Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-21
BRANDS AS FOOLISH
CRITICISM BY BRIDE
Can't. Decker Defends Cruiser
Chester's Wireless
Operators.
BOTH MEN ARE EXPERTS
IN CONTINENTAL CODE
Navy Hires None But the Best, De-
clares Officer.
EXPLANATION OF TROUBLE
Carpathia's Key Man Refused
Answers as "There Was No
Money In It." Is
Charge.
Navy Hires None But the Best, De-
clares Officer.
EXPLANATION OF TROUBLE
Special Dispa Itch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star
PHILADELPHIA, April 2O.-The allie
cation made by Harold Bride. surviving
wireless operator of the Titanic, that
the wireless operators on the United
States cruiser Chester were "wretched
and did not know the continental Morse
sufficiently to be worth while" in an
swer to a question which he refused to
give more details of the Titanic disaster
to the Chester. was ridiculed this after
noon by Capt. Decker a few minutes
after the Chester anchored at the League
Island navy yard.
The Chester anchored in the lower
channel. and shortly after ! o'clock in
the afternoon. returning from her five
day trip on which she had gone to rem
der whatever assistance she could to the
survivors Of the Titanic. While the
Chester was at anchor Capt Decker paid
a visit to Commandant Grant and fol-
lowing his interview with the comman-
dant made the statement. in which he
said that Brides statement. II correct,
was ''preposterous and foolish, as the
fact that the United States Navy en-
ploys none but the most expert Of OPP
orators was sufficient in itself"
Explains Brides Silence.
When Capt Decker was asked to allow
a reporter aboard the Chester he de-
clared that this was impossible, in view
OF the fact that a congressional commit
tee was making an inquiry into the wreck
ing Of the Titanic. He said that as the
wireless operators would perhaps have
to appear before the committee he could
not at this time allow them to make any
public statement.
From several members of the crew, au-
thentic information was cleaned a few
mtnutes later as to some of the reasons
why Bride, aboard the Carpathia, ighored(
the wireless messages sent by the Chester
operators. The informant, who is one Of
the electrical experts aboard the Chester,
said that Bride refused to answer the
Chester's messages because there was
no money In 1t for the operators Of the
wireless company who have charge Of
the apparatus aboard the Carpathia."
Both Operators Expert.
In the interview the electrician de-
clared TIT the two wireless operators
carried blythe Chester are the two most
expert nsh in the service Of the Navy
Department. One has had eight years
experience as an operator in the govern
ment service, the other having had con-
siderable navy and land experience.
The wireless operators aboard the Ches-
ter are James Gaffeney and Frank
Gaffeney. is the chief OPP
orator. and according to the informant.
the Navy Department uses continental
Morse only in sending messages.
.'Gaffeney knows more about wireless
than any man in the navy" declared the
electrician. "He uses the continental
code, and when the Carpathia operator
speaks Of Gaffeney or Blacksmoore being
slow he does not know what he Is talking
about Gaffeney sends forty-ive words
Morse per minute or twenty
seven words per minute more than re-
quired by the government. .Blacksmoore
can send about thirty-fve words per
minute.
Call Is Ignored.
THE equipment carried for the trans
portation of messages by the Chester is
the most powerful in the navy. 1t has a
sending radius of 1900 miles and a re-
ceiving radius of 400 miles.
I'm the search for the Titanic and Car
pathia, We came within twelve miles Of
the Carpathia We called them, and were
answered. When we asked for list Of
those saved we were given some names,
but when We insisted that they give us
the names of all aboard the operator
aboard the Carpathia refused.
AT that time we knew what the trou-
BILE was. He was being paid by those
aboard the Carpathia for sending the
messages. but was not receiving anything
by giving the government the information
that we wanted to get. He was holding
out to send the other messages first and
fatty told us that he would refuse to
civ apy ipfnrpna finD
Although both Blacksmoore and CAT
feney tried several times to get into COM
munication with the Carpathia II was
useless. No attention was paid to our
CALL.
Instructed to Tell All.
The Chester operators have been in
structed by Capt. Decker to give all the
information possible to the COMPRESSION
al committee should they be called in
the investigation-to tell as to what oc-
CURED when the messages were sent
from the Chester to the Carpathia
Capt. Decker before returning to the
Chester expressed every confidence in the
Chester operators. and intimated that
when their side Of the story was heard
Brides version as to what happened
would look q little differently than is the
case at present.
Commandment Grant when asked his
opinion of the matter said he could not
say as to what had taken place. He did
say, however. that the government en-
ploys none but expert operators, and the
fact that the men are in the service must
speak for itself.
SING HYMN OF TITANIC.