The Washington times. [volume], April 19, 1912, LAST EDITION, Image 1

About The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939

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NUMBEK 7424.
Yesterday's Circulation, 76,390
WASHINGTON, FBEDAY EVENING, APRIL 19, 1913
Twenty-two Pages
PBIOE ONE CENT.
Last Edition
ISMAY TELLS SENATE COMMITTEE TITANIC WAS
NOT SEEKING SPEED RECOUD, AND TESTIFIES TO
GENERAL IGNORANCE OF DETAILS OF DISASTER
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EXCISE LAWS
I
DISASTER IE TO
NECLICENCE OE
SMITH
Senate District Committee
Reports Favorably on
Measure.
NUMBER OF SALOONS
TO BE GREATLY CUT
Bill Proposes To Almost Double
the Cost of Liquor
Licenses.
KHTS
Major Peuchen, Canadian,
Declares Captain Was
Not At His Post.
ASSERTS COMMANDER
WAS AT DINNER PARTY
Night Clear, And Berg Should
Have Been Seen, He
Thinks.
Strong indications that radical
changes In tho excise laws of the
District are near at hand, were given
today when the Senate District Com
mittee met, and after considering the
excise measure recently framed by
the exciBe subcommittee ordered a
favorable report upon it.
While changed in some particulars
from the bill as prepared by the)
NEW YORK, April 19-That Cap
tain Smith, of the lost Titanic, was
at a dinner party last Sunday night
in the big restaurant on the liner,
despite tho fact that he had received
numerous warnings by wireless of
ice ahead, was the direct charge
made today by Major Arthur Peu
chen, of Toronto.
Peuchen is an officer in the
subcommittee, the essential features Queen.g 0wn Rlflog of Canada( and
' " OUUIAIUU1M1.WO "" "0 l- I IJ Ul
Berved.
The measure, it is asserted, will
chemical com
pany. Ho has directly charged that
the loss of the Titanic was due to
pass tho Senate and the friends of , . , . , .. .
" . ' carelessness in going at full Bpeed
excise legislation ucjure mat it win ,
be impossible to prevent important
changes in the excise laws much
longer. They" say the House will
pass a bill lt one is passed by the
Senate.
Committee Favorable.
The general sentiment In the District
Committee this morning was favorable
to the proposed legislation.
The effect of the bill as It standH
would be to reduce the number of sa
loons from over 800 to 300. The excise
board la reorganized and is to consist
of three members, who may be ap
pointed by the President from any part
of the country . ...
After November 1. 1914, the wholesale
license fee Is to be $S0O, and for a re
tall license $1,500. They are now 00
and $S00, respectively.
The essential features of the now bill
were recently set forth In a statement
by Senator Jones, chairman of the ex
cise subcommittee,
through the ice with a new crew,
and insisted that if the captain had
been on the bridge tho Titanic would
not havo hit tho berg.
"Why, oven if the lookout had been
m the job in the crow's nest he
should have seen that berg," Bald
Pouchen. "It waB a monster, and
r.uo night was beautifully clear and
the stars were shining brightly.
Blames Captain.
"The captain was at dinner with
Bruce Ismay and a number of million
aires for more than three hours t'.iai
night. Instead of being on the brldgu
where he belonged, knowing that we
were going Into the Ice fields. Not a
tingle extra lookout was posted, and
I the Bpeed was never reduced a particle.
whan tho main "committee took the ! Wo were runnlnsr very fast when we
J .9 1 A - . J n MA A VH J4fA A
measure up toaay u mnue buiuo juuu.n- t sirucK.
r.ntlrmn. hut thev were chiefly or a
minor character. Tho committee took
the view the bill as drawn does not
prohibit the bar at the Union Station.
Section S of tho Commissioners' bill
with referenqi to detailed procedure of
the excise boo id was adopted In place
of a liko section in the subcommittee
bi. , .... ........
increase ar tne ary iiiiuib uum
"Sunday It was very cold, and we
know wo were In the Ice zone. But
there was no checking of speed. When
we struck that berg we were running
twenty-flve miles an hour.
