The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-04-19
j. Bruce Ismay, Managing Director of White
Star Line Was First Witness and Tells
of the Great Disaster.
He ESCAPED IN The FOURTH BOAT
Saw Less For Man With Two Eyes Than Prob
ably Any Other of the Fifteen Hundred
Men on Board.

| limited Press Leased Wire Service-l /
/ NEW YORK, April 19-J. Bruce
! Ismay, managing director of the Mer-
camille Marine company, owners OF the
ill-fated Titanic, took the stand as the
first witness before the senate inves-
tigating committee probing the II
tanic disaster today. After 1smay had
been sworn by Chairman Smith he was
i questioned at length. Hc said:
j "My name is Bruce Ismay. am fifty
years DID, am an officer OF the White
Star line in the rapacity OF managing
director. / was not officially desig-
mated by the directors to go with the
/ Titanic on her maiden voyage"
Tell in your own way what you
!, consider the cause of the accident to
the Titanic said Smith.
} First of all / want to express my
great grief began lsmay. Secondly
wish to say that we welcome inves-
tigation: we court the most rigid in
quiry and that we have nothing TO
conceal or hide.
"The ship was built In Belfast and
was the latest thing in ship building.
= No money was spared in her construc-
a tion. She was not built by contract
9 but by commission
e Ismay then reviewed the early his
: tory of the Titanic. When she was
laid down. when she was launched and
Y the details leading up to the start OF
her maiden voyage. He said that the
S weather had been fine every day after
t she left Southampton until the mid
t. ocean crash, with the exception OF
C about ten minutes when a dense fog
Il enccmpassed the vessel. He said:
IL lsmay Was Asleep.
e The accident took place the Sun
e day night following the Wednesday OF
her departure was asleep in mS
n stateroom at the time The ship sank
d am told, at 2:2O O'Clock Monday
|. morning. I understand 1t had beer
IS stated that the ship was going at ful
e speed when she crashed into the Dis
herg. She never went at full speed
III If the weather OF Monday and Tues
IL day had been good it was our inten
rs ton to go at full speed
lie Smith then asked Ismay to describ
lg what took place after the collision
s. Ismay said:
ed II lay in my bed few minutes no
a knowing what had happened | wen
st out on the deck and asked an office
what he thought the trouble was. ii
said he did not know. returned
NV stateroom, dressed myself an
Il went to the bridge where I met Cal
ny tain Smith. | asked him what ha
by happened. He said the ship ha
ic. struck ice and he feared it was Sc
hit iously damaged rushed down to tn
VS. office of the chief steward and he tol
ng me he feared the ship had been sc
all iously damaged ] went back to tt
bridge and heard the order given
,re get out the lifeboats.
,rs 81 assisted in getting them out.
went to the starboard side of the sh
and stayed until the fourth boat he
been lowered which I understood W;
the last boat which left the Titanic.
90 not Know WHelUtE Tie captain otti
= ed on the bridge
"Did the other officers seem to kno
the serious condition of the ship
r asked Smith.
Il couldn't say. had no convers
u ton with them"
a Dapper and neatly dressed in bla
- frock coat with white piping in
. vest the managing director twirl
y the ends of his military moustac
n nervously as Smith endeavored to g
4 specific details His memory was b
in spots He turned to Vice Preside
= Franklin, who sat nearby, sevel
If times during his tS~timony as If
pecting support Or prompting.
Ismay said he had choice suite
IS rooms on the third deck from the
S. near the captains quarters.
- Not Trying for Speed.
W did you consult with the capti
it regarding the ships movements
y. asked Smith
NO." replied Ismay emphatica
: 'I want to say this right here.
were not attempting to- make |
II speed records. We did not plan to