The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1912-04-25

tnr3t EXPLOSIONS ~ boiieF Room as
Vessel Filled Added to Panic-Ria
Liners Side Ripped BY Iceberg as
II a Gigantic Knife Had Been Hit
Major Butt Believed to Have FeIied
IL Men Before He Himself if EeIled.
New York-Freighted with her ar
COSY of woe, disaster and death, bring
ing glad reunion to some but misery
unutterable to many, the Carpathia,
with the survivors of the lost Titanic
aboard, came back to a griefstricken
city and nation.
The story she brought home was
one to crush the heart with its pathos,
but at the same time to thrill it with
pride in the manly and womanly forti-
tude displayed in the face of the most
awful peril and inevitable death.
When the great liner went down it
took with her to death all but 745 of
her human cargo Of 2,340 souls.
Six Die After Being Rescued.
To this awful death list six persons
were added. One died in a lifeboat,
which was put off from the liners
side, and five subsequently succumbed
on the rescue ship Carpathia.
The list of prominent men missing
stands as previously reported, and the
total death list as brought to port by
the Carpathia is 1901.
AS the Titanic sank, according to
the story of those who were among
the last to leave her wounded hulk,
Capt. Smith stood to his post, calm,
resolute, efficient to the last, and when
all that mortal man could do for the
1000 lives intrusted to his care he
raised his revolver and shot himself
while standing on the bridge.
The chief engineer is also reported
to have taken his life, and three Ital-
ians are said to have been shot in the
struggle for the boats.
Butt Said to Have Killed Twelve.
1t was reported to the White House
that Major Butt killed IL men who
were scrambling for the boats before
he himself was killed by the crazed
passengers.
y
Of the captains end said that he made
two attempts upon his life before he
succeeded, fellow officers wrestling his
weapon frim his hand the first time
as he stood in the ships library. He
then broke away and, standing at his
post on the bridge, discharged the re
volver into his mouth.
Henry B. Harris, theatrical mana
ger of this city, was one of the mel
who showed superb courage in the cri
sis. When the lifeboats were first be
| ing filled, and before there was any
panic or extraordinary excitement, hi
had been assisted into one of them a
the side of his wife before the boa
was lowered away.
women first!" shouted one of thu
ships officers. Mr. Harris glanced vi
and saw that the remark was address
ed to him.
Goes Back to Meet Death.
"AIl right" he replied coolly. Good
| by, my dear" he said as he kissed hi
| wife, pressed her moment to hi
| breast and then climbed back to tn,
Titanic's deck.
The night was clear and the males
tic. ship was steaming, it is asid, a
| twenty-one knots when she struck thu
i iceberg that sent her to the ocean bot
tom 1000 fathoms deep. Her hull ros
on shelf of the berg, just as has beel
surmised, and in SO doing and in tn
| subsequent recoil her bottom plate
and her port side were badly torn an,
shattered, but there was no such tel
rife shock from the impact as nigh
have been supposed, according to thu
evidence.
/ The captain and officers at once re
assured the passengers, believing tina
| there was no immediate danger.
Return to Their Staterooms.
Under his encouragement many o
them went back to their staterooms
and not few calmly returned to thei
berths. That Is said to account TO
/ the fact that many Of the women wer
/ not even on deck when the imminenc
4 of their danger was realized, ant
scores of them were drowned in thei
staterooms like rats in a trap.
| About one hour before the shi
! plunged to the bottom there wer
three separate explosions from tn
boiler room as the vessel filed. Thes
were at intervals of about 15 minutes
Until then there had been no PAM
and but little disorder. From that me
ment, however, there was differen
scene. The rush for the remaining
4 boats became stampede.
The officers had to assert their at
thority by force. and the three tia
ians from the steerage who had trie
to force their way in among the won
en- were shot down without mercy.
Practically every woman and chile
with the exception of those who r.
fused to leave their husbands, wer
saved. Among these last was Mr.