Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-04-20

what do you do when you close
your station?" switch the storage
battery out" said Gotham.
Does that prevent receiving or
sending messages?" the senator con-
tinued No
Docs it lessen the likelihood of
your getting a signal of any kind? ?"
No. not in the least Gotham re-
| piled.
| You say the Carpathia's wireless
| instrument would send a MESA ge
about $50 miles with accuracy?'
| Yes, sir
| Well how did you happen to catch
the Titanie's message of Distress" Il
was looking out for a confirmation by
the steamer Partisan of previous
message from the Parisian-a message
| that came some time in the afternoon.
| Did you hear the captain of the
| Carpathia testify here today?" No
| He said you We're about to retire
and caught this Titanic distress mes
sage, rather provdential ?" Yes, sir.
| How far had you gotten along in
your arrangements to retire? Had
YOU taken off your clothes?" Yes,
| my coat
| Did you have any instruments
| them" Yes. the telephones were on
my head was waiting for the Paris
ian's answer had just called her.
| How long would YOU have waited
! Several minutes
| Would YOU have retired pretty
soon. you think % Yes"
| We'll, what did YOU hear?" Il didn'.
hear ANYTHING from the Partisan. just
then, but first picked up Cape Cod
again sending Mareonia news" Gotham
said. The Cape Cod relay service
kept up for several minutes. There
| were messages for the Titanic which
| hoped to transfer the next morn
ing"
| When did you first hear from the
| Titanic Sunday afternoon, had
n commercial message from the Ii
tanic for a passenger"
Who was it for?'' "a Mrs. Marshall =
| WAS 1t answered." asked Senator
Smith. Yes, sir"
| How far was the Titanics position
from yours, then?" 81 don't know, sir =
| Well when you got the distress mes
sage from the Titanic. Sunday night how
did YOU get ito" Il called the Titanic
myself, sir"
| Who told you to call the Titane?"
mo one, sir-I did it of my own free
will. l asked the Titanic operator if he
was aware Cape Cod had been sending
messages for the Titanic
Did you get an answer" Yes"
| what was it?' Senator Smith asked
Come at once. was the message, SIR
said Gotham.
WAS that all of it," mo- The opera
/ tor said, think, Come at once-this is
n distress message. c. Q. D." Gotham
testified.
What did you do them" Il con-
| firmed the distress message by asking
| the Titanic if l should report the dis
| tress message to the captain of the
| Carpathia."
| Get an answer?'' Eyes, right away"
What prompted you to confirm the
message before delivering it to the
| captain? Do you always confirm it,"
| No"
Are you instructed to do that or is
it matter Of discretion?'' Matter OF
discretion said Gotham.
Have you ever been misled by
messages that were without founda
| tion?" No. sir a.
What would you have done if the
| Titanic had not confirmed her mes
! sage2' II would have reported ths
message to the commander" said Cot
| tam.
How much time elapsed after you
received the Titanic's distress message
| before you reported it to Capt. Ros
| tram" About a couple of minutes. !"
Gotham answered.
! When word of the Titanic's distress
was received. Operator Gotham said lie
J Immediately sent the position of the Car
pathia and added that they would hurry
| to the rescue.
| Get any reply to that?" asked Senator
I Smith. Yes, sir Immediately. They &c.
knowledged receipt of it,
| The witness said the next communica-
/ ton from the Titanic was four minutes
| later when he confirmed the positions Of
both vessels. AT this juncture the Frank
| furt of the North German Lloyd Line
! broke in on the communication, havin z
/ heard the Titanic's call for help. Later
the steamship Olympic also replied.
What did you do them" asked Sena-
| tor Smith. 81 called tne attention of the
1 Titanic to the Olympics efforts to raise
| it," answered the witness. 1.-The Titanic
! replied she could not hear because of the
rush of air and the noise made by the
escaping steam
| Immediately after telling the Titanic Of
| the Olympic's effort to get in communi-
| cation with her, the former, the witness
said sought the Olympic's aid, reporting
] that she was "hold down. and givin :
| her position. The Baltic broke in at this
time, but its efforts to reach the Titanic
were without avail
! II was in communication with the tt
tanie at regular intervals until the final
message" said Gotham. This was Come
quick; our engine room is filling up to
| the boilers +"
Senator Smith asked Gotham whether
he answered these messages at his own
discretion. mo. sir said the witness.
II always reported them personally to
| the captain
| "Where?" ION the bridge"
"rhen you left your post each time "a
message was received?" asked the sena-
tor, in surprise. Yes"
| The witness said the last message
he sent 10 the doomed Titanic telling
of the Carpathia's rush to the rescue.