The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1912-04-25

W MY plol uoNho W pIlIl6 Dtlolt tIla
committee as witnesses q seaman from
each of the rescued lifeboats.
Second Officers Story.
Charles Herbert Lightholder, second
OFFICER of n Titanic, followed Mr..
Marconi on the stand. Mr.. Lightholder
said he understood the maximum speed
OF the Titanic, as shown by her trial
tests, to nave been from 221s to %
knots. Senator Smith asked if the rule
requiring life saving apparatus to be
In each room for each passenger was
complied with.
Everything was complete said
L~ightholder.
Sixteen lifeboats. of which four were
collapsible, were on the Titanic" he
added.
During the tests. he said, CAPTAIN
Clark, of the British board of trade.
was aboard the Titanic to inspect its
life saving equipment.
How thorough are these captains Of
the board of trade in inspecting
ships?' asked Senator Smith.
Captain Clark is so thorough that
we called him a nuisance"
Lightholder said he was in the sea
with a life belt on one hour and a half.
He Saw Ismay.
When did you see Mr.. Ismay?"
When we started to uncover the
boats; he was standing on the boat
deck"
What was he doing?"
standing still"
WAS he fully dressed?"
y! could not say for sure; IT. was
dark"
When you saw Mr.. Ismay 20 min
utes after the collision were there any
other passengers neal him."
II did not see any one IN particu-
lar,' said Lightholder, but there might
have been some"
The witness described the collision as
a slight jar. followed by a grinding
sound"
Lightholder said that on Sunday he
saw a message from "some ship" about
an iceberg ahead. He did not know
the Amerika sent the message. he said.
The ship was making about q to
2lha knots, Lightholder testified. He
understood this was not the best the
ship could do.
did o have an ambition to see
what the ship could maker" the wit
ness was asked.
Naturally at some time"
What was the weather that night"
Clear and fair"
Were you anxious about ice?"
mo, SIR"
And you put on no additional look
out?'
mo, sir"
Talked About Ice Fields.
When Captain Smith came on the
bridge at S:55 what was said?"
I'VE talked together for 20 or rs min
utes about when we might expect TO
get to the ice fields. He left the bridge,
think, about 9:25' and during our
talk he told me to keep the ship on
her course, but If l was in the slightest
degree doubtful as conditions developed
to let him know at once"
Did you keep the Titanic on her
course then?" Senator Smith asked.
When did you next see Captain
Smith"
when I came out Of the officers
replied.
Smith"
90 feet away and LAY a recollection
or seeing the captain walking across
the bridge. I did not then hear him
give any orders. I was too far away.
when Inc Titanic sank were the
Absolutely intact" said Lighthold-
Senator Smith asked what was the
last order he heard Captain Smith
give?
when I asked if I should put the
women and children in the boats p" re-
piled Li%ghtholder, "he responded, Eyes,
and lower away"
"obeyed ORDERS"
What did you do?"
"Obeyed orders"
The last boat, a flat collapsible. to put
off was the n on top Of the officers
quarters, L~ightholder said. Men
Inv rInAN a. 49, ~ IA
for the water to float 1t off. Once at
sea 1t upset. The forward funnel fell
into the water. just missing the raft,
and overturning. The funnel probably
killed persons In the water.
This was the poat I eventually got
on" declared Lightholder. '"No one was
on 1t when l reached it. Later. about
80 men clambered put of the water INTO
1t. All had on life preservers."
: did any passengers get on?" asked
Senator Smith.
-. b. Thayer, the second Marconi
operator, and Colonel Oracle. I recall"
said the witness.
"All the rest were firemen taken out
Of the water. Two of these died that
ter. think the senior Marconi oper-
ator did that"
Died from cold?"
when you left did you see any wom-
en- or children on board?"
mo, SIR"
ANY passengers on so called boat
deck?"
"A number"
An error in his testimony was cor
rected by the witness, saying there
were 20 lifeboats aboard, four of which
were collapsible. One boat stuck in
its tackle and never got off.
How were the passengers selected
to fill the boats?"
by SEX"
who determined who should go?"
II did"
How"
Whenever I saw a woman I put her
In, except stewardesses. l turned those
back"
Did you see any attempt to get
women to go who would not?"
Yes"
why would they not go?"
Il a not the time TO learn"
Twenty five in First Boat.
In the first BOAT to be put off Light
holder said he put 20 to 25. Two sea-
\ TO CROSS ATLANTIC IS i