Evening star. [volume], April 19, 1912, Image 1

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
WEATHER.
Fair tonight, probably light
fiost. Saturday fair, with slowly
rising temperature.
The Star is the only afternoon
paper in Washington that prints
the news of the Associated Press.
COWTAHWWO OW PAOS IS CLOiCTQ
KSW TOKK rrOCK QUOTATION*.
No. 18,832.
WASHINGTON, D. FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 1912?TWENTY-SIX PAGES.
ONE GENT.
u
BRITISH;' COMMANDED CAPT. SMITH. RALLYING MEN
THEN WENT DOWN TO DEATH WITH SHIP LIKE HERO
f ,
V
TME CARPATHIA STEAMING IP NEW YORK HARBOR, WITH THE TITANIC SURVIVORS EAGERLY THRONG
ING THE DECK. LIFEBOATS OF THE TITANIC HANGING OVER THE SIDE.
HEAD OF WHITE STAB LINE
QUESTIONED BY SENATORS
Congressional Inquiry Into the
Titanic Disaster Begun
i ? *. ?" -
in New York.
SMAY DENIES THAT STEAMER
WAS RUNNING AT FULL SPEED
Expresses His Grief at the Catastrophe
and-Says That He Courts . Qose
Investigation.
? ^ ~ .*
*? ? ? i n
' * ?
NJlW YORK, April 19.?The story of how the Titanic met-its
fate was told today to members of the United States'Senate investi1
gating committee into the Titanic disaster by J. Bruce Ismay,
managing director of the White Star line. > .
The details of the story were drawn out by Senator William
Alden Smith, chairman of the special subcommittee charged with the
examination of witnesses, and Senator Newlands, the other senator
who came to New York to conduct the inquiry. Mr. Ismay was ac
companied by P. A. S. Franklin, vice president, and Emerson E.
Farvin, secretary of the International Mercantile Marine. Besides
the committee. Representative Hughes of West Virginia, whose
daughter, Mrs. Lucien P. Smith, was saved and whose son-in-law
was lost, was present. Another spectator was Truman H. Newberry,
lotmer Secretary of the Navy.
Iamay Visibly Nervous.
Mr. Iemay was visibly .nervous when he
took the stand. He gave his age as lifty
yeara. In response to a few formal
questions he said he sailed as a voluntary
passenger on the Titanic.
; Senator Smith began to ask the witness
jo detail. Ms experience on the Titanic.
Mr. Ismaymterrupted, but Senator Smith'
-<*ontlau^|nBben ismay said he de
bts sincere grief at the
to welcome the fullert
committee all the cir
nding your voyage."
th. "Tell it as suc
beginning with your
i at Liverpool, your
and as many circum
to help this commit
est Inquiry.
'First. I Wish to say that I court the
fullest inquiry.'* said Mr. Ismay. "This
awful catastrophe, I must say at the out
set, I greatly deplore. We have nothing
to conceal, nothing to hide.
"The boat left Belfast. 1 think, on the
1st of April- She underwent her trials
safely, and arrived at Southampton on
Wedneodsy. April 3, t think. She sailed
on Wednesday, April 10, leaving South
ampton at 12 o'clock noon. That evening
the Titanic reached Cherbourg, having
ruil at about sixty-eight revolutions. We
arrived at Qaeenstown Thursday noon.
The Titanie was then running at seventy
revolutions. The first day, I think we
made about 487 miles. The next day we
increased the speed to seventy-two revo
lutions and I think we ran 510 miles. The
next day we Increased to seventy-five
"revolutions and ran about Mtt to MU miles.
"The accident took place Sunday night.
The exact time I do not know, because 1
was asleep. The ship sank, I am 'told, at
1:30.
Hot Bun at Full Speed.
"1 understand you have been told that
the Titanic was running at full speed.
It never had run at full speed. She was
built to ((^eighty revolutions and never
had been sped up to that. We never
had all her boilers working. It was our
intwtlsn to speed the boat up to her full
Quota Tuesday, but the catastrophe cartne
to prevent it."
Although he came on a "voluntary
trip," Mr. Ismay said his purpose was to
see how the ship worked and in what
manner she could be Improved upon. A
representative of the builder, Mr. An
"drew, was on board, Mr. Ismay said.
"Did he survive?*' asked Mr. Smith. .
"Unfortunately, no." ?
Mr. Ismay said it was arranged between
him and Capt. Smith of the Titanic not to
arrive at New York lightship before 5
a.m. Wednesday.
"There would have been no advantage
in arriving earlier," he added.
Icebergs Had Been Reported.
"During your voyage, did you know you
were in the vicinity of Ice?" Senator
Smith asked.
"I knew some had been reported," re
plied the witness.
He said the ship was not in proximity
to icebergs Saturday or Sunday, although
he knew the ship would be near ice Sun
day night. The witness said he knew
nothing of the Amerika and the Titanic
talking by wireless about icebergs.
