The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1912-04-22
No One Should Be
Blamed For Wreck
Continued from First Page.)

forced to report to the officers on board
the ship to which he belongs. We
want to get them out of these temp
tations and send them where they
can sign on another ship and go to
sea again.
Technically speaking, these men
ceased to be in our employ when the
ship went down but we will take care
Of them.
''The worst these sailors could say
wouldn't remedy the matter as far as
I'm concerned I wouldn't care a fig
for what the members of the crew
will say. The passengers are much
more credible and reliable"
Franklin said the sailors could ship
aboard White Star vessels again if
they applied for employment The
witness asserted that the American
ing direct from the Titanic after she
left Southampton.
Franklin here repudiated the reas-
surfing telegram sent to Representa-
tive Hughes though admitting ''some
Junior" in. the White Star offices
might have sent it.
Recess was then taken. Chairman
Smith said Fourth Officer J.. D. Box
hall of the Titanic, would then be
called.
Washington, April 22-In the big
caucus room of the Senate office
building was staged, today, the epilo-
que of the Titanic tragedy.
The Senate's probe of the world 8
greatest disaster reconyened here be-
fore an audience that damned every
inch Of room. Crushed in with the
rough clothed seamen witnesses from
the Titanic were scores of richly
dressed society women anxious to
hear the dread story of the wreck.
txyoc n1xy h f1I1 nf 0cyiC
lators in the big chambers at either
end of the capitol most of them be-
ing in constant attendance at the
hearings.
Meanwhile, agents of the Senate
committee are searching newspaper
tragedy with which certain survivors
may be familiar. Senator Smith,
chairman of the committee, declared
that the hearings will be continued
indefinitely"
Although he refused to confirm it,
the belief here was that already sew
eral of his agents are preparing to
interview the Titanics survivors
throughout the country.
Major Arthur Peuchen, of Toronto,
Canada, wrote the committee that he
had some sensational evidence to
give and would appear In Washing
ton, this afternoon. Secretary of the
wireless operators on the scout cruis-
ers Chester and Salem be held sub
ject to the committees call. He is
incensed at the criticism Of the wire
less men on the Carpathia that the
navy operators were incompetent"
In connection with the investigation
of wireless reports from the rescue
ship Carpathia, the committee expects
to investigate orders to the opera
tors on that vessel from Marconi
agents in New York that they keep
their mouths shut and sell their
stories of the Titanic's wreck and
the rescue of her passengers and crew
by the Carpathia.
Senator Smith stated, today, that
he would welcome the appearance
here of. any survivor able to give any
new evidence of the Titanic disaster.
The committees agents are over
whelmed with the magnitude of their
task of classifying the evidence which
it is hoped to secure from witnesses
already seen and Senator Smith in
timated he was willing to receive sug-
gestions from all survivors.
The committee met informally, yes
terday, at Senator Smiths home and
was in session late into the night.
mapping out the inquiry. Just as
soon as the Interrogation of officers
and seamen of the Titanic now held
here it is expected the committee will
call a number of women survivors.
Senator Smith said, today, that al
cob Astor, Mrs. George D. Widener,
Mrs. John Thayer and probably Mrs.
Henry B. Harris. All of these, it is
reported, have written the Senator
voluntarily offering to testify.
Governmental experts will be call
ed to explain the technical side of
the naval construction and act as
o;dnc RI tho conmittaa None Of The
committee members, today, would say
when the British officers and crew
Of the Titanic, held here as witness.
es, will be excused. Because of the
fact that at least two survivors have
already been quoted as saying that
were drunk and brutality forced wom-
en- survivors to work, it was believed
here that, until their stories could
be probed and sworn to under oath,
the men would be held. Thirty-two
sailors, stewards and walters held
here are exceedingly wroth at the
prospect of an indefinite detention
here and sullenly refused all inter-
views, today.
Every seat in the caucus room was
filled before 10 o'clock and hundreds
of morbid men and women were at
tempting to crowd through the doors.
Few, if any of those who failed to
gain admittance, left the building.
They stood in the corridors discuss
ing the sea horror in loud tones.
J. Bruce Ismay, managing director
of the White Star line, and Vice.
President P. A. S. Franklin entered
the room five minutes before the time
set for the hearing to begin. The
audience fairly buzzed with excite
ment.
'sThere he is, that tall, dark man.
was the subdued remark of many
women
ling, counsel for Ismay, accompanied
him. They arrived before any of the
committee. Franklin and his party
had to stand for several minutes,
every chair being occupied, until seats
were secured for them, facing the
witness stand. Senator Smith, chair
man of the committee, was the last
to arrive.
Government experts also were pre-
sent Captain Knaph, chief hydro
prapher of the navy, George Uhler,
chief of the steamboat inspection
bureau, and several wireless experts
and government scientists were pre-
sent.
Before opening the hearing, today,
Senator Smith said all foreign witness
ses would be called first, TO permit
their early return to England. All
of the Titanic's crew will be called
before any of the passengers tell their
tales of suffering.
Smith declared he had not seen AS
sistant Secretary of State Huntington
Wilson and had received no formal
protest from any British authority
against summoning the British citi-
Zens.
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