The evening world., 1912-04-20
|SMAY DEFENDS HIMSELF
DECLARES SENATE INQUIRY
! ANDH HIS CRITICS UNFAIR
Left Titanic "Only When Women
and Children Were Off," and
"Took No Mans Place."

"Took No Mans Place."
Protesting that his conscience Is absolutely clear and that ne would
never have another happy moment Of life II he believed himself to have|
done the least injustice to . passenger Of the Titanic. ] Bruce Ismay, Man
asns Director Of NE White Star Line says he will sail for England the
moment the Senatorial Investigating Committee has nnlshed with him.
Mr.. Ismay bitterly resens tho accusations that as being brought
against him.
"what do you think I ann Do you believe that I'm the sortt that would
have left that ship Is long IS there were any women or children aboard
hsr' That's the thing that hurts and 1t hurts all the more because ns 90
false and barsless"
% mi. is tn. way h. began to talk when asked tn. question tina. h.
hssu tossed about since his name first appeared upon tho list of survivors.
which grew sharper and more insstent when tho report IA spread he had
CT swsy from the Titanic among the first Of the lfeboat fleet
IT'S q utterly false" he exclaimed. his naturally low voice raapins
and cracked under his nervous strain. That he is not far away from .
complete breakdown is papable. He seeks to hide tho tension under . saas
read that conceas nothing
Tho ready half smile that c,zes at his bidding 10 plainly forced.
Every nerve Is twmchns. and 1t is only BY strong sdtcontrol he holds
seen after tsstifyins bsfore the Senate COMMITTEES.
THINKS INQUIRY UNFAIR.
~rhis whole thing seems unfair-horrsly unfair. Why. I canno. even
protect myself By having my counsel ask questions intended 70 simplify Ia.
volvsd meaning A siarins example Of this happened At the hearing when
VA asked about rowing the boat and I sad I had bear n an. a r. o.-
"At ono. I IVES asked how could have failed to .s her .ane.. n row.
Ing. ! must have been facing her. 1t would have been easy for my counsel to
show that I was pushing At an oar which vas being handled BY two or three
OF y. There was not room FOL m % to sit In tho proper oarsmans podtoa.
ssI hsipsd a. best could BY showing on the blade"
Ismsy b sx feet tall and weighs about 100 pounds. h 10 straixh, and
ns erect eaF1ass gives him q distinctive ait. He is nifty and looks younger.
ts eonDsAon 4 warthy. his hair black and curly. hs ns. Roman. Hs
: HI. eyes are sa.s. and they su.tsn Away. III. mouth !. we'll formed.
alAeesh he lps sssm thin and rather hard. The head 10 small zach
~ bis features IL small. His whole makeup denotes . life Of sas nth.r
than one Of strength, - II no were accustomed to having his own vay
oWaass II 10 given him, rather than because be wins It,
From the 6s1ointed manner In which no speaks II 10 evident that
10 hs not yet recovered from the shock Of shipwreck. He says-~nd bic
sNs ser him out-thAt he has NO clear recollection Of many OF the occur.
rsscss Of the Sunday night and Monday morning Of the tragedy.
wreck I Am sure that nothing wrong was dons-that I ala nothing that /
should not have aons Ny conscience 10 clear. and l have not been .
lenept Judge Of my ac.. ~
Was ENTITLED 70 HIS CHANCE.
Y, II tell you that II ] thought that In the slightest way I had done any.
0ing wrong would never have another happy moment ! took the chance
vAea It came to mel aid not seek It. I rspsa& every woman and child
bad bssa cared for before I left the boat
~And moro. all the mel within reach had been taken rare Of pemr. I
tsok ny turn. And Why shouldn't I take my turn! There are only two
cAos on . ship-ths crew and the passengers. was . passenger.
IT q true ] an president Of the company. but where would you draw
~ hnsf Would you stop . bondholdsr from taking his place in the life.
boas bsonse he has 4 financial interest in the corporation, I didn't con.
Her myself any different from the rest OF the passengers with me. a.
WITH them. II was . case Of the women and children Art, and then the men
.hA their chances. I took no other mans place.
"Whsn ! entered my boat-ths last to leave-I was practically the last
waiting There may have been others waiting for other boats to be lowered
sway. but had NO reason to suppose they would not get away all right I
- srS absolutely Of one thing-that every woman, except those who
wouldn't quit their husbanda. or perhaps a few who never came up from
thstr cabins. had left the Titanic before ST q foot in q boat.
KS Mr. bmay said he was anxious to get back to England a oop u
'phibie %.,o t"
II should like to leave on the Lspiand, but doubt I can. My wife and
haay ar naturally much disturbed. I have received cables implorinr m,
u return forthwith.
while I was on the csrpathia / had the thought Of tr.nshipp,ur 10
to Cedric when We met her. but I abandoned this plan without even d..
'costng II With any one It was quite false to say that / had intended to dc
'seySs was printed here before I arrived. Also, there IL another mint,
want to make plain; I had no hand whatever in any uppresuo Of new.
] had pothng to do with the way In which the wireless VA handled on
tn Carpaha"