The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-04-27

Washington, April 26.-Brilliantly
lighted, the Titanic dashed full speed
ahead to her destruction, according to
Ernest Gill, a donkey engineer on the
steamship Californian, who testified
today before the senate committee in
vestigating the disaster. He said Cap
tain Stanley Lord, of the Californian,
refused later to go to the Titanic,
dockets from which could be plainly
seen This Lord denied, but he and
the wireless operator acknowledge
having seen the rockets. Their shiI
they said was fast in the ice. Gill
submitted an affidavit to the com
mittee and when sworn and put on
the stand stuck to his charges against
Lord. So indignant did he become,
said GIL, that he endeavored to re.
cruit a committee to protest from
among the crew.
Lord entered a sweeping denial CT
Gill's accusations, and read from the
CalifornianS log to support his con
tention.
Cyril Evans, the Californian's wire
less operator, told Of having warned
the Titanic only a brief time before
the disaster that the sea was crowded
with ice. The Titanic's operators, h
said, at the time were working will
the wireless station at Cape Race an,
they told him to shut up" and "keel
out" Within half an hour the prid-
or the sea was crumpled and sinking.
1t developed today that one reform
that is certain to spring from the in
vestigation will be enforced in wireless
rooms Of ships entering or leavin I
American ports. This concerns thy
lack Of authority over operators, their
pay, hours and freedom from respon-
f-Ft ~ -
mony 70 date. Senator Smith, its
chairman, announced publicly today
that such legislation is inevitable
Lord testified that some ship came
up and lay in four or flve miles of the
Californian. He tried to secure hel
name but failed and that the ship sen,
up white rockets. He was sure they
were not distress signals. He said the
Californian was about twenty miles
from the Titanic. He was certain the
ship that came near the Californian
was not the Titanic.
COMPELLED TO JUMP.
It was necessary for women and
children on the sinking Titanic to jump
three feet from the ships deck to the
life boats and babies were tossed into
the boats, according TO testimony given
bv Geo. Evans, one of the Titanic's
crew. Evans credited this method Of
loading the boats with the heavy loss
of life among the women and children
Evans was examined by Senator
Smith last night and the purport Of
his testimony was made public today
Evans told Senator Smith that when
the boats were swung out they were
at least three feet from the steamer =
deck which was seventy feet above the
sea.
The height was SO terrifying that
women refused to attempt the jump.
Several were thrown bodily across the
gap, Evans said, and one was propelled
with such force that she went far
over the far side Of the boat and was
saved from plunging into the sea only
by her shoes which caught in an oar
lock
Babies and children" said Evans,
were tossed in the poats like sacks
of grain. There was no other way"
Senator Smith announced that a
lamp trimmer on the Titanic whom
he examined last night declared there
said that after four boats had cleared
he went TO the storeroom and discov-
cred the lamps, flares and oil there.
Hurriedly he equipped as many Of the
remaining boats as he could.
Other senators Of the committee put
in a strenuous night with their quotas
Of witnesses, but none finished with
his share Of the work Of elimination.
The inquiry proper was resumed
with P. A. g. Franklin, vice president
Of the White Star Line, as the first
witness.