The Sentinel=record., 1912-04-19

fatlgue. We were afrdld To turn around to see whether we were seen by passing craft, and when someone who was facing astern passed the word that something that looked like a steamer was coming up, one of the men became hysterical under the strain. The rest of us, too, were nearing the breaking point"
 Colonel Oracle denied with empha- sis that any men were fired on and had declared only once was a repol. yer discharged.
 'This was to intimidate some steer age passengers" he said, "who had tumbled into a boat before it was preparing for launching. This shot foreigners were told that the next would be directed at them, they promptly returned to the deck. There was no confusion and no panic" Colonel Oracle was in lis berth when the vessel smashed into the ice berg and was aroused by the jar. He looked at his watch, he said, and found it was just midnight. The ship sank with him at 2:20 am, for his watch stopped at that hour.
 "The conduct of Colonel John Jal cob Astor was deserving of the hig' est praice," Oracle said "The mi lionaire New Yorker" he said. de voted all his energies having his young bride. nee Miss Fol CT yaw York, who is in delicate hehlth.
 Colonel Astor helped ds in our ef- forts to get her in the boat" said Colonel Oracle. q lifted her inp the boat, and as she took her place. Col oAel Astor requested permission of the second officer to go with her for her own protection.
 No sir replied the officer. not man shall go on boat until the women are all off, Colonel Astor, in quiring the number of boats. which was being lowered away and turned to the work of clearing the other boats and in reassuring the frighten- ed and nervous women
 By this time the ship began to list frightfully to port. This became so dangerous that the second officer or dered everyone to rush to starboard. This We did and we found the crew trying to get a boat off in that quar- ter Here l saw the last of John B. Thayer and George B. Widener of Philadelphia.
 | Colonel Oracle said that despite the warnings of iceburgs, no slowing down of speed was ordered by tine commander of the Titanic There were other warnings, too, he said.
 "ln the A hours run ending the 14th," he said, "the ships run was < 546 miles, and we were told that the next 24 hours would see even bet ter record posted. No diminution of , speed was indicated in the run The officers, I am creditably informed, had been advised by wireless from other ships of the presence of iceberga and dangerous floes in that vicinity. The \ sea was as smooth as glass and the weather clear so 1t seems there was no occasion for fear"
 When the vessel struck" he con tinued, "the passengers were So ht- tie alarmed that they jolxed over the matter There was not the slightest indication of panic. Some of the frag' ments of ice had fallen on the deck and these were picked up and passed around by some of the facetious ones who offered them as mementoes Of the occasion. On the port side a glance over the side failed to show any evidence of damage and the yes sel seemed to be on an even keel James Clinch Smith and l. however. soon found the vessel was listing heay- fly. A few minutes later the officers ordered men and women to don life presersess
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