The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-04-21
ONLY SURVIVING OP- TRAITOR OF TITANIC
 TELLS HIS STORY
 OF THE DISASTER
CONTINUED FROM PAGE D

were in closed cabin and we could
 not hear the crackle of the wireless at
 the mast Phillips kept on sending,
 however, while I buckled on his life
 belt and put on my own. Then We both
 cared for a woman who had fainted and
 who had been brought into our cabin.
 Smiths Final Word
 "Then, about 10 minutes before the ship
 sank, Captain Smith gave word for every
 one to look to his own safety. l sprang
 to aid the men struggling to launch the life raft and we had succeeded in getting it to the edge of the boat when a wave ca rried 1t away. I went with it and found
 myself underneath. Struggling through an eternity, l finally emerged and was swimming 15o feet from the Titanic when she went down. l felt no suction as the vessel plunged.
 ..I did not see Mir. Ismay at all. Cap tain Smith stuck to the bridge, and turn Ing, I saw him jump just as the vessel glided into the depths He had not donned life belt, so far as I could see, and went down with the ship" q regret extremely having had to sub feet you to such an ordeal, said Sen ator Smth addressing Bride because of your condition I would have ayoidsd 1t If possible but the committee thanks you
 most heartily for the forbearance you have shown and the frankness of your testimony"
 Senators Will Not Comment Neither Senator Smith nor Senator New lands would comment on the line of cross examination followed. It was evident,
 however, that the testimony sought was intended to form the basis for a sweeping
 and thorough reform in the laws govern ing the use of wireless on steamships. Whether this would be accomplished through restrictions placed on vessels of foreign register entering American ports or by the subject of diplomatic negotia- tions and understanding with other na- tions neither would say. They declined
 to discuss the question in any way.
 Bride in Invalid Chair An invalid chair was wheeled into the committee court room before the meet | ing. It Was Harold Bride, assistant wire less operator on the Titanic. whose feet were wrenched, that occupied the sedan. 1 Behind Bride came Mir Ismay. 1 1smay showed the effects of the ner- voGsness under which he labored. He an nounced at the start that he had given instructions to all the liners of the In- ternational Mercantile Marine to exercise utmost caution.
 Eight companies were notified to carry
 sufficient protection for every passenger without regard to regulations prescribed by the governments of Great Brtian, Bel gium or the United States. Thomas Cot tam, operator on the Carpathia, the first witness. was questioned by Senator Smith to discover whether any official sought to keep back the report of the disaster Cottam declared he reported the entire
 matter to the steamship Baltic at 1O;sO
 o'clock Monday morning. He denied sending messages that all had been saved
 or the Titanic was being lowed to Halj- fay.
 He denied he knew any such reports were being published to the world He declared he had not sent the informa- | tion on which might have been based | White Star line message to Representa- tive Hughes of West Virginia, reading: Titanic proceeding to Halifax; probably land there Wednesday,; all safe.'' Knows Nothing of Message l Nor do you know that the White Star I line obtai/d such information from any I other opeihtor?' asked Senator Smith, No"
 | cottam said that he was at work Mon day and until Wednesday. He was asked when Bride was on duty. He tried 10 fig- ure this out, then apparently cleared the | situation by declaring emphatically that neither he nor Bride had sent any mes | sages saying that the Titanic was being | towed into Halifax
 l Under fire of cross examination tho operator acknowledged that an hour pre- viously, or at 3S0 Sunday afternoon, he was working on his ledger in the wireless room when he heard the Cal l ifornian trying to raise the Titanic His
 journals were so hot that he did not re- | sI ond they needed recovering l You had the telephone apparatus as
 an item for safety?" Senator Smith asked quickly.
 ''Yes, sir.
 Did Not Answer Call And you did not respond to the call?'', asked MT. Smith.
 No, sir.'
 About five hours before the disaster you took the message when it was in- tended for another vessel, that is, the Baltic?" MT. Smith insisted The operator replied he had done this Asked if the signal might not have
 been misunderstood by passing ships,
 Senator Smith called upon Inventor
 Marconi himself.
 The signal is international, which
 means that>all stations should cease sending except the one using the call" | he said. Letter construction to us Is I the same IS figures of 95 to the Asso-
 ciated Press and used by railroads 10
 clear the way for official matter. Tine | call has now been superseded by the universal call s. o. s. 1 MT. MarcOm Is Recalled | NIT. Marconi was recalled He said the Frankfurt was equipped with Marconi wireless apparatus. He said the signal | of distress received by the Frankfurt should have been all sufficient 10 send the Frankfurt to the immediate rescue Witness then told of his experience with two small boats beneath which he was nearly drowned when they overturned. With a number of other survivors he clambered on the overturned craft ..One of these was Phillips, said the witness, "he died on the way to the Car pathia and was buried later at sea" When Bride gained the bottom of the boat a score of men were there. T was the last man invited aboard" said Oper> ator Bride.
 Did they treat you kindy?'' Yes,
 "The last I saw came when Captain Smith jumped from the ship" vouchsafed Bride
 Witness said the captain was near the ship when it went down. T felt no suction myself Bride ies-. tlfed.
 ong before the hearing was resumed in the afternon crowds besieged the Wall
 dorf-Astoria rooms. but few who had not
 beer sought by the committee were ad-