Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-06-13
SURVIVORS OF TITANIC
WRECK TELL OF HEROES
tron the Omaha Voice.

Minnowcd among macy pathetic sio-
RIGS OF the rit:llic's catastrophe. was
the story of two priests who went down
with the Titanic while n,iristering to
tlnc stricken passengers. Que OF the
clergymcm & u Rev. riloulas X. U.
RNles. pastor OF tie parish of ST. Helen.
Ongar. ESSEX, England. ~ the archdio-
cese of Westminster. who was un his
WAY to oif!riate ut the marriage of his
German priest whose name is un-
known.
Father Eyles was in the second cabin.
as was the Gerfnan priest. The story
OF their dealt, vas related by three
women survivors OF the Titanic, Ellen
! Mocklarc. Bertha Moran and Miss Nc
Coy.
When the liner struck TIN irroerg.
they sai,i. Father Bylcs came down
the steerass 1'asSa @eway With hand up
lifted commanding the people to be
caln and giving them MS blessing.
"Hc led us to where the boats were
being lowered" said Miss Mockacc.
meanwhile saying his prayers and
helping, Women and children into the
boats. He whispered words of COM
fort and encouragement TO all. The
passengers were deeply Impressed by
enter the boat and save himself"
Father Byies was last seen leadinE
"a group in prayer on the second cabin
deck OF the Titanic when the ship sank.
On the morning g. tho day the boat
struck the iceberg tSunday; Father
i'm the stcerage and most OF them knew
him by sight.
When the Titanic .truck the priest
was OK the upper deck walking back
and forth reading his office, the daily
prayers which forni part of the duties
at aN,.J Catholic rnrinof AfJnn f1n
real danger was apparent. survivors
say. Father Byles went among the pas
sengers, hearing confessions of sons
and giving absoluticn. AT the last he
was the center of a group an the deck
whore the steerage passengers had
crowded and was leading in the rccita-
ton of the rosary.
II saw Father 2yies wncn he spoile
10 us i'm the steerage," said Agnes Nc
Coy. and there was another priest
with him there. He was a German
IL spoke in that language. I ala not
sec Father Byles again until we were
told tn come UP and get into the boat.
He was reading out OF a leather bound
book"-his priests book OF hours
AN did not pay amy attention lie
Thought as the rest of us did that there
wasn't really amy danger. Ther ] saw
hnn put the book in his pocket and
hurry around to help women into the
boats. We were among the tirat to
get away and ! didn't sec him u
| more.
but there was 81 fellow ON tho Car
nathia who told me about Father
Hyles. He was AN English lad who
was coming over to this country with
his parents and several brothers and
sisters. They We're all lost. Flo was
oil the deck with the Storage passen-
gers until the BOAT went down. He
was holding to q piece OF iron. nc told
me-, and had his hands badly cut. One
OF the explosions threw him out " tire
water and nc was picked up later.
'TIs said that Father Byles and an
other priest stayed With the people
after the last boat had gone. and tina.
a big crowd. q hundred, maybe. knelt
about him. They were Catholics. Prot
estants and Jewish people who We're
kneeling there. this fellow told me.
Father Byles told them to prepare To
meet zoe and said the rosary. Tn
others answered him. Father 6yles ana
the other priest, he told inc. wera still
standing there praying wiieI. the water
came over the deck"
Father Byles was 3 convert end va;
ordained in Rome in 1903.