Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-22
companies comprising the corporation. its
connections and its Capitalization.

companies comprising the corporation. its
connections and its capitalization.
Mr.. Franklin. asked about the Interna-
tional Mercantile Marine Company. de-
scribed its business operations and extent.
What is It's capitalization" asked Sen
ator Smith.
rome hundred million In common and
preferred shares" Franklin replied: $i2,-
100000 in AZ per cent bonds, $19.OOO.UN
in ) per cent bonds and about SI,OoO.OOO
OF underlying bonds.
Company is in the steamship operating
lines Of oceanic steamers transporting
freight and passengers" Franklin con-
tinued.
Can YOU give me the names of the
directors of the various steamship COM
panies?' asked Senator Smith.
Il cannot" said Mr.. Franklin. but l
shall gladly give you the names or the
officers and directors of the international
Marine. The other companies, many of
them, are located abroad"
After Mr. Franklin had read list OF
the officials and directors of the 1nterna-
tional Senator Smith asked. sharply:
You are the real representative Of the
White Star line?''
Yes. sir
Does any one share the responsibility
with you?'
Il am mainly responsible" answered
country and meetings are held fire.
quent,y.'
Mr.. Franklin said he had been with the
line since 1892 and that he had no navi-
cation experience.
Ibid you know Capt Smith of the tt
tanic?" Senator Smith inquired.
Ever since 1SsiS," said the witness. add
ing that that officer had commanded the
Majestic, Adriatic, Baltic, Olympic and
Titanic.
No Communication From Titanic.
so far as you know, did you or any of
your subordinate officers have any COM
munication with Capt. Smith on his last
voyage?"
None at all" answered Franklin. I'VE
did not hear from him in any way or
shape"
so far as you know. did you your
company receive any communication
from any officer of the Titanic after it
left Southampton"
Positively none"
Mr. Franklin said he had received no
communication from Mr.. Ismay except
one by cable from Southampton. This,
he said. was merely a cabegram an
nouncing the complete success of the Ii
tanic's trial trip and the favorable pros
pect for a successful voyage.
This is the only attempt at communi
cation, and so far as you know any at
tempt from officers, crew or passengers
TO communicate with you after they left
Southampton" the senator continued
Yes"
Disavows Dispatch to Hughes.
Senator Smith then showed Mr.. Frank
lin the telegram received by Representa-
tive Hughes of West Virginia, from the
White Star line, as follows:
New York, April II.
-. A. Hughes. Huntington, w. Va.
Titanic proceeding to Halifax. Pas
:engers probably land on Wednesday.
THE White Star Line
Il ask YOU, continued the senator.
whether you know about the sending of
that telegram. by whom it was authorized
and from whom 1t was sent?'
Il do not. SIR" said Franklin. "Since
it was mentioned at thes Waldorf Satur-
day We have had the entire passenger
stan examined and We cannot find out.
Monday there were many junior clerks at
work and there was great confusion. 1t
Is possible that some one who had no alb
solute information might have sent it. /
wish you would have the telegraph COM
pany turn over all the White Star mes
sages to you SO that we can see just
what happened"
Heard Wreck Rumor Sunday Night.
Asked when he first knew that the
Titanic had sunk. Franklin said he first
knew 1t at 6:27 pm. Monday.
Mr.. Franklin then produced a thick
package of kilograms which he had re-
ceived Sunday in relation to the disaster.
About twenty minutes OF Monday
morning, awakened by phone bell,
was called by reporter for some pa
had met with an accident and was
sinking. / asked him where he got
the information. He told me that it
had come by wireless from the steam
pealed to by the Titanic for aid"
Mr.. Franklin said he called. up the
White Star docks. but they had no in
formation, upon which he appealed to
Press then read to him a dispatch
from Cape Race advising Of the acct
dent.
Il asked the Associated Press" said
Mr.. Franklin. mot to send out the dis
patch until we had more detailed in
formation in order to avoid causing
unnecessary alarm. I was told, how
ever. that the story already had been
How did you ascertain the location Of
the Olympic. Baltic and others?' asked
the senator.
G0UICS 10 ODCd1u x6CCS.
I'VE worked them out on our charts.
We had no direct communication from
any Of the ships. Our first endeavor to
communicate with our big ships was a
message sent April Is at o'clock am
This message read as follows. Had
dock, Olympic. Make every endeavor to
communicate Titanic and advise position
and time. Reply within the hour. That
was the first message. We followed 1t
with others rapidly.
Monday morning" he said, I'VE were
endeavoring to get information from
Montreal and Cape Race. At 1927 we
got word from the Olympic announcing
that at am. she had been unable to
raise the Titanic, was $40 miles south of
her. but would maintain its effort to get
In communication with her.
News Received Monday Noon.
Between noon and / o'clock on the
10Th the following message was received
from the Olympic: Partisan reports
Carpathia in attendance. picked up twen-
~ boats. with passengers and Baltic re-
turning. position not given-Haddock.
olympic
The reassuring statements sent out by
the line in the early hours OF the dis
aster next were made the subject Of in
curry. t
Tell the committee on what you based
those statements" directed Senator
smith.
We based them on reports and rumors
received at Cape Race by individuals
and by the newspapers. They were ru-