The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1912-04-26
CARRIED INTO LIEEBoAT.

CARRIED INTO LFEBOAT.
1.-TWO boats were broken in parts
while being dropped down, and per-
sons in them We're tossed into the
ocean.
The last boat was being lowered.
There were over hundred women,
II seemed to me, waiting to get into
1t. Fifty persons had already filled
1t when my husband half carried me
and his sister to the side of the half
sunken vessel and lifted us into it.
Col. Astor assisted him.
Mrs. Astor was put into the same
boat with Bessie and myself She
entered it just before we did.
THEN ISMAY CLIMBED IN.
Be brave We're the only two
words my husband spoke as he kissed
me for the last time. Then some
thing that turned my blood cold hap
pened. The life boat was held a mo-
ment-J. Bruce Ismay was Chamber
ing into 1t, and he was being assisted
by couple of members of the crew. |
There was a dreadful expression on
his face as he took a place in the
already overcrowded boat
There were two seamen in our
boat and the third oar was manned
by woman. Not word was spoken
by anyone. 1t was in dumb horror
that those women looked back to-
ward their husbands and loved ones
on board the stricken vessel.
ALL OVER IN A MOMENT.
Il heard the water splash as the
oars were dipped into the water,
which was as smooth and unruffled
as crystal lake. With the excep-
ton of the band, which was playing
Nearer My God to Thee, there was
terrible silence for a few minutes,
and then while each of us was squint-
inG our eyes to get last look at
those so dear to us, there was a crash.
The monster boat had split in two
And then followed a terrific explo-
sion.
In another moment it was all
over. The ship had gone down with
thoSe hundreds of loved ones on it,
and we knew, though we said not a
word, that we would never see any
of them alive again.
None on our crowded boat seem
ed to be alive. 1t was all so horri-
BILE, so unexpected, that the feelings
conquered the tongue. We did not
think of our own fate. The boat was
so overcrowded that waves would
he
SO cold that we were benumbed.
SAW HUNDREDS OF BODIES.
''AIl that l could see on the sur
face of the water after the sinking
of the Titanic was hundreds of hu-
man bodies.
"Once during that night was there
a voice raised. 1t was that of a lit
tie child. Mamma he piped child
ishly, why did ou Diet off that nice
big boat for, cuz this un's not near.
so nicer
Until o'clock the next morning
the boat drifted, when the Carpathia
hove in sight And when the rescue
ship let ladder down its side not
one of the benumbed and bruised
party could ascend without the aid of
hopes"
Mrs. Minahan said Mrs. Astor's
condition was especially critical at
that time.
GOOD WORDS FOR CARPATHIA.
Then, according to Mrs Minahan,
the Carpathia picked up boat after
boatload of survivors until all the
boats that had been set affoat had
been accounted for In some of these
boats a number who had escaped go
ing down with the vessel had sue
cumbed during the night, and the
condition of one woman was pitiful.
In some way her feet had come into
contact with the icy water and were
frozen She afterward died on the
Carpathia.
Mrs. Minahan says the treatment
given the rescued from the Titaric
was excellent "'The Carpathia's
crew, and especially it's captain, gave
us every possible consideration, and
left their own state rooms and quar-
tiers, as did many of the men pas
sengers, for us to occupy. During
the race home these men slept on
tables, chairs and upon the floors.
ISMAY ACTED LIKE COWARD.
In telling of the escape of J. Bruce
Ismay, one of the Titanic's owners,
Mrs. Minahan said: 81 Bruce Is
may acted like a coward | was in
the last life boat lowered, and it al
ready contained fifty-two persons,
several over the number that can be
safely carried, when Ismay jumped
into the boat with the assistance of
several members of the crew, while
l saw at least a score of women
standing wild-eyed on the deck"
DIFFERS WITH EARLY REPORTS.
Information given by Mrs. Nina
han on certain points that have not
yet been cleared up conflict with the
already varying reports of the many
phases of the disaster.
While nearly every newspaper re-
port has said that Capt. Smith was
on deck and giving orders to the
crew in the rescue, work, Mrs. Nina
han said positively that she did not
! once see him, and that Maj. Archie
| Butt was not to be seen aiding in
| this work.
Other statements Mrs. Minahan
| --;4b which earlier rpDOrts diff