Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-04-20
WIRELESS MEN TELL
ABOUT MESSAGES
Continued from page ~

IF the White Star line sent the
following from New York on April
IS" demanded Senator Smith, Ito
Congressman Hughes in Philadel-
phia, The Titanic is proceeding TO
Halifax and the passengers viii
probably reach there Wednesday all
safe if such a message was sent at
any time, would it have been true?"
again demanded Senator Smith.
1T would not answered Cottam
emphatically
He declared that from Sunday
night until the Carpathia reached
New York Thursday night he had
only about eight or ten hours sleep.
Gotham was more than emphatic
in declaring that neither he nor
Harold Bride, the rescued operator
of the Titanic, or anyone else on
the Carpathia at any time sent out
messages that could be probably
construed into meaning that the pas
sengers of the Titanic were safe and
that the wrecked vessel was pro
ceeding to port.
Harold Bride, the second wireless
operator on the Titanic, WAS brought
on the stand mex in a roller chair.
His feet were crushed in the wreck.
He was brought from the hospital in
an ambulance.
Says Frankfort Refused to Aid.
From Brides testimony it appear
ed that the liner Frankfort, a Ger
man vessel, refused to hasten to the
scene of the wreck. Bride said the
Frankfort was the first vessel to
answer the &C. q. D." sent by John
Phillips. Twenty minutes after
she acknowledged the Titanic's first
distress call" said Bride, "the Oper-
ator on the Frankfort SEN a mes
sage asking whats the natter"
phillips was indignant and Selling
fhe key he snapped out, You damn
fool The Frankfort then sent
STAND by" Phillips gave the posi-
ton of the Titanic and asked for the
Frankfort's position, but she refused
to give it. lie tried several times to
get her position, but she would not
answer. Each time She answered,
"Stand by" and we heard nothing
more from her.
Want Woodruff to Testify.
Senator Smith ordered former
Governor Timothy l.. Woodruff sub
poenaed. Woodruff has been quoted
as saying the White Sar people knew
that the Titanic was at the bottom
of the sea many hours before they
= told the public of the disaster.
Mr.. Ismay and MI. Lightoller, sec
ond officer, agreed that the ship was
making twenty-one knots-twenty-six
miles-an hour when she hit the ice
berg. The officer added the detail that
1t was the intention of the captain to
let her out more and perhaps exceed
the twenty-five and one-half knots
made OF her trial trip. The speed was
mot lessened even after Captain Smith
and Mr.. Lightoller had discussed the
proximity of icebergs at 9:2O o'clock
last Sunday night.
One Lifeboat Not Jsed.
One of the ~llfeboats OF the Titanic
was not used. II was on the top of
the officers quarters on the boat deck
and it capsized when 1t reached the
water. Later thirty men stood in the
upturned boat for four hours. This
is the story OF the second officer, who
went down with the vessel and came
: up again. He climbed aboard the up
turned boat and took command Of it.
Determined to get to the bottom of
the case without an hours unneces-
sary delay, Senators William Alden
Smith Of Michigan and Francis G..
Newlands of Nevada, representing the
committee, will late today go aboard
the Cunard steamship Saxonia and
take the testimony of Harold Bride,
tho NuryipipU prJrnlaSS tn,s nf tho
Titanic, whose ankles are broken and
back il injured.
Drastic legislation requiring every
ship carrying passengers to and from
an American port TO have two wireless
operators will probably be recommend
ed by the committee as the result of
the statements of Gotham, Mr.. Mar
conf and Captain Rostrom that if the
Titanic's distress call had come a few
minutes later 1t would never have been
received by the Carpathia. The oper-
ator had begun TO get ready for bed
and had no one to relieve him.
Last Salute of Major Butt.
w particularly desire one witness
who is now too i'll to appear" said
senator Smith, "who briefly described
10 the committee when the members
went aboard the Carpathia Thursday
\ night the bravery and heroism of the
men who persisted. This witness says
that Major Archibald Butt and Clar-
lence Moor of Washington stood at the
rail and waved n parting salute to the
last boat to leave the Tltauic's side"
Absolute denial was made by Cap
tain Rostrom, Mr.. Ismay. Mr.. Mar
conf and Harold Gotham, the operator
that any instructions had been give
not to answer President Taft's mes