THE SEA ADLER'S CREW

Otago Witness, Issue 3414, 20 August 1919, Page 8

THE SEA ADLER'S CREW

FATE OF THE LUTECE. SUNK AT EASTER ISLAND. It will be remembered, writes the Rarotonga correspondent of the Auckland vitar, that when the- German raider Seeadler was wrecked on the island of Mopiha towards the end of 1917, the crew escaped in tho Tahiti schooner Lutece, which had been sent to tho island upon one of her periodical visits to convey supplies for tho labourers there. The captain and crew of the Lutece were put ashore on Mopiha, and the captured vessel sailed away with tho Germans aboard. v Sinco that date many conflicting reports have been circulated regarding the subsequent movements of tho Luteco and he? eventual fate, but wo arc indebted to the Catholio newspaper, Vea Katorika, of Tahiti, for tho following information, wliich appears to clear up tho mystery: In a letter from Rapanui (Easter Island), dated November 4 last, Paralcati, the Catholic mission teacher, writes: "On October 3,. 1917, a two-masted schooner arrived hero with 58 Germans aboard, who, after a two days' stay ashore, proceeded to break up and sink the vessel. Upon being questioned by the Chilian Government agent In charge of the island as to the reason for this procedure, they stated that the vessel was leaking and unfit for further service. "About two months later another sailing" vessel passed close to the island, and 15 of tho Germans gave chase to her in a boat with the object of capturing her| but they were unsuccessful. The Germans were all armed. The Government agent strongly remonstrated against this action on the part of the Germans, which, he said, would bring discredit upon a neutral country. From this time on the Germans were closely watched by the native people, but luckily no serious trouble arose. "In January, 1918, the Chilian sohooner arrived to take away a cargo of wool from the island. She left on February 3, with the Germans aboard, en route to Chili."