Senator Smith asked if he sought to
send any wireless messages from the
Titanic after she struck. He said not.
Turning to the subject of lifeboats, Mr.
Ismay said he heard the captain give the
order to lower the boats.
"I then left tlie bridge," added the offi
cial.
Three boats, he said, he saw towered
and filled. In his own boat were four
members of the crew and forty-flve pas
sengers.
"Was there any jostling or attempt by
men to get Into the boats?" asked Senator
Smith.
"I saw none."
"How were the women selected?"
"We picked the women and children aft
they stood nearest the rail."
Representative Hughes handed Senator
Smith a note.
Then the chairman told Mr. Ismay that
it was reported that the second lifeboat
left without its full complement of oars
men and from 1130 until 7:30 women
were forced to row the boat.
"I know nothing about it."
Representative Hughes' daughter was
in this boat and was assigned to watch
' (Continued on 8econd Page.)
Was a Major to the Last, De
clares Mrs. Henry B.
Harris.
? *
FOUGHT MADDENED MEN;
GENTLY HELPED WOMEN
Assumed Supreme Command Among
Panicstrioken Hob.
example even to officers
"World Should Arise in His Praise,"
Says Capital Besident, 111 in New
Tork as Result of Harrow
ing Experience,
j
(By a Staff Correspondent,).
XEW YORK, April ' 19.-I
Archie Butt was a major to the
last. God newer made a 'finer
nobleman than he. The sight of
that man, calm,, gentle and?yet as
firm as a rock, will never*leave
? A 99
me. .......
? . . *
Tossing on her bed "of pajn^and
wrecked with the agony of a re
membrance which will iiever ieave
her, Mrs. Henry B. Harris of
Washington talked today to a
Star reporter of the brave soldier
who met the clasp of the giant
ocean with a smile on his face.
Mrs. Harris is in an apartment at
50 Central Park West, and is in a
condition bordering on hysteria.
It-was only after mentioning the
name of Maj. Butt and saying that
the world wanted to know of the
manner of his death that she
would .be interviewed. Of Frank
Millet she knew but little.
"I saw him just before they put
me into a collapsible raft with
ever so many women from the
steerage. Mr. Millet's little smile,
which played on his lips all
through the voyage, had gone, but
when I was put in the boat I saw
him wave his hand to a woman in
another boat.
World Should Praise
"But, oh, this whole world should
?rise In praise for Maj. Butt That
man s conduct will remain in my mem
ory forever. The American army is
honored by him and the way h? showed,
some of the other men how to behave
when women and children were suf
fering that awful mental fear that
came when we had to be huddled In
those boats. Maj. Butt was near rne
and I know very nearly everything
he did.
"When the order to take to the boats
came he became as one In supreme
command. You would have thought he
was at a White House reception, so
cool and calm was he.
"A dozen or so women became hysteri
cal all at once as something connected
with a lifeboat went wrong. Maj. Butt
stepped to them and said: 'Really you
must not act like that; we are all rota*
to nee you through this thing.' He help
ed the sailors rearrange the rope or chain
tha'v had gone wrong and lifted some of
the women in with a touch of gallantry.
(Continued on Fifteenth Page.)
Photos^.American: Pre^s Associatioh
THREK OF THE
TITANIC SURVIVORS, SlRROi'XDBO
LEAVING THE CARPATHIA.
V
BY REPORTERS
, * CAPT. ROSTRUM
Of the Carpatkla.
One of Thirty-Five That Bal
anced Themselves on Craft
Through the Night.
AFRAID TO MOVE LEST
ALL MIGHT GO OVER
x - 'T 1 r * ?
: <? ' ? V
Piteous Cries of Many Persons in
Water Were Distinctly Heard.
NEW YORK, April 19.?Col.
Archibald Gracie, who jumped
from the topmost deck of the
Titanic as she sank and swam
about until he found 7. cork life
raft ? and then helped to rescue
others who had jumped into the
water, added today to his state
ment of last night:
"The Titanic was struck by the
berg on her port side," Col. Gracie
said. "She was ripped from near
the middle boat to the bow after
the fashion of a can opener open
ing a box of sardines. The but
tons were pressed immediately
and the compartments closed as
far as possible under the circum
stances.
"The interval between the col
lision and the sinking of the ship
was two hours and twenty-two
minutes, timed by my watch,
which lay open on the dresser.
The watch stopped at 2:22 a.m.
when I jumped into the water. I
.was awakened in my cabin at mid
night.
Thought of Home.
"After sinking with the ship it appear
ed to m? aa if it were propelled by some
great force through the water. This
might have been occasioned by explosions
(Continued 00 Eighth Page.) "
CROWDS OF RELATIVES AND FRIENDS OF THE PASSENGERS AND
CREW OF THE TITANIC WAITING IN FRONT OF THE CUNARD LINE
PIERS FOR-THE ARRIVAL. OF THE CARPATHIA.
