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Show INTERNED SAILORS; SENT m FROM SILT LIE Salt Lake Tribune Veiled by the secrecy that characterizes all Important Impor-tant military movements in the country, coun-try, the 520 sailors and officers of the German ships Cormoran and Geler, i which were interned at Fort Douglas, have been transferred to the war prison camp at Fort McPherson, Ga.J and are now safely lodged in the big; naval prison camp at that place. So carefully guarded were all move-: ments in connection with the transfer of the Germans from the local to the Georgia camp that few persons outside out-side of official circles knew when the prisoners left Salt Lake, and no one outside of the officials and those taken into their confidence knew where they were going. Loaded into -street cars at Fort Doiulas the prisoners were taken1 through the heart of Salt Lake in the middle of the day, were transferred to a special train at a local depot and sent on their way without the general public knowing that anything of an I unusual nature was taking place beneath be-neath their very noses The prisoners were nearly all attired at-tired in civilian clothing, hence their identity was not recognized, except by a few as they passed through the! crowded streets. A few people ' gathered at the depot when the pris-l oners were transferred from the rars; to the train and gazed in inquiring wonder at the proceedings. Orders to transfer all the naval prisoners from the Fort Douglas camp to the general naval camp at Fort Mc - Pherson were received at local prison i headquarters about a week ago. The j I matter was kept a profound secret and I no one suspected that anything was about to happen. Not even the pris- j oners knew exactly what was going to j happen. They were told to prepare for a long railroad trip In the meantime arrangements were, made for a special train to carry the Germans to their new prison home, i j and shortly after noon last Friday, with their baggage and personal be-! be-! longings, the 520 officers and sailors formed in ranks and marched under 'military guard from the gales of the i , Fort Douglas prison to eight street cars that awaited them just outside the compound. The 300 or more civilian enemy aliens interned in one section of the camp became highly excited over the movement and burst forth Into a vig orous rendiiion of the German national anthem. They didn't know where the sailors were going or what for. They didn't know why the) should sing, but they seemed to think it was up to them to sing a German song. Their music hadn't progressed far, however, when the officer of the day quietly informed in-formed them that their turn might come next, and if it did they would probably be sent direct into Germany The information had magic effect upon the noisy patriotic demonstration The strains of the German national anthem died away in echoes from the hills. There was silence. Then, as if trying to ward oft a terrible fate, the burst vigorously forth in the strains of "The Star Spangled Banner." In a long line the cars bearing the German sailors wound their way from the fort through the heart of the city and to the depot. From the cars the Germans were unloaded upon the street in double rank, stretching for nearly a block. The prisoners carried with them rations sufficient for the trip, and their meals were prepared and served on the cars by their own cooks. The soldier guards had their own mess and provisions also. Segregate Prisoners. The German officers were placed in two special cars by themselves, and there was a special car for the military commander of the train and his assistants. as-sistants. Just -what the removal of the naval prisoners of war lrom the Fort Douglas Doug-las camp and the leaving the civilian enemy aliens means is not officially known, though it is believed it means the conversion of the local camp into an exclusive, prison for civilian enemy aliens. It is understood that the government gov-ernment has found it belter to concentrate concen-trate the military and naval prisoners of war in separate camps by themselves, them-selves, and thai It will be the policy to have the enemy aliens held in one camp by themselves. |
