Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1912-04-25


steamer Mount Temple, which
landed ut st. Johns last Friday.
MAS received by Chairman Smith,
OF the senate Investigating com
nittee, today from ol. Quitznlan.
Who says he saw the catastrophe
and indicated his Willingness tn
appear before the committee This
announcement WAS made during
. the recess today of the inNest
eating committee. The premier
of Canada is in communication
with the committee With u View
to- clearing up this phase of the
disaster
On the Fifth Day.
The committee began its Gftl day "t
inquiry today with the hope that before
its close there will have been fixed tho
question of responsibilities for tho col
lision with the iceberg that proved thu
great ships undoing. Frederick Fleet
the Titanics lookout man. who WAS in
the CROWS nest at the time OF the col
lision Mas subjected to another fire oi
questions in an effort To get him 4.
fix the time he first reported the nb-
slriiction to the officers on the bridge
This he was unable to do.
There was the usual crowd of th,
curious in tho cofrtiors of tl" SENATE
office building long before the commit
te. met. The great majority OF then
w..r" women VIII" used AL their wl"s
/ and cajolcIi.s i'm vain efforts to gel
past the two giant capitol 2li:,rds VIII
stood sentinel at the doors I'm, colil-
| mittee refused 10 permit amy ols in
side the room except the Mtirs scs. III
slirNivn,s and The Representatives %
4 the press.
! senator William Alden Smith. 0
u r. .l,.,,. It,,
.,tte: urrting with his colleagues
that the British Witnesses would b.
allied as rapidly as possible before am,
| more Passengers Wei" examined.
Fleet is Recalled.
/ Frederick Fleet. lookout ON th" ii
tanic, was recalled as the first witnes
ot the dag.
4 Senator Burton asked.
',M'hrn sou wcrc on the Titanic. Wr
1 your nycs examined "
I Yes"
I How often 2"
! '.t'r"quantlN
can you distinguish color "
! Yes sir
Did you. when in the Titanic.
/ crow'- nest, see a light -
/ NJ saw no light until ] got in TN
! lifetp,at. Then ! saw u bright light oi
| The forward bow. ] don't Know what j
Mas. SIR Lightoller saw il before W
| got OFF the Titanic and lol, US 70 nul
| toward it, 1t finally disappeared. w
] never made out what il was.
When you have binoculars wha
! share of time do You have the siasse
! to your eyes while on the lookout.
/ III we fancy w. see anything on IN
| horizon. said Fleet then we use tn
glasses TO make sure.
Helped to Load Boats.
Senator Fletcher asked Fleet IL IA
had helped in the loading of the boats
Yes sir
Had you ever had any experience II
loading and lowering lifcboats.
.All Of us do in ,hc White star"
He said he saw no iifcboats loadc
o,lie, than No .. the boat in which h
/ pulled away with about 80 passengers
Were there any women lef, on tn
! decks who did not get in the boat ~
NO sir"
Did you call for them
! Yes sir
The witness said there were a mum
be, Of men on the decks but that nor
of them sought or even asked to y
taken on.
4 Did you hear aEy cries for help"
asked Senator Smith.
Yes, but the. We're very faint
did you go back to help
NO sir Some of the passenger
wanted 10, bat the quarternasser. VIII
was in command, ordered MS to kee
/ on rowing.
How fer were you from tho Titani
| when il sank
| oh. it mist have been Il mile"
From your experience in trying t
! estimate how far the Titanic WAS fro,
the iceberg when you sighted il.
/ should say you did not nave any judg
mcnt of distance" Smith commented
NO more, haven't" Fleet answered
| and then was excused.
1 Senator Smith lncn arose and for
nally announced that he wanted 1
meet an inquiry that had arisen as t
the purposes of the committed.
"It Is to get all oc the facts attend
ing this catastrophe" he said. "Th