The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1912-04-23
Third Officer Pittnan De-
scribes Departure Of
Women and Children from
the Ship In Boats Which
Would Have Seated 500
More.
Attributes Explosions Not
to Boilers, But to Bursting
of Bulkheads - Describes
Anguish of Doomed AS
Ship Takes Her Last
Plunge.

Frederick Fleet, one Of the
lookouts in the Titanic's s
crows nest, testified, this
afternoon, before the Senate
Investigating copmittee that
no marine glasses were fur
nished the lookouts.
He had asked for glasses
at Southampton, he said, but
was told there was none for
him. Other vessels, he as
serted, provided their look
outs with glasses.
Then witness swore he
could have sighted the ice
berg which sent the Titanic
to, the bottom soon enough
for the ship to have steered
out Of the way if he had had
glasses.
Washington, April 23-Death cries
OF the Tttanic's 1.400 victims re-echoed
through the Senate, today. when Third
OFFICER Herbert j. Pittman vivfdiy
described the sinking of the great
ship to the Senate investigating COM
mittee. Prayers. cries and monas,
mighty chorus of woe rising from the
trapped victims. The British Officer
told the patheic story in an almost
stolid manner. But even he begged
the committee not to press him along
that Line.
SIT was a continual moan for about
an hour he said 'tIt died away grad
ually."
rs that all you care to say about
that aspect?" .he was asked. 'Td
rather you'd left that out altogeth-
err" the big brawny Briton pleaded
as his voice choked In emotion of re-
collection. Tears welled to eyes OF
many women in the room. Even Sem
ators shaded their eyes as Pittman
described the scene Of midnight ter
ror. Pittman was the first witness,
today.
Fourth Officer Boxlall was too i'll
to resume cross examination.
Pittman told Of the entire voyage.
He said the Titanic was travelling
about 211A knots am hour. He de-
clared he knew the officers were
warned, Saturday or Sunday, Of ice
berge on their route and that the
bergs were charted on the ships map.
He was asleep and hardly awakened
when. the iceberg was struck.
Then followed his tale OF terror. He
said J.. Bruce Ismay met him near
a lifeboat and asked that the boats
be loaded with women. He said that
Captain Smith gave the orders after
Ismay made the suggestion
Pittman said his boat saved 40 pas
sengers and six of the crew. He heard
four explosions before the Titanic
vert down. pitching her perpendicu-
larly.
Women sucked in their lips nervous
ly and gripped their chairs as Pitt
man told the story. A gentle wind
whining and moaning through the
nerves of the crowd. Before all was
the word picture Of the Titanic's end,
told in Pittman's brusQue, laconic
words.
Only a select coterie were admitted
today, to the hearings These were
the wives and relatives of Senator's.
several Representatives, sprmkEng
Of the diplomatic corps and the news
paperTnen.
Ismay and Franklin, today, secured
concession from the Senate In hav-
ing the hearings begun at 10 O'Clock.
instead OF a. naIfs QOur later. InlS IS
to conclude the testimony Of the Ti-
tanic sailors as early as possible to
enable their return abroad, most of
them residing in England. Night ses-
sions are also planned by the COM
mittee until the crews testimony is
completed. No additional subpoenaes
have been served but several more
American survivors among the pas
sengers will be called. The hearings
may not be completed for two or three
weeks because of the intermittent ses-
sions of the committee.
Mrs Luciene B. Smith, daughter of
Representative Hughes, of West Vir-
ginia, will be one Of the first passen-
gers to testify. She is in New York
recuperating from the shock of her
exposure and the loss of her bride
groom husband. Representative
Hughes is with her waiting until she
recovers to bring her here before the
committee.
Major Arthur Peuchen. Of Toronto,
millionaire yachtSmen, has arrived and
will probably be one of the first pas
sengers heard. He was brought from
Canada with a committee subpoena.
Major Peuchen charges the Titanic's
officers with gross negligence. He
says their carelessness caused the dis
aster and asserts that Captain Smith
was at a "millionaires' dinner party
Just before the Titanic crashed into
the iceberg.
Characterization of Fourth Officer
Boxhall, Of the Titanic. was resumed