The Wagner post. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1912-current, 1912-04-26

Chairman Smith dispatched Assistant
Sergeant at Arms Cornelius to h
White Star docks to bring before h
as witnesses a seaman from
each o. the rescued lifeboats-
Second Officers Story.
Charles Herbert Lightholder, Sccond
officer of the Titanic, followed Mr..
on h stand. Mr.. Lightholder
said he understood the maximum speed
of the Titanic, as shown by her trial
tests. 70 ave been from 2o1z to 20
knots. Senator Smith asked If the rule
requiring life saving apparatus to be
in each room for each passenger was
complied with.
Everything was complete" said
Sixteen lifeboats, of which foul were
collapsible, were on the Titanic" he
added.
During the tests. he said, Captain
Clark, of the British board of trade,
aboard the Titanic to inspect its
life saving equipment.
How thorough are these captains or
the board of trade In inspecting
ships?' asked Senator Smith
Captain Clark is so thorough that
we called him a nuisance"
L~ightholder said he was In the sea
with a life belt on one hour and a half.
He Saw Ismsy.
When did you see Mr.. Ismay?"
When we started to o the
boats; he was standing on the boat
deck
What was he doing?"
standing still"
WAS he fully dressed1'
II could not say for sure; II wa
dark"
when YOU saw Mr.. ysmay 20 min
utes af.er tine collision were there any
other passengers near himg'
Il did not see any one n particu-
lar" said Lightholder, but there might
have been some"
The witness described the collision as
a Slight jar, followed by a grinding
sound"
L~ightholder said that on Sunday he
saw a message from some ship" about
an iceberg ahead. He did not know
the Amerika sent the message, he said.
The ship was making about q to
21h knots, L~ightholder testified. He
understood this was not the best the
ship could do.
Ibid You have an ambition to see
what the ship could maker" the wit
ness was asked.
Naturally at some time"
What vas the weather that night? 2"
Clear and fair"
were you duxlOuS dDOuI ICt
mo, SIR"
And you put on no additional look
out? p"
mo, sir"
Talked About Ice Fields.
when Captain Smith came on the
bridge at S:55 what was said?"
I'VE talked together for 20 or 25 min
uteS about when we might expect to
get to the ice fields. He left the bridge,
I think, about 9:25 and during our
talk he told me to keep the ship on
her course. but IL I was in the slightest
degree doubtful as conditions developed
to let him know at once"
did you keep the Titanic on her
course them" Senator Smith asked.
Yes"
when did rot next e Captain
Smith? ?"
when I came out Of the officers
quarters after the impact" L~ightholdei
replied.
Where did you asst e Captain
Il was busy at my own work about
so feet away and have a recollection
OF seeing the captain walking across
the bridge. I did not then hear hin
give any orders. I was too far away.
When The Titanic sank were thu
decks intact?"
Absolutely intact" said Lighthold.
Senator Smith asked what was the
last order he heard Captain Smitf
give?
when I asked If I should put tn,
women and children In the boats ?" re
piled Lightholder, h responded. Yes
and lower away"
"obeyed ORDERS"
What did you do?"
"Obeyed orders"
The last boat, a fat collapsible. to pu
off was the n on top of the officers
quarters, Lightholder said. Mel
jumped upon 1t on the deck and waites
for the water to float 1t off. Once a
sea it upset. The forward funnel fel
into the water, just missing the raft
and overturning. The funnel probabl.
killed persons in the water.
This was the boat / eventually go
on" declared Lfghtholder. mo n wa
on 1t when I reached it. Later, abou
80 men clambered out of the water ont,
it. All had on life preservers."
did any passengers get on?" aske'
Senator Smith.
u. b. Thayer. the second Maroon
operator, and Colonel Oracle. ! recall.
said the witness.
"All the est were firemen taken on
of the water. Two of these died tina
- oAo 9ARPSo OA iNS Na~ Vs.
ter. / think the senior Marconi oper
ator did that"
Died from cold?"
Yes, sir.
when you left did you see any worn
en- or children on boardg'
mo, SIR"
ANY passengers on so called boa
deck?"
"A number"
An error in his testimony was cor
rected by the witness, saying ther
were 20 1ifeboats aboard. foul of whic
were collapsible. One boat stuck 1
it's tackle and never got off.
How were the passengers selecte
to fill the boats@"
BY sex"
who determined who should go?"
Il did,
How"
whenever I saw a I put hs
in. except stewardesses. ! turned thos
back"
Did you see any attempt to q
women to go who would not?"
Yes"
why would they not co."
Il had not the time to learn"
Twenty five in First Boat.
In the first boat to be put off Ligh