TO TITANIC'!; DEAD
t * '? . ? ??
y . p . , ; i.
Flags on All the Government
Buildings in City Fly at
Half-jVlast.
PRESIDENT FINALLY GIVES
UP ALL HOPE FOR BUTT
Mrs. Clarence Moore Is Prostrated at
* -
Her Home Here.
Flags on all the government
buildings in Washington fly at
half-staff today in token of the na
tion^ grief and hotror over the
sinking of the Titanic and the loss
of nearly 2,000 of her passengers
and crew. Business houses and
residences, too, display the colors
at half-staff, a token of respect for
those who went down with the
liner. .
President Taft last night issued
the order for the official expres
sion of national sorrow, after the
news from the Titanic's survivors,
brought to New York on board
the Carpathia, had begun to come
over the wires to Washington,
and when it had been made prac
tically certain that three Wash
ington men were among those
who went to the bottom of the
ocean when the r^nt and shattered
steamer sank beneath the waves.
Taft Abandons Hope.
Not until the disconnected, almost In
coherent tales of those who survived had
been patched together and given a sem
blance "of sequence, did the President
abandon the final, straw of hope, to which
he has clung since the first news of the
disaster came, that ltaj. Archibald B?tt,
(Continued Second Page.) ~~~
Titanic's Surviving Wireless
Operator Describes Wreck
of Giant Vessel. ,
SANK HEAD FIRST WITH
| BAND PLAYING "AUTUMN"
Severely Criticises Aerogram Hen on
Scout Cruisers. v
BY HAROLD BRIDE.
(Tbe Surviving Wireless Operator of the Titanic.)
tTliis statement was dictated by Mr. Bride to
a reporter for the New York Time*, who visited
hint with Mr. " Marconi in the wireless cabin of
the Carpathia a few mtntites after tbe steam
ship touched her pier.)
(Copyright, 1912, by the New York Times
Company.)
NEW YORK, April l9.?In the
first place, tlte public should not
blame anybody because more
wireless messages about the dis
aster to the Titanic did not reach
shore from the Carpathia. I posi
tively refused to send press dis
patches because the bulk of per
sonal messages with touching
words of grief was so large. The
wireless operators aboard the
Chester got all they asked for.
And they were wretched opera
tors.
I They knew American Morse,
but not continental Morse suffi
ciently to be worth while. They
taxed our endurance to the limit.
I had to cut them out at last,
they were so insufferably slow,
and go ahead with our messages
of grief to relatives. We sent 119
personal messages today and 50
yesterday I
When I w?? dragged aboard the Car
pathia I went to the hospital at first I
stayed there for tea how. Then aome
(Cootlnued on Eighth Page.)
Hull of the Titanic Was Ripped
Open by Monster Iceberg
Below the Water Line*
GOING TWENTY-ONE KNOTS
AN HOUR BEFORE IMPACT
Many Thrilling Stories Told of Suffering
of the Women and Children From
the Cold During Long Night
-Hoursv in : Lifeboats.
... ? <
? ... v . ? . -
NEW YORK, April ? 19.?Seven hundred and
forty-five persons, mostly women, sick in heart and
body, wrote into the annals of maritime history .today
the story of the loss of the finest steamship ever built
by man.
They were the survivors of the White Star liner
Titanic, which sank, bow foremost, with 1,595 souls
aboard, her captain at the bridge, her colors flying and
her band playing '-Nearer, My God, to Thee," in 2,000
1 \ ;
fathoms of water off the Banks of Newfoundland,
under starlit skies, at 2:20 a.m. Monday.
With one voice they told-of the splendid heroism of
those who remained behind to find a watery grave that
they might live. ?
DIED LIKE GALLANT SAILOR.
Capt. Smith died, they said, as a gallant sailor
should, after having first placed all the women who
would go aboard the lifeboats. There were many who
stayed behind to die in their husbands' arms. From
their narratives stand out in bold relief the following
facts: / .
The Titanic was making twenty-one knots an hour
when she struck the iceberg.
No one at first thought that she wpuld sink.
She remained afloat more than two hours.
The iceberg ripped open her hull below the water
line.
ALL DANGER OF PANIC AVERTED
BY CAPTAIN'S APPEAL TO MEN
SURVIVORS OF DISASTEI
ALL UNITE IN PRAIS
BRAVERY OF THE GREW
Instant panic was averted. by Capt.
Smith's terse appeal to his crew: "Be
British, my men!"
A small nnmber of steerage passengers
tried to rush for the lifeboats, bat were
held back by .the crew aw) ether pas
sengers.
The Titanic turned' her npge for the
bottom when the last lifeboat was lees
than a hundred yards away, reared her
stern high in the air and trembled for a
moment before seeking the bottom.
There w4re two explosions wheat the !??
rushing waters reached her botlara.
When she sank there was |Oeaee; ??