Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-02


Count Felix Won Luckner and Countess
won Luckner, who arrived in Washing
ton yesterday. The lower picture is of
the noted Seeadler, which he COM
during the World War.
many's determination to rise from its
own defeat to regain the respect and
| friendship of the world, and of its
willing efforts to comply with the repa-
rations duties. Commerce means money
and money means obligations met, he
explained.
Ran Away From Home.
Felix Won Luckner had his first taste
of the sea when he ran away from home
in Germany when he was only 13 years
old. Born nobleman, the boy had
promised his father to wear the uniform
of his Emperor lieutenant, he said
he'd be, so once away from home he
was determined to make 1t a naval
uniform. So he shipped on the old Rus
sian fuil-rlgged ship Niose for Austria
lia-America- bound.
The little German boy had read of
Buffalo Bill and he made up his mind
to see him and other examples OF
American "self-made men," The earth
is round, so why not go by way of Aus
tralia. And things moved swiftly.
In Australia he got job as a hotel
boy who washed dishes and did plenty
of other mental jobs the hosiery de-
manded. When he told this, his eyes
twinkled. Settled back in an upholstered
love seat in the same suite which was
occupied by President Coolidge, he
tapped the newswriter on the arm and
indicated the apartment with a sweep
of his free hand
"Oh, there's plenty of dirty work in
these places, by joel"
So he pulled hard on his pipe to get
it going again and continued his yarn
The sea call got him after a while
in Australia and he obtained job as
assistant lightkeeper on a lonely light
house station there.
Misses Buffalo Bill.
Then to sea again and to California
Then the high road on foot to Denver
Colo, where he hoped to meet Buffalo
Bill. Reaching the Cody home, he was
told that at that particular moment
Buffalo Bill was touring Europe with
his show. The young German SUISSE
quently learned that on that very tour
his hero was a house guest of his father
for two days.
Well, he wanted to go to the Atlantic
Coast, so he trudged it. Only tramp.
he is convinced, knows the magnificent:
distances in this country. He halted
at Hoboken, where he got job wash
ing dishes in a cheap saloon which
served free lunches" Then on to New
York, where he polished doorknobs on
the Hotel Majestic. In his spare mo-
ments he studied boxing in gymnasiums
and later, when he shipped back TO
Observation-Disclosures on a windjammer-
he became one of the foremost prize
fighters in port.
And so went the sea raiders early life
As one of the only sailor men avail
able for his country's service in the
World War, Won Luckner was given
command Of the Seeadler and told 10
sink Saltpeter, the deadly makings of
munitions on which Germany even then
was running low. 1t was bluff from
the start, that assignment. The inno-
cent looking old sailing ship would ap-
proach a cargo carrier known to be
loaded with Saltpeter. Suddenly her
mask was Off, her neutral flag, struck
Men in her rigging were n1egaphonine
orders to clear the torps do tubes. Gun
nerS snapped to attention. A resound-
ing bomb and what appeared to be
12-inch rifle belched her fire.
Prisoners Sent Home.
The cargo ship invariably surrendered.
Her crew was taken aboard the Seeadler
whose own men proceeded to blow up
the victim. Then the prisoner saw the
truth. Not a torpedo tube aboard the
old sailer Not a single modern gun
The "12-inch rifle" was a piece OF
Smoke-stack mounted over the muZzle
of a cannon that was built in 1910
The trick worked. AS ship after SHY
was sent to the bottom and the Sc, :
O. uFaS wifi
cent cargo vessel would be stopped,
the prisoners put aboard, and sent homo
none the worse for the d lay.
OF course she was hunted, this
Seeadler. There were many escapes;
one perhaps more interesting than the
rest. The sailing vessel was pursued
near Cape Horn. Ice bergs were ahead
and British cruisers were astern. The
narrow channel around the Horn pre-
vented lacking. She rode out storm,
determined to stab herself on the ice
rather than fall victim to the British.
The willy Capt. Won Luckner ordered
his life boats tossed over, making sure
each bore the name "Seeadler" The
trick worked. The raiders wireless
operator picked up the British cruisers
message to its base to the effect that
the beats had been picked up and that
it was presumed the Seeadl2r mad
founGered The cruisers were ordered
back to their bases. And the Sceadler
sailed on into the South Seas.
1t was in the South Seas that the
Seeadler met her end. A tidal wave
thrown up by a submarine volcano
pitched her high on coral reef with
out the loss of single man, but with
the wreck of the vessel. There Won
Luckner set up German colony" un-
til a small craft was fitted for the jour-
ney to Fiji. At Fiji there was capture
and transportation to New Zealand.
And then there was escape, recapture
and re-escape among South Sea natives.
And finally there was return TO Ger
many.
| Count Had to Co."
Count Won Luckner was going to de-
| tail some of these experiences when a
| feminine voice spoke in German. A
| tiny blond woman appeared at the door
to the sitting room where the German
talked The count got to his feet.
81 got to 60 now" was the only ex-
PLANTATION ne offered as he indicated the
Countess Won Luckner in the doorway.
The reporter was presented to this lady,
who Is sailing the seas with her "raid-
ing" husband, and, as the big German
declared when the little lady spoke, he
had to 60 now. 1t was dinner time.