The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1912-04-26
AS THE TITANIC WENT To IT'S GRAVE

New York, speeding for a maiden voy-
age record. The night was starlight
the sea CLASSY Lights were out in
most of the staterooms, and only two
or three congenal groups remained
IN the public rooms.
In the crows nest. or lookout, and
on the bridge, officers and members
Of the crew were at their places,
awaiting relief at midnight from their
two hours watch.
Danger Warning Sounded.
At Has came the sudden sound Of
/ two gongs. a warning OF immediate
| danger.
The crash against the iceberg which
had been sighted at only a quarter OF
/ milo. came almost simultaneously
with the click of the levers operated
by those on the bridge. which stopped
the engines and closed the water
| tight doors
Captain Smith was on the bridge n
moment later giving orders for the
summouing Of all on board, and for
the putting on Of life-preservers and
/ the lowering Of lifehoats.
Many Men In First Boats.
The first boats lowered contained
more men than the latter ones. as the
men were on deck first and not
enough women to m them
When. a moment later, the rush OF
frightened women and crying chill
drcu to the deck began. enforcement
Of the women first rule became rigid.
Officers loading some of the boats
drew revolyers, hut in most cases the
men. both passengers and crew, be-
haved In way that called for no such
restraint
Report Captain Shot Self.
Revolver shots, heard by many
persons shortly before the end of the
| Titanic. caused many rumors One
was that Captain Smith shot himself
another was that First Officer Muir
dock ended his life. Smith Murdoch
and Sixth Officer Moody are known
to have been lost The surviving Of
iicers Lightoler, Pitman. Bothall and
Lowe have made no statement
Members Of tho crew discredit all
reports Of suicide, and say Captain
Smith remained on the bridge until
just before the ship sank. leapins only
after those on the decks had been
washed away. 1t is also related that,
when cook later sought to pull
him aboard lifebeat he exclaimed:
Let me go" and jerking away, went
down.
.Preservers Effective.
What became Of the men with life
prcservers is q question asked since
the disaster by many persons. The
preservers did their work Of support
ms their wearers in the water until
the snip went down. Many Of those
drawn into the vortex, despite the
preservers. did not come up again.
Dead bodies noated on the surface as
the last boats moved away.
6ard Plays as Ship Sinks.
To relate that the ships string band
gathered in the saloon, near the end,
and played Nearer, My God. to
Thee" sounds lie an attempt to give
an added solemn color 70 scene
Whlch WAS IN ltSeu 'Ae S4lmaN 81 sol
emnity. But various passengers and
survivors Of the crew agree in the
declaration that they heard the music.
To Scme Of the hearers. with hus-
bands among the dying men in the
water and 81 the ships rail, the strain
brought IN thought The words:
50. by my wees IN he
Nearer, my God. 10 thee,
Nearer 10 thee.
Women and children trSt, was the
or3e- in The filing Of the Titanic :
hleeoats. How Wen that order was
tUlo06d the list az UlSSlnS first and
second cabin passengers bears elo-
QUe0t witness. Nj. Is before almost
every name,
Chose Death VITA husbands.
Mrs ISidor Stratus. who chose death
rather than 10 leave her husband
side. Mrs Allison, WHO remained be
! low with her husband and daughter.
and others who. in various WAYS were
Kept from entering the line of those