The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-06-23
Last Act Of Hate and Revenge
by German Crews on Board
Fleet of Interned
Vessels.
OFFICERS STILL PROUD
Some Of Crews Killed In clash with
British Guards and Some
May Have Been
Drowned.

UNITED Press Leased Wire Service
THURSO, Scotland, June 23.-Of
the German vessels interned in
Scapa Flow, the dreadnaught Baden
and the cruiser Emden remained
Nuremberg may possibly be salvaged.
surface and twenty other destroyers
were beached.
The other vessels of the once
pro2d German high seas fleet were
beneath the waves, sunk by their
own German crews to keep them
from becoming the property Of the
allies.
| Fourteen hundred of the German
sailors have been landed. A few
were killed and six were wounded in
clashes with British guards. Some
may have drowned.
| The main force of the British feet
was absent from Scapa Flow, its
northern base, when the Germans
essayed their coup. A few dr:ftcrs
and small craft were on hand end
there were some aircraft guarding
the captured warships.
| An eye witness gave this descrlp-
| JlOn OF Ine SluhlQSS.
Saturday forenoon was quiet. The
| sun shone beautifully. At noon it
was reported that one German battle.
ship was sinking. Almost simulta1e-
ously all the ships hoisted the Ger.
man ensign, showing the red flag at
/ their foremasts. Their crews imme.
diately began leaving the ships.
by the behaviour or the sinking
ships it was evident the sea-cocks
had been opened. Soon all began to
4 settle.
"The Moltke, Seydlrtz, Derf1inger,
Hindenburg and Won Der Tam went
down together within an hour of the
first sinking.
at was a topsy-turvy scene, ships
sterns sticking up, some almost en-
quilted, here and there destroyer
taking a sudden dive.
when the German sailors rushed
to their boats at the beginning Of
the sinkings many were overcrowded
and the men jumped into the water.
All wore life belts.
British guardships opened fire on
some OF the boats, resulting In some
/ of their occupants jumping into the
water Destroyers picked them up.
German officers who were rescued
and brought aboard British ships
proudly saluted, clicking their heels,
as they met their rescued colleagues.
One officer carried his sword and
offered to surrender it. Many sailors
carried huge bundles cont aiming
their belongings"
viii be Investigated.
| LONDON, June 23.-Admiralty Of
fcials today considered measures to
investigate and fix sibility for
the stroke by which the German fleet
was wiped out.
A commission probably will be ap-
pointed to hear testimony and decide
who Is to blame for the fact that the
skeleton German crews remaining on
the interned warships at Scapa FLOW
were able to open the seacock and
sink the surrendered fleet
Admiralty officials maintained that
loosene of the armistice terms, un-
der which German crews remained on
the vessels, made the coup possible.
So far as the public is concerned,
in many places the remark was heard ;
| "WeV. that's what we wanted done
with them, wasn't it?'
The impression seemed to prevail
that the Germans had saved the allies
some trouble.
II was considered that the erstwhile
"hish seas fleet" would be allowed to
remain at the bottom Of the Scapa
Flow. as cost of salvaging would be
tremendous.
According to the Daily Mail, copy
If the German admiral Won Reuters
detailed orders for sinking the fleet
had been found.
A dispatch to the Mail from Scapa
Nov onoted Won Reuter- as declaring
! Continued on page "a -