The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-05-01
|SMAY ANXIOUS
TO GET AWAY
VIII Sail Tomorrow for Liverpool If
He Can Make Escape From
sherlffs and sena-
tors.
WAS GROSS NEGLIGENCE
Just a Few Of the Things Charged
Against the White Star Line,
Owners Of the lll-Fated
Titanic.

UNITED Press Leased Wire Service
WASHINGTON, May with
contempt proceedings threatened in
the local courts today against j..
Bruce Ismay and the Titanic's officers
the henate Investigating committee
held no meeting, awaiting Senator
Smiths probe of the new mystery re-
garding the testimony of Edward j.
Dunn of Beechhurst, Long Island, thai
the White Star line received a tele-
gram relating to the disaster early
Monday morning after the collision.
Dunn, still under surveillance of
deputy ergeants-at-arms, left for
New York today. Agents of the COM
mittee In New York will try third de-
gree methods with him today to Sc
cure the name of Brooklyn man who
gave him his alleged information.
Senator Smith may go to New York
this afternoon personally to follow
Dunn's clew.
Attorneys for Mrs. Louise Robbins,
OF New York, widow of Jacob Astor's
valet today considered filing con
tempt OF court charges against Ismay
and the Titanic officers for ignoring
subpoenaes for appearance before an
admiralty examiner. White Star at
torneys advised Ismay and the off
GERS to ignore the court process They
did. They boarded trains for New
York and are scheduled to sail from
there tomorrow on the Ad7iatie for
Liverpool to appear before the Brit
ish board of trade and parliamentary
Investigations Of the Titanic tragedy
In her bill, which seeks to secure
the testimony of the Britons, Mrs.
Robbins declares her husbands death
was caused by gross negligence" OF
the Titanic's officers. The alleged
negligence which cost 1,400 lives and
worth s15,Ooo,Ooo, is based
on testimony before the senate com
mittee:
That the Titanic was routed on the
northern course, the ice course, too
early in the season.
That ice warnings were received by
Captain Smith hours before the col
lision and utterly ignored.
A That the Titanic's speed from 211h
to % knots on hour, was maintained
at the maximum despite the ice warn
ings,
That lookouts in the crows nest,
saw and gave warnings of the ice
berg ahead several minutes before
the crash.
That the lookouts binoculars were
taken from them at Southampton.
That Captain Smith attended the
millionaires dinner party
Sunday evening and was not on duty
On the bridge throughout the evening.
That only 90 life boats and no life
'afts were provided for the entire pas
senger list and crew of over 1000
persons.
That few of the life boats were
aunched filled to their capacity.
That the officers had trouble" try
ng to close the bulkhead doors of tho
water-tight compartments after the
impact.
That no life boats or other drills
we're ever held and that only cur
sorry test of the Titanic was made at
Belfast before she began her maiden
Ind only voyage.
That all of the life boats were not
equipped
That the Titanic's wireless opera (
ors rebuffed aid from the steamer
Frankfort, said to have been the
nearest vessel to the sinking Titanic. +
Mrs. Robbins attorneys plan to
submit in evidence to support the
'harges enumerated above, practically (
III the testimony so far adduced be
ore the senate committee.
Senator Smith thought that test.
nony may be taken in New York
vhen the hearings are resumed Fri
lay. A few more passengers will tes
ify and probably naval wireless oper.
ltors and experts before the inquiry
,loses. Two or three days more only
will be required, Senator Smith stat
ID today.
The Steamboat Trust.
WASHINGTON, May Ito bring
he big foreign steamship monopolies
within the scope of the antitrust law
md to punish them fer their '.impu-
lent and defiant attitude toward the
commercial interests of the United /
states, the Humphrey bill providing