Milford chronicle., 1912-04-26
Says Passengers in Boat Fear
ed to Pick ANY Up,
NO GLASSES IN LOOKOUT
Frederick Fleet Testifies He Gave
Warning of the Icebehg Some Time
Before the Titanic Struck.

collision with the Iceberg might nave
been avoided if the men in the Tt
tanic's crows nest had been supple,
with marine glasses.
Fleet is the lookout who first sight
ed the iceberg that sent the gian
White Star liner to the bottom. HI
declared that he and other seamer
who served in the crows nest had ask
ed for glasses, but in vain. Fleet told
in detail what occurred in the Titanic
crows nest on the night of the col
lision.
Herbert J. Pitman, third officer Of
the Titanic, gave to the committee q
narrowing account of the groans and
cries that went up from the sea after
the Titanic had made her final plunge
Senator Smith, chairman of the
committee, pressed Pitman regarding
the scenes after the sinking of the
ship.
Il heard no cries of distress until
after the ship went down." he said.
How far away were the cries from
your lifeboat?" Several hundred
yards. 1 told my men to get the oars
out and pull toward the wreck that
we might be able to save a few more
The people in my boat demurred. They
said it would be a mad idea"
Did any one in your boat urge or
appeal to you to go back toward the
Wreck?" mo; not one."
did any woman urge you to go
back?" NO"
"Who demurred, the men with the
oars?" "Oh, no; they oDeyed my or
ders, and all the passengers said it
was a mad idea to go back, that we
should add another forty to the list Of
drowned. Then we took in the oars
and lay quiet"
When Pitman yielded to the impor.
tunities of the passengers ne did not
turn back to see, but merely pulled in
his oars and drifted.
Describe the screams" Don't sir,
please! I'd rather not talk about it."
I'm sorry to press it, but THAT was
it like? Were the screams intermit-
tent OF spasmodic?" 1T was one long
continuous moan"
The witness said the means and
cries continued an hour and that he
made no effort to go to the rescue.
"You drifted in the vicinity Of the
drowning people and made no effort
to give them aid?" asked Senator
Smith in surprise.
please, sir, don't!" pleaded Pitman.
Il cant bear to recall it! wish we
might not discuss the scene"
Il have no desire to lacerate your
feelings" said Senator Smith, "but we
must know whether you drifted there
without offering aid. Answer that and
I shall press you no more"
Il did, sir" answered the witness.
Witness admitted that the lifeboat
he commanded could have held TWEEN
ty-fve or thirty more persons than
the forty-fve who had been ordered
into it. Women wept as this testi-
mOny was given, and the witness him
self bowed his head and lowered his
voice as he answered the questions
put to him by Senator Smith.
Frederick T. Fleet, seaman and the
lookout man on the Titanic, followed
Third officer Pitman on the stand
Fleet, with another seaman named
Lee, was stationed in the crows nest
or lookout from 10 o'clock Sunday
night until the time of the accident |
He reported, he said on the stand, the
iceberg ahead as soon as he saw it.
He said he was unable, however, to |
give any idea how long before the col |
lision he reported ice ahead or how |
far ahead the iceberg was. He struck |
three bells first when he sighted it
and then went to the telephone in the
crows nest and rang the officers on
The bridge up. The person who an
swered asked him what he saw, and /
witness told him an iceberg was |
ahead. The three bells was to notify |
he people on the bridge that some
hing was ahead. Witness remained in
he crows nest until after the acci
lent. About a quarter of an hour after
he collision he and Lee were relieved
" two other lOOkOus. He could not
definitely fix the time that elapsed be-
.WGGu llAG IAlllC nG III oL save tAAAo IL
ormation by telephone and by bell to
he bridge officer and the time the
Doat struck When the witness first
lighted the berg it did not appear very
arge, but it kept getting steadily
arger as they approached.
When they struck the berg it was 4
,it higher than the forecastle heal.
bout fifty feet above the water line
Witness said the vessel did not stop
.fter he gave the telephone signal
ihe did not stop until she passed the
ICEBERG. The engines were not re-
.ersed, but the steamship started TO
o to port. Witness said the men in
ne crows nest had no glasses. They
ad asked for glasses in Southampton
nd were told none was intended for
hem. They had pair from Belfas
o Southampton, but none from South
mpton to New York. They didn't
now where the glasses they had from
belfast went to.