A TRAGIC TALE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LX, Issue 143771, 20 April 1912, Page 3

A TRAGIC TALE.

The End off a Great Liner. STOIIES OF TIE SURVIVORS. Women Placed Quietly in Boats. Men Remain on the Vessel. By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. A CONNECTED NARRATIVE. DOWN WITH THE CHIP.

BY A SCHOOLMASTER.

A WONDERFUL ESCAPE. Mr. Grade states that he was driven to the topmost dock, and saw no other survivors after a wave swept the liner. He grasped a- brass railing desperately, but Was forced to release it when the ship plunged. Ho swirled round for what seemed an interminable time, but eventually came to tbo surface and seized a wooden grating. When he recovered his breath he discovered a large canvas cork raft. Another man struggled out to the raft, and both rescued others who were floundering in the sen. At dawn there were thirty on the raft, knee-deep in water, and afraid to move test it should ho overturned. They were long and terrible hours before tho Carpathia picked them up. VESSEL RIPPED BY THE ICE. The mass of ieo ripped the side like a gigantic can-opener from the stem to the engine room. Shortly before tho vessel sunk she broke in two, abaft the engine room, carrying hundreds grouped on the deck. Their cries wore ■pitiable. The survivors at a safe distance witnessed the plunge, and heard the band playing. STATEMENTS BY PASSENGERS. Mr. Braden, a passenger, said that the captain was standing alone. Once a wave upset him, and then as the boat sank another wave knocked him down and he disappeared. Colonel Grace emphatically denies tho reports about shooting. A revolver was once fired to intimidate some steerage passengers.

(Received April 20, 8.55 a.m.)

LONDON, April 19

On the arrival of the Carpathia in New York a number bf the passengers gave accounts of their experiences on the Titanis. One of these. Mr. Boesly, science master at Dulwich College, in his narrative said; —;

“It was fine weather and a calm sea on Sunday and it was very cold. A slight jar was felt lasting ten to fifteen seconds and then a somewhat greater one but insufficient to create anxiety. The engines stopped. Thought they had lost a propellor and went on dock. Only a few persons were about. Some card players in the smoking room noticed the jar and looking saw an iceberg at the vessel’s side. It was a grazing blow.. He went to his cabin and returned to the deck later when he found the boat unmistakably down at the head. He went below and heard the cry “all passengers on deck with lifebelts on.”

The passengers merely regarded it as a precaution. There, was np panic or alarm and no visible signs of disaster. The boats being swung out awakened the idea of danger. The next order was “all men stand from the boats, women retire'to the deck below.”

As the boats reached the lower deck the women quietly entered them, with the exception of some who refused to leave their husbands. In some cases these were forcibly torn from their husbands and pushed into the heats. As the boats touched the water and, slipped away into the darkness there was no hysterical sobbing but- an extraordinary calm. The men were then ordered to the boats. He saw a boat half full of women on the port side. A sailor asked if there were any more ladies on Iris deck and there being none he then invited him to jump in.

Other accounts alleged wild disorder and a maniacal struggle for the boats. Hysterical passengers who did not give their names declare, that the captain and engineer committed -suicide. These stories; owing to the confusion that took place on landing, could not he confirmed. , Several survivors state that the vessel was travelling at twenty-three knots. All the steamers that have already started westward have boon ordered to travel further south. Mr, Taft was informed that Mr. Butt shot twelve men and was then himself shot.

There were no officers in the boat and no one seemed to know what to do. It swung under another descending boat but the promptitude of a stoker in cutting the fall prevented all being crushed. The stoker took charge. the last plunge. Mr. Beesley continuing his story said that from the boat the Leviathan loomed up against the sky with every porthole blazing. At two o’clock she settled rapidly. The bows and bridge were under water, the lights flickered and were then extinguished, the stern tilted and all the machinery roared down through the vessel with a rattle audible for miles. About 150 feet of the stern protruded straight up for about five minutes, then it made a slanting dive. This was followed by appealing cries for help from hundreds of human beings in the icy water. HUSBAND AND WIFE PARTED. Colonel Astor, after placing his wife in a boat asked permission to accompany her. The second officer said “No sir, no man may enter the boats till the women are off.” Colonel Astor then assisted in clearing the other boats and in reassuring nervous women. THE FIFTH OFFICER. EQUAL TO THE OCCASION. When the Titanic plunged many jumped overboard, some were rescued by the Stoats. A number embarked on the collapsibles, which the boats subsequently picked up. A passenger describes how the fifth officer, Lowe, saved many lives by warning the people not to jump and swamp the boats. When his collapsible was launched he hoisted the mast and sail, collected other collapsibles, arranged .an adequate crow each and connected them by lines, all moving together. Later he returned to tho wreck and saved a collapsible containing thirty scantily clad people, as it was on the point of sinking. Some died of exposure whilst being transferred to the Carpathian

