(From the statement of Captain R. Bergner, of the British S. S. “Mattoppo”)
At 3:30 P. M. on the 29th March, the British S. S. Mattoppo sailed from 12th Street pier, Hoboken, destined to Vladivostock, Russia.
(From the “Schiller” statement)
That night ... I came out from my hiding place and walked towards the captain’s cabin....
(From Captain Bergner’s statement)
At about 7:45 P. M. ... when at a point about twenty miles from Sandy Hook Lightship, I was talking to the Chief Engineer in his room, and at 8:05 P. M. left and went to my own cabin, and as I entered my bedroom, which was adjoining, I was held up at the point of two revolvers by one Ernest Schiller, who said to me: “Hands up! I am a German. I am going to sink your ship.” He then made me turn round and gave me a frisk. He found nothing on me. He ordered me to shut my cabin door; then stood me in a corner and kept me covered with the two revolvers. Then he said: “Where is the safe? You have two thousand pounds aboard, and I want the money!” He told me he had placed bombs aboard the ship and was going to blow her up.
At 8:20 P. M. the Second Engineer knocked at my door, and receiving no reply opened it. Schiller instantly covered him with one of the revolvers and ordered him to come into the room, which he did. He then locked and bolted the doors on the inside and asked me for my keys.... He got them and proceeded to go through all the ship’s papers and my private effects. He opened my cash box and took four pounds in gold and five pounds in silver and said it was the first time he had ever robbed anyone but he needed the money. On seeing from the ship’s papers that she had barbed wire in her, he said: “That is contraband, and I am going to sink her.” He then inquired where I was bound for, and on my telling him she was going to Russia he seemed to hesitate about sinking her as he said he loved Russia. The conversation continued until about midnight....
(From the “Schiller” statement)
While I was in the Captain’s room the Second Engineer came up, and after searching him to see if he had any revolvers on him, I told him to sit down and make himself comfortable. I asked the Captain if he had any whiskey, as I was cold and had not had much to eat for five days, so the Captain gave me a bottle of whiskey and biscuits. After wishing one another good health we sat there for a couple of hours....
(From Captain Bergner’s statement)
At midnight he said that he was going to disable the wireless, and on hearing someone in the chart room he bound me on my honor not to leave the cabin saying that if I did he would shoot me on sight....