"I know that tho wireless warned of
danger from the Ice. Ismay told Miss
Kyerson we would pass bergs. She
hr,8Bnur' fonT.norr",o: fked him if he would slow down, and
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J. BRUCE ISMAY.
i ' "
SAYS NO WOMAN
IN SIGHT WHEN HE
ENTERED LIFEBOAT
Testifies That There Were Only Twenty-five
Boats in Titanic's Equipment Thinks
There Were Plenty of Life Preservers.
NEW YORK, April 19. J. Bruce Ismay, managing director of the
Mercantile Marino Company, owners of tho ill-fated Titanic, took the
stand as the first witness before the Senate Investigating committee
probing the Titanic disaster today. After Ismay had been sworn by
Chairman Smith he was questioned at length.
Important points In his testimony follow:
He saw no passengers in sight when he entered tho lifeboat.
He did not see what happened to the lifeboats.
He did not look to see after leaving the Titanic whether she broke
in two.
He did not look to see If there was a panic.
"After I left the bridge, I did not see the captain."
"I saw nothing of any explosion."
He saw no struggle, no confusion.
He did not recognize any passengers on the Titanic as she sank.
He saw no women waiting when he entered tho lifeboat.
TEXT OF TESTIMONY.
RlrlcllonH against slum f-aloonB, and pie
ventlnn of liquor selling In emnll hotels
1'uvlng less Uian JUty Ruest rooms ara
umnnjj the features of the bill
WEATHER REPORT.
FORECAST FOR THE DISTRICT.
Fair tonight, probably frost; Saturday
fair, with slowly rising temperature.
TEMPERATURES.
U. S. BUREAU. I AFFLECK'S.
8 a. m 46 8 a. m.
9 a. m 46 9 a, m..
10 a. m 47 10 a.m..
11 a. m 43 11 a. m.,
12 noon 49 12 noon.
X l. Mt... ' ' x ir. ill .w uni s
IP. m. 49 2 p.m. GO -Advt.
he 1b reported to have told her that
he 'guessed not.' "
Major Peuchen proudly exhibited
what he termed his "reason for being
alive honorably." It was a small piece
of paper, on which was scrawled:
"Major Arthur Peuchen was ordered
Into the boat by me owing to the fact
that I required a seaman, which he
proved to be, as well as a brave man.
"D. O. Lvntollls, second officer, late
steamship Titanic."
tiyntollls drafted the major for serv
ice In hln boat because he knew that ho
was noted at an expert yachtsman and
amateur sailor.
DESIGNER OF TITANIC
FAINTS IN CATHEDRAL
Chesapeake Beach
Sunday. Anrll 21. round trip, 60c: Satur
day. April 20, to Monday, round trip, 75c.
LONDON, April 19. St. Paul's Cathe
dral was tilled to the utmost capacity
todav when tho national memorial serv
ices were held for the victims of the
i Titanic disaster. Thousands Jammed
tho streets in tne vicinity, uname to
get Inside of the walls. Most of the
people, both In church and the street,
were In tears. Many wore heavy
I mourning.
Honam ariuie. designer or tne lost
vessel, fainted while the organ was
playing the "Dead March from Saul,"
and bad to be carried from the edlflc.
NEW YORK CLUBS
WILL HELP FUND
NEW YORK, April 19. The barriers
against Sunday baseball will be let
down In New York for the benefit of the
destitute survivors of the Titanic' horror.
President John T. Brush, of the
Giants, announced today that he had
arranged for his club to play the Yan
kees Sunday afternoon at the Polo
Orounds, the receipts to go to tho
stranded passengers. Sunday baseball
Is not permitted In New York, but the
authorities are understood to have glovn
permission for tbp cams.
AMERICAN COLONY
BESIEGED IN MEXICO
An unofficial report reached the State
Department today that 200 Americans
are being besieged by rebels at Los
Mochs, In the state or Slnuloa, Moxlco.
According to his report, Henry Lane
Wilson, the American ambassador to
Mexico, had warned President Madero
that he must give these Americans pro
tection. The State Department declares It has
received no official information of his
(action by Ambassador Wilson.