Among the most affecting scenes on landing was the sight of women steerage passengers, thinly clad, and shivering, with their eyes red from constant weeping, whom the charitable organisations speedily succoured. SOME OF THE ERRORS. / The statement of the committee of survivors points out the insufficiency of lifeboats, the lack of trained seamen to man the boats, the insufficiency of officers to carry out emergency orders on the bridge and superintend tho launching and control of boats, also the absence of search lights. Tho necessity of taking in passengers before lowering tho boats to the water prevented boats taking the maximum load. The captain jumped overboard when tho decks were awash. Revolver shots ‘ were heard prior to' the sinking. Tho evehing papers published rumours that tho officers committed suicide, but the crew discredit the report. Members of tho Stock Exchange brought twenty thousand dollars for distribution to the neediest of those rescued. THE SENATE COMMITTEE. AND MR. ISMAY, The unexpected early arrival of tho ‘ vessel prevented the Senate’s investigation committee boarding tho Carpathia before she was docked. The chairman states that ho has learned that the surviving officers and crow contemplate boarding tho Cedric and immediately proceeding to England, placing themselves beyond the committee’s jurisdiction. The chairman adds that he intends to tell Mr. Ismay that in order to avoid trouble the

company and officers should assist the inquiry. Mr. Ismay welcomes the fullest inquiry. He left the Titanic in the last boat, but deferred his statement. ■ AN INCREDIBLE STATEMENT. \ The Department of Justice at Washington believes that the erroneous messages concerning the fate of the Titanic were the result of a deliberate attempt to postpone the knowledge of the wreck in order to give time to reinsure the cargo of the Titanic. narratives of survivors THE END OF A HONEYMOON. (Received April 20, 10.30 a.m.) NEW YORK, April 10. Mrs. Edgar Meyer, of New Y’ork, daughter of Mr. Andrew, says that a prominent New Yorker who lost her husband, pleaded with her husband to allow her to remain with him, but he threw her into a lifeboat, reminding hor of their nino-ycar-old child at home. Mrs. Marvin, who was on her honeymoon, was prostrated when she learned ashore that hor husband was drowned. As she was placed in the lifeboat he exclaimed, “It's all right, little girl; you go, I will stay.” When the boat was pushed off he threw her a kiss. That was the last she saw of him. Mr. W. T. Stead was last seen on deck near the smoke-room. Another account states that he jumped overboard after the boats left. Airs. Astor hazily remembers that when amidst the confusion she was about to be placed in a boat her hubaud stood by her side. She had no knowledge how he died.

Mr. Thayer and Mr. Straus and his wife are missing. Mrs, Dodge is saved. Mrs. Lacing Smith, daughter of Congressman Hughes, was rescued, but her husband is missing. MESSAGES OF SYMPATHY. NEW YORK, April IS). The Government is in receipt of world wide messages of sympathy. ROM hi, April 19. The Pope condoled with Mr. Taft. ANOTHER ACCOUNT, THE CAPTAIN’S ORDERS. (Received April 20, 10.30 a.m.) NEW YORK, April 19. The World publishes various details of the disaster told by passengers. An iceberg eighty feet high was sighted a quarter of a mile away. When the vessel crashed into it the engines stopped and the bulkheads were closed almost simultaneously by levers on the bridge. Captain Smith, who was on the bridge, ordered all to take life savors. The‘boats lowered first contained more males, as they were the first to reach the deck, hut when the women and children appeared the rule “Women first'’ was strictly observed. The officers drew revolvers, but they were not used in. most cases. The impact made a hole in the starhoard side, admitting ice and water, and causing an explosion of the boilers, which broke the ship in two, SOME SEVERE CRITICISM. (Received April 20, 10.30 a.m.) NEW YORK, April 19. The extreme scerepy in withholding details is severely commented upon. Tho Carpthia refused to take the cruiser's wireless messages or supply information. Commenting on the Titanic’s knowledge by wireless telegraphy of tho proximity of ice, the New York Times says she did not avoid the region, and steamed at high speed. This was not merely impudent or reckless, but criminal.

