The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1912-04-22
FIX BLAME FOR
UNTRUE STORIES
Senate Committee Questions
Wireless Operators.
EMPHATIC DENIAL MADE

Titanic at 1890 Monday Morning, |
but 1t Was Not Given Publicity Un-
Gil Late That Night.
New York, April 22.-The delay OF
more than twelve hours in getting
news of the Titanic disaster ashore
and the cruel reassuring messages that
came through the White Star offices
all day Monday were subjects taken
up by the senate investigating com
mittee here.
Thomas Cottam, the wireless oper
ator of the Carpathia, was on the
stand.
Definite news of the entire disaster
was sent from the Carpathia at 1880
on Monday morning, according TO Cot.
tam, who says he himself flashed the
details to the liner Baltic. The Car.
pathia was then out of touch with
land stations.
In none of these details no word
| that 1000 or more had gone down
4 MIln AHE 4 lldHAI ltuAhNA lIh hHbl =
until Monday evening
Il sent several messages to the Bal.
| tic" said Cottam, answering questions
by Senator Smith. But | kept no
| record of these. There were many of
them and | was too busy sending. AT
1890 Monday morning | sent all of
the details to the Baltic. 1t was the
whole story. The Baltic was then
| coming toward the wreck. | was not
in touch with land stations at that
time. | told OF the total loss of the
Titanic and of the rescue of those we
had picked up. | told them we were
going to New York"
Would Trail Reassuring News.
Senator Smith then made an attempt
to get some line on the reassuring
news of Monday afternoon that the
Titanic was being towed into Halifax.
Did you send anything in any of
your messages about Halifax" he
asked
Il think that one of my early mes
| sages said We might take the suryiy.
ors into Halifax. That was talked Of
at one time. But later said We were
going into New York.
| 81 did not send from the Carpathia
at any time after the disaster a report
that the passengers and crew had
been saved and that the Titanic was
coming slowly into port in tow. Moth
ing of that nature was either sent by
me or suggested to me by any officer
or passenger or anyone else on the
Carpathia," continued Cottam. Il sent
nothing that could be construed that
way and it would have been utterly
false IL | had sent out any such
word"
IF the White Star line sent the fol
lowing message from New York on
April Is to Congressman Hughes of
Philadelphia, The Titanic is proceed.
ing to Halifax and the passengers
probably will reach Wednesday, all
safe'-if such a message was sent out
at any time would it have been true?'
demanded Smith.
"It would not" said the operator
emphatically.
Did Not Withhold Facts.
Smith asked whether any message
had been sent at any time that might
have been construed as meaning that
the passengers and crew had been
, saved, but the operator insisted that
no message from him could have been
so interpreted.
Did you in any way attempt to
withhold the exact facts about the
J disaster" demanded Smith.
: Il certainly did not" replied the
operator.
did any message reach the Carpa
; this Monday which indicated that 9
rumor was in circulation that all were
| safe and the Titanic was being towet
TO port?"
"No, sir"
| Cottam declared that from Sunday
| night until the Carpathia reached New
York Thursday night he got onl.
f about eight or ten hours sleep. From
I the time of the disaster he worked
a continuously until 5 o'clock Wednes
: day afternoon when Operator Bride o
+ the Titanic, who was among the sur
| yivors. relieved him for a few hours
q Bride, he said, received several mes
+ sages from the scout cruiser Chester
and sent several to that vessel, IN
cluding the list of third cabin passer
gers saved.
!. lsmay Being Watched.
y j. Bruce Ismay, Vice President p.
n s. Franklin and the members of tn
2, Titanic's crew already subpoenae
d were kept under surveillance by aide
S of Sergeant-at-Arms Ransdell. The
n will undoubtedly be taken to Wasl
y ington to tcs ify.
Senate h said that the nee