The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-04-27

half an hour to live That is from Mr. Andrews Keep 1t to yourselves.
 Andrews was manager of the firm that built the Titanic. He perlshed. MT. Franklin reiterated that the first information he received of the Titanic raper man awakened him at his home at 2 o'clock Monday morning.
 Were Strangely Ignorant
 Chairman Smith then had read into the record a description of the dis aster published in the Anaconda, Mon. Standard. April 15 He did so, he said, to bring out the fact that outside per sons seemed to have had more in- formation than the officials of the White Star line.
 Senator Smith then had the witness read a cable message, which he sent to the lines Liverpool office, telling of he accident and declaring that the Virginlan was on the way to the IT, tanics assistance.
 The eablegram was sent at 6.15 o'clock Monday morning
 Do you not think asked tho sen- ator, that if the information you cabled abroad was worth reporting to Liverpool it certainly was important enough to give to the publie?"
 Mr. Franklin said he based his report entirely on a telephone communication with the lines agent in Montreal and on reports received by The Associated Press and the newspapers.
 Mir. Franklin said he lost no time after receiving reports from Montreal in in- forming Liverpool of the rumors. Senator Smith suggested Franklin had received the information from Montreal at 3.30 o'clock and did not send dispatch until 6l3O o'clock.
 q had to wait until I got to the office before I could cable,p said MT. Frank lin.
 Franklin on Operators
 The chairman inquired of Mir. Frank lin what authority his company had over wireless operators on their ships.
 T presume if anyone was objection- able he could be removed"
 Do you approve of the custom which has been revealed by Binn, Cottam and Bride receiving pecuniary reward for in- formation of disasters?" asked the chair man.
 "I think 1t is rather unfortunate never- theess, 1t is only human nature.'
 What kind of human nature?" snapped Senator Smith.
 
 it would be desirable if such custom could be expurgated. Senator Smith questioned the witness as to the rules governing the duties of the wireless operators, with especial ref erenoe to their hours; to whom they re- ported, and by whose authority he left his post.
 q think those things are regulated by the company and not by the ship" said Franklin.
 Operator Cottam testified inl New York that he did not report a message to the captain of the Carpathia because he did not consider it important said Senator Smith. "The operator on the Titanic re- fused to take a warning of Ice from the steamer Californian because he was busy with his accounts. 1 ask you if there should not be some regulations for governing of operators surrounding such scenes?"
 Should Be Better Controlled
 Witness agreed and said the companies were anxious to get the best results from the wireless apparatus.
 NO doubt this investigation will settle the problem; I believe a law should be enacted compelling among other things the presence of an operator at the instru- ment all the tlme," said MT. Franklin
 Senator Smith referredd to the delay of the Titanic's operator in reporting an ice warning and asked If this one instance was not sufficient proof of the necessity of placing the operators under absolute control of the captain.
 "The delay was unfortunate" said wit ness. but in this instance the futility was plain; it was not material the Titanic got it half an hour later. That was more than five hours before the accident" Evidently smarting under the criticism | that the British witnesses were being un- duly detained by the committee, Senator Smith asked the witness if he was satis- fled with the treatment accorded him.
 Franklin Is Satisfied
 Entirely so,' Mir Franklin reiterated. "In the cases of the witnesses from abroad they are anxious to get home and they are restive We recognize you have big problem on your hands and if you believe our testimony can aid you. you are the best judge of that"
 Mir Franklin was then excused. Ernest Gill of Liverpool, 20, donkey enginenan of the Californian, was called.
 Chairman Smith first read an affidavit made by Gill on Wednesday. In this statement Gill declared that ''I was &C., tuated by the desire that no captain who refuses or neglects to give aid to a vessel in distress should be able to hush up the matter"
 He charged that several members of the crew whom he had urged to join with him in protesting against the conduct of the captain In disregarding the Titanic's s rockets, refused because they feared 'of losing their jobs' He said he saw the Titanic plainly. Gill said he was on his third voyage in the Californian, In the bright starlit night he said he p a ma an Hqrlx a oip1OCIr herattga engines stopped and was drifting amid foes of ice.
 Saw Lights Himself From the starboard side he said he saw the lights of a large steamer and added he watched her several minutes after