The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-04-23

Mir Franklin under examination said that he was the real representative of the White Star Line in the United States He said that he or his subordinates had not communicated with Captain smith after he sailed on the Titanies first and last voyage. He said he received no tele- gram from Mr Ismay after the Titanic left Southampton. The same reply applied to the Titanio's officers and passengers.
 Ignorant of Message
 senator smith came then to one of the most interesting points. He showed to Franklin the telegram received by Con- gressman Hughes of West Virginia. The telegram read.
 Titanic proceeding to Halifax Pas sengers probably land on Wednesday. All safe
 tSigned) THE WHITE STAR LINE"
 T ask you" continued the chairman whether you know about the sending of that telegram, by whom 1t was authorized and by whom 1t was sent?"
 T do not, sir" said MT. Franklin "Since it was mentioned in New York Saturday we have the entire passenger staff under examination and we cannot find out We appreciate the fact that on that Monday morning there were many junior clerks at work and there was great confusion 1t is possible some one who had not absolute information might have sent it. l wish you would have the tele- graph company turn over all the White Star Line message to you so that we can see just what happened.
 Asked when he first knew that the Ti- tanic had sunk. Franklin said he first knew it at Si27 p. m. Monday. MT. Franklin then produced a thick package 5i fsiesrafns which he had received Suil- day at noon in relation to the disaster.
 First News of Disaster
 About 20 minutes of o'clock on Mon- day morning." said he, 'I was awakened by telephone ring. l was called by a reporter for some paper. who informed me that the Titanic had met with an ac- eident and vas sinking I asked him where he got the information. He told me that it had come by wireless from the steamship Virginian, which had been appealed to by the Titanic for aid.'
 MT. Franklin said he called Up the White Star docks, but they had no infor- nation and he then appealed to the As seciated Press. This organization told him.
 T asked the Associated Press sad Mir Franklin, not to send the dispatch abroad until we had more detailed infor- nation. to avoid causing unnecessary alarm T was told, however, that the
  co. We had no direct communication from any of the ships Our first attempt to communicate with our big ships was a message sent at a. m. April 15 This read:
 'Haddocl, Olympic: Make every en- deavor to communicate with Titanic and advise position and time. Reply within the. hour
 That was the first message. We fol- ...fft aT.ax. morning we were endeavoring to get data from Montreal and Cape Race. At 10:27 a. m, we got information from the Olym- pic announcing that at 9 a. m., she had been unable to raise the Titanic; was 31p miles south of her, but would main tain her effort to get in communication.
 Between noon and 1 o'clock April r tho following message was. received from Olympic:
 tParisian reports Carpathia in attend ance picked up 20 boats with passen- gers and Baltic returning Position not given. PADDOCK, Olympic!
 The Measuring Statements
 The reassuring statements sent out by the line in the early hours of the dis aster next were made the subject of in- quiry.
 Tell the committee on what you based these statements" directed Chairman Smith.
 We based them on reports and ru- mors received at Cape Race by individuals and by the newspapers,1 witness testified ''They were rumors and we could not place our finger on anything authentic =
 Had you heard from the carpathia at that time?"
 Franklin declared that the Olympic was thet dieratched this message.
 TIaddoek, Olympic: Rumored here 1s tanic sung: cannot confirm here. Expect Virginian alongside. FRANKLIN.'
 'At 2:45 D. m. we wired Haddocls to eideavor by all means" said witness. ito ascertain the whereabouts Of MT Isnay and to advise us as soon as pos sible. We followed this dispatch with another to Paddock in which we urged :. DO your utmost advising HIS fully dis position of passengers and where they will he landed.
 At 6:30 n m. Monday a message vas received telling the fateful news the Car rathia reacheds the Titanic and found aotiiing but boats and wreeSa@e; that the Titanic had foundered at 2;2o a m in Al 16 north latitude and 5i.4 west long itude. that the Carpathla pirked ,ip all Ithe boats and had on board about s75 Titanic survivors. passengers and crew This messqee was from Paddock also
 Was Terrible Shock
 s1t was such terrible shock that II took me several moments to think what to do. Then I teephoned two If our directors. Mir Steele and Mir J. r Nor gan, Jr then went down stairs to the reporters I began to read the message, holding 1t high in my hand. had read only to the second period. which said that the Titanic had sunk wben there was not a reporter on the job. they were so anxious to set away.
 '.I want to sax that during the entire time on Monday after our first real glean- ings, we considered the Titanic absouto Ky unsuitable We never dreamed Of