When he took the stand ho said:
"My name Is Bruce Ismay; am fifty
years old; am an officer of the White
Star lino In the capacity of managing
director. I was not officially designated
by the directors to go with the Titanic
on her maiden voyage."
"Tell In your own way what you con
sider the cause of tho accident to the
Titanic," said Senator Smith.
"First of all, I want to express my
great grief," began Ismay; "secondly,
I wish to say that we welcomed In
vestigation; we court the fullest inquiry
in that wo havo nothing to conceal or
hide.
"The ship was built in Belfast, and
was the latest thing In shipbuilding.
No money was spared in her construc
tion. She waa not built by contracts,
but by commission."
Ismay then reviewed the early history
of tho Titanic. When she was laid
down, when she was launched, and tho
details leading up to the start of her
maiden voyage. He said the weather
had been fine overy day after sho left
Southampton until the mid-ocean crash,
with the exception of about ten minutes,
when a dense fog .encompassed the
vessel. He said:
"Tho accident took place the Sunday
night following the Wednesday of her
departure. I was asleep In my state
room at the time. The ship sank, I
am told, at 2:20 o'clock Monday morn
ing. I understand It has been stated
the ship was going at full epeed when
she crasned into tne Dig berg. Hho
never went at full speed. If the weath
er of Monday and Tuesday had been
good It was our Intention to go at full
speed."
In Bed at Time.
Senator Smith then asked Ismay to
describe what took place after the col
lision. Ismay said:
"I lay In my bed a few minutes not
knowing what had happened. I went
out on the deck and asked an officer
what ho thought tho trouble was. He
said he did not know. I returned to
my stateroom, dressed myself, and went
to tho brldgo, whore I met Captain
Smith. I ugked him what had hap
pened He said tho ship had struck
Ice and he feared It was seriously
damaged. I rushed down to the office of
tne cutri uubiucvr mm ,ia mm niu lie i
feared the ship had been seriously dafn-'
aged. I went baok to tho bridge and
heard tho order given to get out the
lifeboats. I assisted In getting them
out. I went to the starboard side of
the ship and I stayed until the fourth
boat had been lowered, which, I un
derstand, was tho last boat which left
tho Titanic, l do not know whether
the captain stayed on the bridge."
"Did the other officers seem to know
the serious condition of tho ship?"
asked mlth.
"I couldn't say. I had no conversa
tion with them."
Dapper and neatly dressed In a black
frock coat, with white piping In his
vest, the managing director twirled the
ends of his military mustache nervous
ly us Senator Smith endeavored to get
specific details. His memory was bad
In spots.
Ho turned to Vice President Frpnk
lln, who sat neasby, several times dur
ing his testimony as irexp ccting sup
port or prompting.
Ismay said he had a choice suite of
rooms on the third deck from the top,
near tho captain's quarters.
"Did you consult with the captain
regarding the ship's movement?" asked
Smith.
Not After Record.
"No," replied Ismay emphatically. "I
want to say this right here. We were
not attempting to make anay speed rec
ords. We did not plan to arrive in New
York until Wednesday at 5 o'clock."
"Did ou know you wero near loe
bergs?" demanded Smith.
"I knew lco had been reported," ad
mitted Ismay. "I had never Been an
Iceberg lir my life before. Wo wer
traveling the extrmo southern rout
for westward bound ships. I wuw no!
cognizant or tne proximity or iceberg!
on Saturday. I did not know that the
wlrolcss reported warnings Saturday,
But I knew we would be In Ice region!
Sunday night somo time."
"Did you havo any conversation with
tho captain or other officers regarding
ice?"
Absolutely none." replied Ismay.
Ismay said tho wlrelesB operator senl
the S. O. S. call for help, but th.r.1
he sent no message himself.
"Wore you on deck when the ordei
to lower lifeboats was given?" asked
Smith.
"I heard Captain Smith give the or
der In a loud voice," said Ismay, "then
I left the bridge. I saw three boat!
lowered. I got in the fourth. ePoplt
(Continued on Eighth rage)