The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1939-12-21
German Liner Sinks As
Speaker Relates Ad-
ventures On Boat
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to elude British and French war
ships. The vessel succeeded in reach
ing Vera Cruz, Mexico, where it re-
manned until two days ago when it
sailed with a cargo of oil bound for
Germany.
Three hundred and ten miles out
the $4,000 ton luxury liner was
stopped by British man % war,
Tuesday and while Rev. Maher was
speaking here, the ship was settling
in the depths of the ocean.
In early reports, the Columbus was
reported as having been scuttled,
presumably by the German crew to
prevent the ship falling into the
hands of the British.
An American cruiser, the Tusca-
loosa, was reported standing by to
pick up the $40 members of the
crew.
Rev. Maher sailed from New York
City on the Columbus last August
on what was to have been a two
weeks vacation voyage in Caribbean
waters. The ship stopped first at
the Virgin Islands, then sailed on
to the British West Indies.
SITUATION TENSE
This was only two days before the
outbreak of the war, and Father
Maher was questioned by British Off
cials as to why the 800 American
passengers were aboard the German
liner. 1t was very evident all the
British were tense because of war
excitement.
On the day before the war, the
ship docked at the French West
Indies where the feeling against the
Germans was so great that a sailor
was roughly handled by inhabitants.
Sailing from the French island on
the eve of the outbreak of war, the
liner presumably was headed for an
other British port, but the next day
lOullu IiiS SAip 1dI Out dt oCos TAAeiiO
war had been declared, officers of
the ship and the crew kept the news
from the passengers, who, however,
were aware that something was
amiss.
For IL hours, the liner steamed
about aimlessly. Wireless orders
from Germany told the captain to
land his passengers at a South
American port, but the American
state department refused to sanction
that action, and ordered that the
vacationists be landed in the United
States.
Stop AT ISLAND
For several days the ship contin-
ued its zig-zag course, then it finally
stopped at the Dutch island of
Aruba off the coast of Venezuela
for cables to be sent by passengers
at ST per word.
From Aruba the liner sailed for
! New York city, but after travelling
about 800 miles, the boat changed its
course following receipt of word that
British war ship was on guard
| there.
Passengers finally were landed al
Havana, Cuba, permission being OBJ
tained from the United States de-
partment after funds had been de-
posted in New York city to guar
antee transportation of the pas.
sengers to Florida and thence te
New York City.
Rev. Maher said passengers re-
ceived excellent treatment on board
the liner, but they were unable tc
obtain little information from off
GERS or the crew. He said, however
that one old officer told him that st
per cent of the people in Germany
would desert Hitler and follow any
capable leader who might arise.
| YOUNG CREW
Most of the crew of the liner were
young men who had been drafted
for service on the ship. Altho they
were we'll treated, the pay was
meager.
| After depositing passengers at Ha
vana, the Columbus found British
cruiser was outside the harbor wait
ing for the ship to depart.
| However, the captain of the Ger
man ship proved his expert seaman
ship by sailing 400 miles within the
three-mile Cuban territorial bound
ary then eluding the warship under
cover of night.
| The Columbus then sailed to Vers
Cruz where it had been docked be-
| fore sailing for Europe with the
cargo of oil, this week.