The Washington times., 1912-04-30
MACKAY,SENNETT
IN HALIFAX, CAPTAIN
HAS THRILLING TALE
Says Bodies Floating in Sea
Were Like Vast Flock
of Gulls.
Continued from First Page.)

I'VE found 40 two bodies together
All floating separately. No two were
clasped in each others arms or any
thing like that. In one place we saw
them scattered over the surface, looking
like flock of seagulls. They looked like
gulls with the white ends of the life
belts futtering and tapping up and
down with the rise and fall of the
waves.
Many Injured.
"A great many of those recovered
were injured when the Titanic went
down. When the water swept her decks
many must have been rushed before 1t
and carried against stanchions, against
spars, and other parts of the vessel.
All of those we picked up wore life
belts and they rode upright in the
waves, the belts Carrying them high
above the water.
"All day Wednesday we were in thick
fog, and 1t was blowing hard from the
southwest. We saw nothing all day.
About midnight the weather eased up
bodies. At $50 o'clock Thursday MORN
ing we found one drifting near us. We
let her drift until daylight and then
commenced work. We picked up eighty
seven bodies that day. Thursday | got
a message saying the Nina was coming
. out to assist us. She arrived about
forty-five minutes after midnight Fri
day., s,,,,r,t ,no +wo sn,ns started
searching together. At noon I picked
up fourteen more bodies and then start
ed for Halifax because we had as many
on board as we could look after. We
experienced bad weather all the way
in
Captain Larnder outlined the method
of caring for the bodies after they had
been picked up.
I'VE had FIVE men in each small boat,
he said. when they went to look for
bodies they kept within sight of the
bridge Of the Mackay-Bennett, and we
picked up four or five bodies, If the
weather was heavy, we would bring
them in. II the weather was calm
they could handle seven otSrsS or eight nna IN "a
and when they were searched, the con-
tents of the pockets and their valu-
ables were placed in canvas bags. haV-
ing on them the same number as that
on the body. In this way We made
some identiications long after the bodies
were taken aboard.
I'VE brought in the bags of all who
We're buried at sea. and some of those
committed to the deep may yet be identi-
fied by the contents of these bags. We
eI dra tS,r9 of aSG1t 1t thirty
sixty miles northeast of the scene of
the disaster. All of the bodies found
were in the cold waters north Of the
gulf stream.
Three Burials.
1--WE had three burial services at sea.
One Tuesday night. one Wednesday
night, and one at noon on Thursday.
The bodies were sent over the side
thrae at time.
mo bodies that we found contained
any bullet wounds
~tai,. aIot
sion in the Identification of George d.
Widener, of Philadelphia
We thought Il was Widener, at
first. be cause the body had letters ad-
dressed % Mrs, Widener. but the quail
ily of tn" understanding worn bv the
body was not such as would be worn
by first class passengers. His overcoat
bore the initials e. * The head was
terribly crushed. and the pody would
nSt keep, 50 we l9i buried it at ,ns sea. M, N:
found on the body. said he was certain
that the body was that OF Edward
L feel certain that all of the pas
sCngcrs picked up have already been
Identified, and that the unidentified
feel sure that those buried at sea were
practically all either ceamen. stewards,
or other employees of the White Star
Company.
II think there We're about eighteen or
twenty women among the boules picked
UP. We have quite a lot of iewelry
taken from, both men and women. I
don't know how, much cash We took
Lardner said hs did not believe the
Alnia would succeed in securing many
more bodies unless "he strikes streak
Of them ="
Forced to Wait.
Relatives who have waited patiently
for the coming ofNthe Mackay- Ben
nett, hoping that they would be able
TO claim the dead within a short time.
are sorely disappointed this after
noon, when it was annoupced that
many of the bodies would not be in a
condition for examination until late
tomorrow.
Many of the recovered forms were
in such terrible condition that three
or four hours were required to en-
that no relatives would be permitted
inside the morgde until late today,
when few of the bodies would be
ready for the work of Identification
by relatives or their representatives
Hundreds of curious people throng-
ed the streets leading from the navy
yard to the morgue, seemingly fascin-
ated by the constant procession of
hearses as they dashed to and from the
pier. few weeIing relatives begged
pitiahly for an opportunity for one
at lne recovered nut the
coroner urged them To return to their
hotels until the bodies had been en-
balmed and dressed for burial
Undertakers in charge insisted that
II they were given plenty of time all
Of the bodies would be easily recognized
Given Clear Track.
The Mackay- Bennett was given a
clear track up the center of the bay.
About the government dock, where she
was to be berthed, hundred blue-clad
sailors, with mourning bands on their
round caps and on the sleeves of their
blouses, leaped into boats and rowed
out to keep all craft away from the
great naval dock where the vessel was
to be Tied up.
At the same time detachment of
British bluejaCkets from the cruiser
Niobe marched on the pier and cleared
II of every one not holding an official
pass. They carried side arms and they
were instructed 10 keep every one
away.
They then placed an awning entirely
about the portion OF the dock assigned
10 the Mackay- Bennett and prepared
the covered gang plank which was run
no a obi