New-York tribune., 1912-04-22
'JUST|F|ES SALE OF NEWS
Marconi Company Head Admits
Titanic Story Was "HeId."
"MONEY IN FOUR FIGUReS''
Message of Chief Engineer Sam
mis- to Wireless Man on
the Carpathia.

II was admitted at the Offices Of the Mar
conf wireless Company yesterday that T..
w. Sammis. chief engineer OF the Maroon
| Company OF America, had sent wireless
TO the Carpathis as she was coming INTO
nort telling the Marconl operators to hold
the story OF the Titanic disaster for dol
lars in four figures"
This message read;
stop. Say nothing Hold your story FOR
dollars in four figures Mr.. Marconi agree
ing VIII meet you at dock
The message was addressed to Maroon
officer. the Csrpatha and Titanic and
was signed by Mr.. Sammis. who added his
| official title.
John v Bottomey president Of the Mar
conf company defended the message Dy
saying It was a perfectly legitimate trans
action. He said II was not sent untlI
THURSDAY night. He said he did not kno"
ANYTHING about two other messages said 10
have been sent 10 the wireless operators
on the Carpathia, telling them to hold the
story" The first message, unsigned read:
"Keep YOUR mouth shut. Hold story. Big
money for you"
The second message, likewise unsigned
read
If YOU are wise hold story. The Marconi
company will take care OF you"
Mr. Bottomley said that the New YORK
Office tried hard 10 obtain news Of the
disaster.
"On Monday night" he said, we wired
the Carpathia to send five hundred words
Of reliable news for the public but II was
never sent. because Of the censorship OF the
Carpathia's s captain"
Mr. Bottomley said that the only news
received was the bare list OF names. Whlch
was given out as fast as It came In
He was chagrined TO think that the
United States navy had intercepted tne
''Yamsi' messages. He seemed TO thlhk
II was a breach Of etiquette.
Mr. Narconi denied that he knew any
thing about the wireless in which his name
was used, and he added that he always be-
lieved II would he better TO give out the
news as quickly as possible.
At both the Western Union and the Postal
Telegraph offices It was said that such
methods would not he tolerated for min
ute on the part Of any Of their officials.
A reporter Of The Tribune was informed
on Tuesday night that an order had been
sent 10 nearby MdT'Oul lfuh N'dNi'Io i'N
TO give out any news. saying that all the
, newsAould be given out at the New York
Office Vtnformation was also volunteered
that an order had been issued the same day
TO keep out all persons from the Msrconi
towers unless an order signed by the New
York officers was presented.
When a reporter asked for such permit
he was politely but firmly refused, tho eX-
cuse being given that the towers would be
crowded 4 visit TO one tower showed 1t
crowded" with two operators at work
Eight months ago, when the Prinz
Friedrich Wilhelm Of the North German
Lloyd arrived ahead of time. based on a
wireless message purporting to give her
position three days previously. inquiry was
made of the captain.
These wireless operators take a chance"
said Captain Prehn. You can't 10 any
thing with them When~they get into COM
municatlon with land and are asked the
position. it would he easy enough for them
to send to the bridge and get It. but In
stead they make guess and send that in.