Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-09
REOPEN INQUIRY
IN TITANIC CASE
News Agency Head Question
ed as to Dispatches Say !
ing Vessel Was Safe. !
STATES INFORMATION !,
WAS FROM WHITE STAR
MIR. Franklin Said to Have An.
nounced Ship Was Headed for Port,
SEEK SENDER OF HUGHES WIRE

Committee he Cannot Find Clue
in Matter of Message
to Representative.
Inc itanic Inquiry was reopened bv
the Senate investigating committee TODAY
TO permit testimony by Maurice L Far
reil OF New York city, managing news
editor OF the Dow-Jones Company. A
number of affidavits and letters were
read into the record, including a state-
ment Of DR.. F. c. Quitzrau. a passenger
on the steamer Mount Temple. along the
lines on which Dr. Quitzrau already has
been quoted.
Senator William Alden Smith af Michi-
gan, chairman of the subcommittee that
is making the investigation. was alone In
questioning Mr.. Farrell. who was called
to throw light on reports that were cir
culated during the day Of Monday, April
Is. eefore the night dispatches showed
the supalling extent of the accident
I'm your bulletin at 9:33 an that
morning." asked Mr.. Smith. syou said:
Mr.. Franklin said he had recefyed a
brief dispatch from the Olympic opera
tor saying he had talked with the IT,
tanic'?"
Mr.. Farrell said that the information
they sent out was virtually all from the
White Star Offices, either from Mr..
Franklin. the vice president OF the White
Star line. or his subordinate officers.
Passengers Said to Be Safe.
Senator Smith read from "a dispatch
received from Halifax reports that all
Of the passengers OF the Titanic left the
steamer after $50 o'clock this morn
ing" Mr.. Farrell identified a memoran-
dunn accompanying this dispatch, dated
1858 am. which he said was received
from the Boston News Bureau. the Bos-
ton correspondent of the company.
did you attempt to verify this at the
White Star of1ces?" asked Senator Smith,.
I'VE did. Prior to that We had received
from the White Star offices a statement
hshed In our ticker service at 8:85 am"
Mr.. Farrell was asked to read into the
record all his ticker news service on
Monday following the sinking OF the IT,
information contained therein. The basis
Of dispatch of $40 q. m. Monday, an
nouncing the accident. was the morning
papers. Items at 9:O2 and at 9:25 were
sent out based on statements obtained
by his reporters from Vice President
Franklin of the White Star line
From the Laffan news bureau. Mr..
Farrell said. he obtained the basis for
in London to have Lloyd's reinsure the
Titanic's cargo.
Did Not Verify Report.
Did you attempt to verify the reports
Senator Smith asked.
mo-. sir" replied the witness.
Didn't you send a reporter to Lloyds
to substantiate it?'
mot that l can recall. We were too
busy"
Have you been criticised for sending
out the item?'
mo direct criticism"
What do you mean?"
mo one has made his criticism to me-
Mr.. Farrell told of the great crowd and
excitement at the White Star Offices.
Everybody. he said. was clamoring for
information there. Questioned as to the
earlier dispatches, he said every effort
was made to verify them. He said the
Dow-Jones Company had reporters at
the White Star Offices all day.
Montreal Star Dispatch.
Chairman Smith asked him about the
Montreal Star dispatch. that unofficial re-
ports stated the Titanic was still afioat
and heading for the coast This was
timed 9:43 am, according to Chairman
Smiths memorandum, but Mr.. Farrell
says he was unable to find 1t in the
record of his news service. He also was
unable to find a dispatch timed 9:53 Am.
giving an optimistic statement of Vice
President Franklin. saying that the Olym-
pic had just ueen reported as having
been in direct communication by wire-
less with the Titanic.
The item about 1870 announcing that
the Titanic was heading for Halifax. Mr..
Farrell said. was obtained by Reporter
Byrne from Vice President Franklin.
The item at 1855 reporting that the
Virginian was alongside the Titanic was
said to have been received by the Laffan
News Bureau. Another was read quoting
Mr.. Franklin as insisting that the Titanic
was unsuitable.
witness read an item published at 30r
p.m announcing that Vice President
Franklin would send a special train To
Halifax with twenty-three coaches TO
meet hs the Item said tRis would
date TO persons. Mr.. Farrell said Mr..
Franklin gave the information to Re-
porter Byrne.
THAT would seem to Indicate that Mr.
Franklin then had information as to the
actual loss of life and knew then the
survivors were only about 1907" queried
Senator Smith.
Taken at its face value, It would. seem
So but will explain later how the White
Star people explained it to me the next
day."
Let us see. II would indicate there
were only 700 survivors,
"I don't want you to put words in my
mouth"
"Oh, no."
Messages Confiicted.
At 3:15 pm. Mr.. Farrell said he sent
out an item received from the Laffan
bureau to the effect that The news had
been received at Halifax that the IT,
tanic was being towed to Halifax.