The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-04-26
lsMAy is DENOUNCED ON FLOOR
OF SENATE

and Lives Risked for speed RECORD.
Fro mSunday's Daily:
A dispatch from Washington says
that an indictment rarely equalled in
it's vigor, of ]. Bruce Ismay, manag-
ing director, and other officials. of the
White Star line, holding them respon-
sible for the Titanic disaster, was de-
livered in the United States senate
Friday by Senator Rayner OF Mary
land, who pictured Ismay as 1.-The Of
ficer primarily responsible for the
whole disaster, who has reached his
destination in safety and unframed.
Senator Rayner pointed out that
while there were no civil nor criminal
remedies available in the American
courts, criminal and civil suits could
he brought in the British courts, ana
that a congressional committee would
have absolute authority to subpoena
every one connected with the disaster
and that if anyone should refuse to
answer questions, he could be indlct-
ed and imprisoned for contempt.
.'Mr. Ismay claims, according to re-
norris that he took the last life boat"
cried Senator Rayner. Il do not be-
lieve it, and if he did it was cowardly
to take any lifeboat, for the manag-
ing director, with his board, is Grim
inaIlv responsible for this appalling
tragedy.
.'If this had happened on an Amer
lean vessel there would be no ques-
ton that an Indictment would be
found, and if the facts We're sustain
ed, the officers of the company could
be convicted of manslaughter, ii not
of murder. because the evidence IS
clear tn lathe vessel was not properly
equipped with life-savlng apparatus.
81 have not the slightest doubt that
the northern route was taken in obe-
dience to Mr.. Ismay's direct orders,
and that with full warning he risked
the life of his entire ship to make a
speedy passage.
81 care not what the rules Of the
British admiralty are. Here you have
the spectacle of the head of the line
falling to see that his ship was prop
erly equipped with life-saving appa-
ratus. needless of the warnings that
he was sailing in dangerous sea,
forsaking his vessel and permitting
1900 of her passengers and crew to be
swallowed by the sea. The martyr
dom and agonies of separation that
took place on board the sinking ship
are too fearful for the mind to dwell
upon and contemplate, but Mr.. Ismay,
the officer primarily responsible for
the whole disaster, has reached his
destination in safety and unframed.
.'No legislation can bring back to
earth a single life lost upon that ia
tai night. What we can do is to help
to fix the responsibility, if possible,
and rely upon British justice to bring
to bay the guilty directorate of this
company.
"All civilized nations will applaud
the criminal prosecution of the man
agement of this line. If they can be
made to suffer, no sympathy will go
out to them, and if it does, it will be
submerged in the overwhelming la
mentation that today re-echoes
throughout the civilized world for the
victims of their culpable carelessness,
a recklessness that sent hundreds of
their fellow beings into eternity, des-
olating homes and firesides, and turn
ed this land into a house of mourn
ing.
"In this hour of our calamity we
appeal to the majesty of the law to
deal out retributory justice to this
guilty company to the last degree"
Two more bills framed on the les
son drawn from the Titanic disaster
were introduced in the house Friday
The seriousness of the inquiry by
the senate investigating committee
into the Titanic disaster was disclos,
ed when Senator Smith of Michigan
the chairman, at first fatty refused
to let any of the officers or the 200
odd members of the crew of the sunk
en- steamship, get beyond the jurisdic-
ton of the United States government
says a late telegram from New York
The men We're all to have sailed on
the steamer Lapland. Later it was
settled that the greater part of the
crew would be permitted to sail on
this steamer, but that the twelve
men and four officers among the sur.
vivors, now under subpoena, together
with Mr.. Ismay, would not be allowed
to depart.