Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-04-22
Sea Gives Up Its Dead
Titanic Wreck Victims


modated certainly six or more pas
sengers in addition if there had been
any on the BOAT deck to go.
at is impossible for me to answer
every false statement, rumor or inven-
ton that has appeared in the newspa-
pers. I shall. therefore, make no
further statement of this kind, except
to explain the messages I sent from the
Carpathia. These messages have been
completely misunderstood
The only purpose I had in sending
these messages was to express my de-
sire to have the crew return to their
homes in England for their W benefit
at the earliest possible moment, and
I also was naturally anxious to return
to my family, but left the matter Of
my return entirely to our representa-
tives in New York"
First Oncer Knew of Bergs.
In retelling Il a reporter the story of
the disaster Whitley repeated hat
First officer Murdoch. of the Titanic.
committed suicide because he had
known a quarter of an hour before she
strucl. that the liner was headed for
an iceberg.
Continuing he said: People fingered
long over their dinners Sunday night.
Just before the doors closed at $3.50
/ Chief Surgeon O'Laughlin got up in
his chair at the head of his table,
which was next to the one 1 served.
In his hand was a glass of champagne,
Here's to the mighty Titanic!" he
said. Long may she defy the seas!"
Captain Smith dined as usual at
the head of his own table, Mr.. An
draws on his right; on his left a very
beautiful woman, who always wore
white furs of great richness but whose
name | did not know. Mr.. Ismay dur
ing the whole trip sat at one of the
small tables for two persons. Through
out the voyage he was always served
by the head waiter; always he ate
lone.
when the alarm was rung we began
rounding up people and started the
boats off, beginning forward on the
port side and working around to the
starboard. John Jacob Astor could not
have helped any n into the boats
after Mrs. Aston was put into the life
boat, for one one was allowed to do
that but the people of the ship. But I
saw him just outside the smoking
room. ] knew him well, for he sat at
the next table to mine in the saloon.
Steward he said to me, are we
going to pull through
Don't you doubt it, sir I answered.
she's GOOD for seven or eight hours
yet, We all believed she was practi-
cally unsuitable.
HE took out his cigarette case and
handed me a cigarette. Then he liz
one himself. / saw hin go into the
smoking-room and sit down. 1t was
only a few minutes later that the end
came, believe Mr.. Astor met his
death there.
1.-The last boat was Just putting off.
The order lar come to slash the falls
and all but one was cut. I was told to
leap for it. My foot. as I went over the
side. caught in the fall and 7 was badly
burned, though / never found 1t out till
I reached the Carpathis. OF course I
went down. Somehow I cut myself
loose from that rope and arose amidst
a lot Of wreckage as the Titanic was
sinking. Four Italians and I chung to
a stateroom wardrobe that floated up
fromgthe wreck. One by n the others
dropped off, overcome by the cold.
Tells of Murdoch Shooting Self.
"Then 7 drifted near the overturned
boat of Second officer Lightholler.
There was no room for me. BY and by
one of the men died and / took his
place. AS we stood there, each man
holding on to his neighbours shoulders,
fearful every moment that some 1urch
would send us off again into that icy
water, two of the men / knew had been
on watch in the crow's-nest that night
spoke UP.
cts no wonder Mr.. Murdoch shot
himself, said one to the other. I asked
them why.
From the crow's-nest we sighted
the iceberg that hit us at 11:15.' he re-
piled. L at once reported 1t to Mr..
Murdoch. 1t was not white, but a sort
of BLUSH color, plainly distinguishable
against the clear sky. Twice afterward
/ reported the berg to Mr.. Murdoch. |
could not see that he at all varied the
Titanic's course. He knew he should
have changed his course He shot him
self because he knew IT.
Now. | carry an old gold watch of
my fathers that has always kept fair
time and that 1 was in the habit of
setting every day by the ships time.
My watch showed II: 80 when the ship
struck. The time [ read here in the
newspapers must be wrong. / believe
known about the iceberg a quarter of
an hour before we struck.
Fright Killed Operator.
Along toward morning seven boats,
tied together, came toward us and TOOK
us off. In the one to which | was as
signed was Wireless Operator Phillips,
a friend of mine. File died before dawn
from fright and utter exhaustion. 1
think. As he lay there he told me that
soon after We struck he had signaled
the California and the Frankfort, the
latter of which could not have been
more than fifteen miles away. He had
been talking to both of them not Ions
before, he said, inc his wireless com
munication with Cape Race told him
that both Marconi men on board had
gone to bed, so did not hear his call.
He said his first message to them waal
Come at once. Titanic sinkinR.s
1