SUPPLYING PIRATE RAIDERS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3119, 25 June 1917, Page 6

SUPPLYING PIRATE RAIDERS

SUSPICIOUS DOINGS UNDER THE AMERICAN FLAG RECENT DISCLOSURES (Associated Press .Correspondent.) San Juan, Porto Rico, Alny 3. German submarines in the Atlantic until very recently have been -supplied from tho United States by ships flying the American flag, Hcconliu? to state-' ments by members of the crew of tho steamer Manilowoe. which ''for several weeks was detained in the harbour at St. Thomas. Twenty-one' of the crew wo returning to the United States after, difficulties with Captain i\ Hogstead, master of the ships.

The Manitowoc, Muskegon, and Allaguash, i>l! belonging to the same line, short!/ before the Danish Islands became the Virgin Islands, Ii.S.A., piuinro the harbour of St. Thomas, bound from Buenos Aires ,to New York, supposedly to "await orders." They were still awaiting for imlers when the islands were transferred to the United States. According to their manifests all three ships carried coal aucl other fuel supplies. Men of the crew of tho JfaniIwoc say all the vessels wero loaded with contraband lor German submarines.

"When we left New York last we were supposed to have a cargo of coal exclusively,", said one of the crew. "L'nrierneatii the coal were all sorts of fuel and food supplies. Supposedly the eargo-was destined for Buenos Aires. Between St. Thomas and Buenos Aires we got rid of our cargo on the high seas to German, submarines. We bad jio cargo when we reached Buenos Aires." At Buenos Airee that ship; the Mifskegon, and the Allaguash all took on general food cargoes, oil, and other fuel supplies, which were covered over with several hundreds of tons of coal, they said On the Manitowoc there were also 'placed two iron chests filled with gold, each supposed to contain 250,000 dollars. These, according to the men, also were hidden under the coal. White waiting in St. Thomas for orders the Danish islands were transferred to the United States, ,and the ships vera not permitted'to sail. The crew of tho Manitowoc tried to get some of their pay while idle in the harbour, DM Captain Hcstead refused to make any payment. Tho men- then made complaint to KcarAdmiral Oliver, Governor of the islands, who required Captain Hogstend to guarantee that he would not supply W« enemy ships before being permitted to leave the harbour, presumably for■Bu«i«. Aires. Captain Hogstead said ho wae unable to get any instructions from the owners in New York. One morning, according to tho. ciie«, the captain ordered the ship a flag how fid unside down, indicating there was mutinv aboard. When , officials from shore came on board to find out what the trouble was, the men wanted ">«»»* nothing wrong except lor the l.ia -woy refused to work unless then; pay wa* Tuesday, en route to the Mates.