red Cross and the knights of CO.
lumbus highly for their efforts to
make his prison life more humane and
endurable.