The Washington times., 1912-04-17
Between Wireless Station Navy Yard Here and the Cpa
DESPAIR REIGNS AT
STEAMER OFFICES
Waiting Throngs Scan Bulletin Boards for News of Lost
Loved Ones-All Social Lines Wip-
ed Out.

NEW YORK, April 17.--There was
not as many Inquiries at the Offices
of the White Star line today so far
as the first and second cabin paS-
sengers were concerned, but many
thronged the third-class Offices.
There were young couples who were
expecting aged parents for whose
passage money they had toiled long
and laborously. a#
Then there we're stalwart workers
who were expecting the sweethearts
who were to make homes for theTl
in the "promiscd land" There was
little Information for any of them
because the officials had not yet COM
pleted the comparison Of the list OF
the saved with the steerage lists
just received.
Some of the inquirers could not
make themselves understood by the
clerks, and their grief was great. At
times men or women would break
IRON the line almost fainting and
with tears running down their cheeks.
Many sustained themselves with hope
because the entire list of the survivors
was not yet available, and forced them
selves to believe that eventually their
Friends of Isidor Straus and his wife
| announced today they had abandoned
hope that either had been saved. They
said they did not believe that Mrs.
| Straus would leave her husband, to
whom she was devoted, unless he could
accompany her into the boat.
Numerous wild rumors that some
passengers had been picked up by liners
| and were being carried to Europe were
circulated, but in every case they failed
| to stand confirmation, and II seemed
! certain that details must wait the ar
rival Of the Carpathia.
H. w. Taft There.
| Henry w. Taft. brother OF the Presi-
dent. called at the White Star OFFICES al
10 o'clock. He told the officials that the
President had especially commissioned
him to find out whether Major Archi.
bald Butt went down with the Titanic
| The. President, he also said, was yer,
anxious to learn the fate of Francis
cials told him they had no further
news, but Mr.. Taft fingered in the hope
| or getting some word.
| Thousands OF messages from. all part.
OF the country have been received at
the offices of the transatlantic line, ap
| pealing to the companies to wireless,
| the captains to take their vessels slow,
through the berg-infested part OF tn,
Most of the messages were from per
sons having relatives or friends aboart
boats now en- route either to Europe OF
The Carmsnia, Of the Cunard Line
was the only liner sailing for Europ,
today. being the only one scheduled e
| leave this port. According to the lin,
officials she left with a full passenre,
list, the Titanic disaster causing M
cancellations.
Morgan Denies.
J., Positive denial tfat J. p. Morgan. tr.
knew of the sinking of the Titani,
early Monday and that he had person
ally demanded and forced the supres
sion Of the news until after the stool
market closed was made by Vice Presi
dent Franklin. OF the White Star line
at noon today. Morgan is a director o.
the company. Franklin claimed tina
neither he nor Morgan knew that tn,
Titanic had sunk until $50 Monda,
night.
Franklin said that there was abso
lutely no truth in the charges that tn,
line purposely withheld the news of tn,
disaster. He insisted that when the,
finally received word that the Titani,
had gone down, at $50 Monday night
they withheld II only until they had re
ceived confirma ton and then they &C
quainted the public with the details a.
soon as possible.
He was told that the Cunard peopl
said that the word of the disaste
reached this city at o'clock Monda.
morning and replied:
I'VE did not have any suciY informa
ton and We believed that the liner wa
unsuitable and, therefore; SAFE
Franklin declared the line was doinI
everything 1t could to recover the bod