The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-18
SEAMAN STICKS ID STORY UNDER FIRE English Hearing Devoted to Conduct of ff-GOrdons STORY FLATLY DENIED Sir Cosmo Duff Gordon Takes Stand and Denies He Offered Reward
 to Seamen to Save Wife
 and Himself
STORY FLATLY DENIED

IIOn0Ons May lI.-DttldId Lldh oAi Cosmo and Lady Duff-Gordon, who were two of the five passengers In partly filled lifeboat, had protested against re-. turning to the scene of the Titanic wreck to attempt the rescue of unfortunate pas- sengers struggling in the water, were re- viewed today by the inquiry commission CTS fashionable audience, including women. heard the argument. The Cor dons, with their legal advisers, paid close attention to testimony
 Charles Hendrickson. the fireman who told of the Gordons alleged conduct, was on the stand for cross-examination and Sir Cosmos counsel took him in hand.
 Hendrickson Maintains Stand
 Hendrickson stuck to his evidence and although he could not specify when he first made the statement discrediting the Dun- Gordons, Sir Rufus Isaacs. the at torney general, was able to prompt him from dispositions taken at the time of the arrival of the crew in England in which the witness had said passengers protested against the boat going back.
 Mr. Dukes examination indicated the case for the Duff-Gordons would be an absolute denial of the story, and that they would support this with the evi- dence of the other members of the crew who were in the lifeboat Counsel for Sir Cosmo suggested that Lady Duff Gordon refused to go into the boat with out her husband, and after the boat was lowered she was so seascx she was un- able to protest.
 Hendrickson admitted she was i'll and said she was unable to converse with him, but talked to her husband Sir Cosmos lawyer suggested that Hendrick- son was the first to hint at reward for the crew of the boat and produced document in Hendrickson's handwriting giving the names of the crew, which he harded to Duff-Gordon to enable him to make out checks of the value of s25 for each of them.
 Story of Another Seaman G Symons, one of the lookouts of the Titanic gave his story of the ifeboat in which the Duff Gordons left the vessel He said the crew had already taken their seats in the boat, when two women rushed out of a cabin and asked First officer Murdock whether they could get into a Dc at. Murdock replied. "Yes. jump in The women were followed by two men passengers, who Murdock also told to jump in.
 Sir Rufus Isaacs: Was there room for more passengers?''
 Symons: "Yes, but there was not an- other passenger in sight,
 Symons continued: When we heard the cries of the people in the water we did not go back we were afraid the beat would swamp"
 Sir Rufus 1saacs: Was the question of going back raised?'
 Symons: Never"
 Was Seen for Duff Gordon
 After some difficulty, Sir Rufus Isaacs crew from Symons the admission some- body had seen him on behalf of the Duff Gordons this week. Symons later ad- ntted Hendrickson might have suggested going back and the Duff Gordons protest ed, but he did not hear it.
 Further cross-examination brought out that another fireman in the Duff-Gordons' boat had made a statement confirming Hendrckson's story.
 Replying to Mir. Duke Symons said mo- body interfered with Murdock when he. was getting the boat away. No induce n,ents had heen offered to the crew of the boat specially to protect anyone.
 James Taylor, one of the crew of the Dun Gordons boat, confirmed Hendrick- sons statement that the passengers had objected to returning to the rescue. He could not say. however. who they were. Witness admitted that he had been seen by somebody on behalf of Sir Cosmo Duff Gordon to whom he had made a state nent and had received seven shillings Ni75) for expenses.
 lNr Cosmo Duff Gordon was then called and denied absolutely that either he or his wife had protested against the life boat returning to the rescue, saying the question of returning had not even been mentioned.
 After the direct examination of Sir Cosmo Duff -Gordon the court adjourned untii Monday.