MANY CONFLICTING REPORTS. SURVIVORS REACH PORT. NEW YORK, April 18. The Carpathia arrived at Now York at 8.30 this evening, bringing with her tho passengers and crew'who Were saved from the wreck of the Titanic. Tho interest attaching to the arrival of the steamer was intense. Never in the history of the city has the population been so terribly impressed. Notwithstanding heavy rain, enormous crowds gathered to await tho arrival of the vessel. Ten thousand people gathered at the Battery and watched her pass in an impressive silence. Thousands of relatives and friends, many of them weeping bitterly, were admitted to the pier. The docking of tire vessel was delayed while thirteen of the Titanic’s lifeboats were lowered for the survivors. The committee hae issued an official

statement, in order to forestall sensational exaggerations. The statement is as follows;

The Titanic struck an iceberg at 11.40 on Sunday night, April 14, which the look-out man reported he had no time to avoid. The night was clear, cold, and starlit. Tho boats were at once lowered. Captain Smith himself was on tho bridge. His officers had previously wrested a revolver from him in the library,' but he broke away, rushed to the bridge, and shot himself through the mouth. The chief engineer also committed suicide. Three Italians ryore shot dead in a

struggle to reach the lifeboats. The Carpathia received a wireless call, and reached the scone of the disaster at 4 o’clock in tho morning. She had everything in preparation forth© work of rescue. The Titanic’s complement of 2340 souls was made up as loliows: First-class passengers 330 Second-class passengers ... 320 Third-class passengers ... 750 Officers and crew 940 Total 2340 The Carpathia rescued 210 first-class passengers, 125 second-class passengers, 200 third-class passengers, 4 officers, 39 seamen, 90 stewards, and 71 firemen, leaving 1595 people unaccounted for. NEW YORK, April 19. On the arrival of the Carpathia the friends of many of the survivors, who were suffering from shock, were wheeled to the dock in invalid chairs. According to the statement issued by the Survivors’ Committee, orders were promptly given alter the Titanic struck, for the passengers to put on lifebelts. The lifeboats wore launched and distress .signals sent out by wireless telegraphy. Rockets were also fired. \ Tho vessel sank at 2.20 in the morning. the captain and officers of the Carpathia gave the most touching attention to the survivors. The Titanic carried fourteen lifeboats, two .smaller boats, lour collapsible boats, and lifebelts sufficient for all on board. The boats were insulficient to carry everybody. There was no panic while the women and chi: Iren were leaving, everyone believing that their disembarkation was simply a measure of precaution, Several women were turn from their husbands when tho order was given to rescue tho women only. Several even then refused to leave, and were drowned with their husbands

One woman died in the lifeboat, and throe others after reaching the Carpathia.

The Titanic seemed to break suddenly in fwo, according to tho statement of one passenger. It is impossible to say what occurred on board alter .the survivors left. * LONDON, April 19. The Carpathia sighted sixteen boats at 3 o’clock in the morning. The little children were hoisted oirhOardAu bag-s, and, tho adults by ropes. Some boats were crowded, and a lew wore not half' full. There were husbanVllcrs wives, and wives husbandless, and children parentloss, but not a sob was heard. Five women died soon after their rescue, and were buried at sea. The list of missing prominent persons is unaltered. , Mrs. Candee, of Washington, had both legs broken while getting into the liieboat. She states that most of the men wire picked up after they had plunged overboard. She declared that Mr. Butt and Mr. Astor died like heroes. The Now York Herald says that Mr. Charles Stengel, a New Yorker, described the impact of the wreck as terrific. Tons of ico fell, killing the men. Tho hows of the vessel were torn asunder and tho water poured in. Pandemonium reigned. Ho pays a tribute to the bravery of the sailors and officers. The majority of the narratives, however, testify that there was no panic or shooting, and tho impact was light. Tfje Gracie Denltown reached a raft on which thirty survivors were kneodeep in water, and picked them up. It is alleged that Mr. Butt, while defending a boat against a'rush, killed twelve and then shot, himself. The story of the captain’s and chief engineer's suicide is Jot in the official statement, but is part of a passenger’s narrative.

As tho Titanic sank the ship’s band played “Nearer, my God, to Thee.”