The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-04-24

the boat could take more but il took all
the woinch. .pn that part Of the ship.
Il was only surprised that there were |
not more seamen at this boat ready to do
anything that was needed. The discipline |
was good. but there were not enough OF
the Grew there.
Il also want TO mention that when I
first went on deck about 100 stokers
deck and an officer. a big powerful man.
drove them like u flock Of sheep right
off the deck. | don't know where they
went. thought 1t was n splendid act
and admired him for it.
After the first boat got away. ! went
to. the next one. There was in this boat
u Uuariermaster named Hichen. ! found
out later. and one sailor ths was Fleet. !
the lookout NAM and the rest women.
twenty-three passengers IN all After
every woman could have got a boat on
the port side they started to lower this
boat though IL was only about half full"
Major PeliChen was asked IT, so far "a
he knew there had been any general
alarm given to the passengers; ii they
had been awakened by the ships officers
and informed of their danger.
Awakened by Mrs. Astor.
"No.e replied Peuchen. There was no
general alarm sent out 40 far az ] know.
] talked with two women, who said they
awakened by the impact of the ship on
the iceberg. They were awakened by
Mrs. Astor, whose room adloined theirs.
Mrs. Astor wGs considerably excited.
they said. and as her door was open they
heard her talking in her room. But for
that accident, they said, they probably
would have sunk with the ship"
Major Peuchen then told how. when
the second boat was partly lowered. /.
the quartcrmaster in charge. Hichen.
Had a. lx IL. ,s
with only one seaman. There were no
other seanen at hand. and. he said when
he offered to assist in any way Mr. Light
olier told HIM to get IN. especially as lie
said he Wa Il yachting man he Ma jor
then climbed down the falls and dropped
into the boat as ii hung az the ships side
he piat ID himself at the disposition of
Quate:Tnas, or Hichen he said. and helped
him all hr cocid At Hichcns direction
he toon an oar and rowed 10 get away
from the suction of the Titanic Ain
italian s.owawav with IL broken wrist
appeared jus! then. sail Peuchcn. but he
was OF no assistance. The stowaway had
been hiding under Inc bow of the lifeboat
Major PouChnn rU!ndy scored Quarter
master siiH''n in his narrative sui,se
duent 10 this poin,.
RrfuscI to- Turn Back.
after a w1i.e" Ia said "we heard an
officers whistle on the Titanic. which we
stopped 10 hear more plainly. Hichen
said it was n call for all boats TO come
back TO the snip. We all Thought we
6,ight 10 go back. but the Qiarternaster
said No: "" are not going back. It's
Our 'litos now. not theirs He insisted
on towing away.
The women who left their husban ds
behind We're the ones who urged the
Q,iarterm or To go back. said not hing
Ihad already had one row with the quar-
termastcr and found hlm n disagreeable
fellow. He insisted on steering instead
of helping Us with the oars when | asked
INN TO le' one of the women steer, a task
which required no skill.
He imagined he saw light First
he said il was a boat, then a buoy. The
suggestion thai II might be "a buoy I
though, absurd. showing he knew nothing
about navigation.
After the whistle we heard a r,imbling
on the Titanic. The lights were still on
linen there was an explosion. then another
and then a third. Then the lights went
onr The explosions sounded to me as
though the decks had been blown up by
the air below as the ship sank
: We then heard cries for help. There
were dreadful calls. 1t was frightfu.
II affected us all. We kept on and the
cries gradually became fainter. While
we were hearing these horrible cries
the women urged the quartermaster to go
back
Ne Would M, Go to Rcseuc.
"He would not go He said: No use in
our going bach. There are only a lot of
ktihs back there"
Major Peuchen then testified that he
found the ifeboats equipped with food
water and lights. He made it point.
he said. to examine some of tho lifehoats
after they were taken on board the Car
pathia and he found the hard,ack and
water there. There was light in his
boat he said.
Asked ahou, the conduct of Capt.
Smith, Ma jor Peuchen said that VIII an ne
6a~ him the captain was doing all in his
power 10 get the women into the boats
and lower them away.
Major Pouch n gave the names of
several women who. he said. Were in the
boa with him, many of whom helped
u rowing. Those he named were Mis-,
l.. \. Norton of London. Mrs. Bower
man, Mrs. Walter Clark of Los Angeles.
Mrs Rothschild Of New York. Mrs l.. 4
Smith Of Huntington. ". Va; Mrs. cyril
taNendish OF Drif,wood, y. y; Mrs
Ldgar ! Moycr,, rs West Eighty sixth
of Minnesota and Mrs. c. q. Burnhan
There occurred AZ thi, point an example
81 the difficulties the committee Is having
with nautical Terms. With all solemnitv
Senate smith asked the witness;
whether the Titanic went down by the
bow or by the hcad:'
They are IN" same thing. aren't they?r
asked Major Peuchcn "a the spectators
Uttered
: "Nc. not exactly the same thing" re-
Piled Senator Smith.
Says IsmRy Was Idle.
Asked If he saw Mr. Ismay. Major
Peuchen said that about an hour after
the ship struck he saw Mr.. Ismay stand
ing alone. bareheaded. on the port side
OF the boat deck. He was then doing
nothing. the Major said.
, Questioned about the temperature and
the presence of ice, Major Peuchen said
that it becanemnch colder early Sunday
evening He admitted this was not
necessarily an indication of the presence
of ice. The icebergs he said. were not
seen by him until about dawn. He said
he nc'er saw the berg that was struck
10y the Titanic.
The next morning. when the Carpathia
passed the scene Of tho accident, did you
ace any broken life preservcrs floating in
the water?' asked Senator Smith
No replied the witness. but l did
see large quantities of floating cork
did not know where il came from"
Major Peuchon received permission
TO read the following statement
do not crticise Capt. Smith but do
Sritcse the policy and methods pursued
by the company. for feel sure in this case
shat caution would have avcrted this ter