Show Mf MYSTERY A As V VESSEL ll 1 8 BURNED Heavily Cloaked Man Man- ManIs Is Seen 1 to Flee Following Explosion on the Ship NEW NE YORK Feb 16 The The silent sentinel of ot war and likewise wise messenger of ot death which has been hovering ho over New York YOlk port since the United States and Germany German several diplomatic relations relations rela reta- again sent Bent scurrying rumors of ot Impending cv eventualities throughout the I city today when a mysterious explosion sion slon occurred In tho the engine room of the American steamer City Cily of ot Stamford Stamford Stam Stam- ford tord at her pier here and she burst Into flames James and the tho soul of or her shrieked upward upward upward up up- ward on the escaping steam and a n. moment moment moment mo mo- ment later the hulk sunk with the se secret secret secret se- se cret of or a possible Infernal Internal machine burled with her On Only a moment elapsed between the time of the explosion until the esse vessel was a a. mass of or flames lame During Durin that moment a a. heavily hc cloaked Individual I was seen sen running from tho the ships ship's side I and was lost among among- the large number of oC smaller craft that surround the Ocr Ocr- I nm nian a thc plc FEAR REVIVED The Tho destruction of oC the City of or Stamford Stamford Stam Stam- I ford tord revives the fear tar felt In official circles a da days s 's ago when the life of ot Collector of ot Port Malone Malono was waH threatened threAtened threatened threat threAt- ened and several bombs were found about tho the home homo of the official and about the port offices The matter mattel has been heen referred to Washington and it Is expected a rl rigid ld Investigation In will be bo made made- Whether the holocaust was the work of a German Ger- Ger man mans spy or whether the ships ship's en engines caused the explosion Is the problem puzzling authorities today today- Th The Tho latter theory i is scouted by officials oW- oW I clas as it is 15 reported tJ by members of ot the crew that the fire tire In the tho engines had been allowed to die down The Tho City of ot Stamford arrived hero at 8 o'clock this morning with a n. cargo carso of ot cotton goods but a portion of her freight had been remo e removed when the fire broke out No sooner had tho the flames James broken than the tho boat was WarI warped d out of ot her berth Into tho the middie middle middle mid mid- dle die of at the East river where a stream from fireboats attempted to I quench the fire with no avail The end of the pier at the foot of Market street where the boat was moored was also damaged The City of ot Stamford Is an American Amen Ameri can vessel owned by the F Fall ll River line |