Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-10
Capt. Giannoni and Crew of
One Rescued Off Fort
Washington, Md.
TELLS PATHETIC STORY
OF SEIZURE OF CRAFT
Hopes to Make Way to Capital To-
day to Adjust Losses of Past
Two Years.

Facing starvation after their short
food supply had become exhausted on a
narrowing 2l-day trip from Norfolk
against strong headwinds, an Austrian
seaman, his crew of one and two pet
kittens were found aboard small
Panaman ship lying at anchor in the
Potomac River just off Fort Washing
ton, Md. Friday night by Maj. w. H.
Lloyd, the post surgeon at the fort.
His strength renewed by substantial
food which Maj. Lloyd and his daugh-
ter, Miss Sarah Lloyd, Immediately OBJ
tanned from the Army post, the ships
master, Capt Frank Giannoni, Is to
move on up the Potomac to this city
today, where he will seek adjustment
for the losses and hardships he says he
experienced while his ship, Anna, was
ensnared in legal entanglements thrown
about it at a North Carolina port more
than year ago.
A story that his ship was seized and
held for one year because he failed to
make port entry, during which time his
funds and provisions dwindled away I'M
til nothing remained but the boat and
three pet kittens, was told and retold in
broken English yesterday afternoon by
Giannoni before a sympathetic audi
ence of Army officers and newspaper
men.
VIII Repeat Story,
The story is to be repeated tomorrow
to Representative Charles L. Alternately
and Senator F. M. Simmons, both of the
North Carolina delegation, and Coast
Guard officials by Capt. Giannoni, who
has letters of introduction to Repre-
sentative Abernathy and Senator Sim
mons from North Carolinians whose
sympathy was captured by the pathos
Of the Austrian's strange case.
Two years ago Giannoni, then SIS
years old, with a record of service in
the Austrian navy as a lieutenant, set
out from New York with the intention
of opening short-line passenger boat
service between Panama and a nearby
island.
Beneath him was a speedy, seaworthy
boat-in fact, a converted United
States submarine cruiser. He also had
capable crew Of seven seamen, $4,000
in cash, six months provision in the
galley, and 5000 gallons Of gasoline
and an Oil supply sufficient to last sew
eral months in the hold of the vessel
Today at 81 Capt. Giannoni says he
has nothing but his craft and two kit
tens to show for the two years of hard
ship that followed his departure from
New York and his failure to make
known the entry of his ship at the
port of Morehead City. N. c., when he
put in there while beating down the
Atlantic Coast on his way to Panama.
OverhauIed Boat.
Capt. Giannoni bought his ship from
Philadelphia firm for $4,000 and then
spent $4,000 overhauling the boat and
converting it into 100-ton cruiser for
his proposed passenger line. Selecting
the crew, Giannoni set out from New
York with a six months registry signed
by the Panaman consul in his posses
sion.
Reaching the North Carolina coast,
Capt. Giannoni put in at Morehead
City, damaged his mechanism in max
ing port. and decided to await repairs.
The captain says he reported to the
captain of a Coast Guard cutter when
he was informed there was no customs
house at Morehead City.
1t was then his real difficulties began.
Ten days later the Anna attempted TO
leave Morehead City and was seized by
Coast Guardsmen for failing to report
that ships entering Morehead City must
file their entry report at Beaufort, N.
c., nearby.
This was on June II, 1928. The
Annals papers were turned over to Of
ficials at Beaufort. who ordered the
boat. brought there. Maintaining that
he had fulfilled hts obligations by max
ing a report to the commander of q
Coast Guard cutter, Capt. Giannoni re-
fused to move his ship under its own
power and was finally towed away by a
cutter.
Money DwindIes Away.
In the year that ensued, Capt. Clan
noni told his listeners, his supplies and
money slowly dwindled away. He finally
| became desperate when efforts to OBJ
tain the release of his. ship failed and
he was forced to dispense with his crew
Giannoni then came to washington BIZ
! train and made a report to Coast
Guard oficials, who started an investi-
| CATION.
Had to Sell Gasoline.
! The investigation availed nothing
| Giannoni said. His funds gone, he sold
| his gasoline for IS cents a gallon to OBJ
tain money for food
A Catholic priest finally heard of the
| Austrian's plight and advanced him
| $25. Giannoni told his listeners yes
terday that he lived off that sum for
three months, with oatmeal as his only
food.
firing of his efforts to regain the use
of his ship, Giannoni set out on his
own volition on June 5 last, and went
| to New Bern, N. c., and succeeded In
obtaining clearance papers the follow
ing month. Shortly afterward he left
| New Bern with Washington and Coast
Guard headquarters here as his OBJ
! jective.
For % days Giannoni played a lone
hand in operating the boat under sails
having no money to purchase gasoline
| for the engines. He finally gained Nor
| folk after nearly losing his life in an
| effort to save one of his kittens which
fell overheard at Elizabeth City, N. c.,
and drowned, and with the loss of his
| only Lte6oat. which was later swept
overheard by heavy sea.
Giannoni was rescued from the water
| by two men after he had become ex-
hausted by his futile efforts to save the
kitten. p.
Seaman Signed On.
At Norfolk he enlisted the aid of a
seaman, an American, whose name both
/ refused to divulge yesterday because
/ Giannonrs clearance papers from New
Bern TO washington call only for "a
| crew of one" meaning Giannoni.
An open portfolio caused the flooding
| of the cabin Of the ship and the running
OF the major portion Of their provisions
| AZ AOt AoN, 1hSn supplies gone, the
men finished the last 10 days of their
trip TO Fort Washington on onions and
| lentels.
| Maj. Lloyd has arranged to have the
Anna towed to washington this morn
ing by the Army boat, Capt. Rucker,
which operates between Washington
and Fort Washington. Capt. Charles
s. Root, intelligence officer of the
Coast Guard, said last night that he