El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-05-03
TITANIC NEWS NOT
HELD BACK A DAY
Senator Smith Unable to
Find Evidence in New
York Citv.

New York. n Y, May 4--Tes-
timoney taken By senator William
Alden Smith of Michigan, chairman OF
the senate committee investigating the
Titanic disaster. did not reveal any
facts tending TO confirm the report
that news of the Titanic disaster,
which the White Star line made pub
lie on Monday evening, April IS, had
reached New York earlier that morn
ing.
To determine this question was the
principal object of the senator's visit
here, and before him in private hear
ing, John BOttomly. vice president OF
the American Marconi company. L. j.
Dunn. the New York merchant who
testified in Washington that he had
been informed by the son Of a West
ern Union operator that message had
been received in New York on Monday
morning telling Of the THAMES fate;
and the operator himself, who re-
turned TO the city today, Mr.. Smith
said, after having been absent since
sunday night
These two witnesses were disposed
to be recalCitrant, the senator said,
and their examination was unsatis-
factory. He declared he would call the
operator again, when he hoped TO OBJ
tain more definite information
Vice president BOttomly, according to
his stenOgraphic testimony. disclaimed
all knOWl ledge Of such news being re-
celVed here at the time reported.
DO you know Of your own knOWl-
edge or have you been informed by
any person, by wire, wireless, cable.
letter, word Of mouth. or otherwise
that information regarding this disas-
ter reached any office of your com
Iany or the White Star line on Mon
day, April 10, prior to 10 o'clock2r was
the question senator Smith put TO him
No, 1 don't know Of any message"
Mr. BottOmly replied, adding that the
MarcOni company received its first
message Of the sinking Of the Titanic
about 6 p. M.
says He Tried To Get News.
The witness testified that he had
made every effort TO get news OF the
disaster from the CaTpathia and had
sent instructions to all wireless sta
lions asking them 10 furnish the com
pany with all the news they could
obtain. He denied he had in any wav
tried to influence Gotham and Bride
the wireless operators on the Carpa-
thla- IN regard to the sending ana re-
ceiving of information until the vessel
had passed quarantine, when, with
Mr.. MarcOnIs consent, he had given
wireless permission to Bride to tell his
story.
The witness denied that operators
Of his company were instructed not to
give Information to any ship rot fitted
with MarcOni wireless.
Woman Gives Testimony.
Senator smith announced he had
taken the sworn testimony OF Mrs T.
Stuart White, of Briar Cliffe. \ Y
who left the Titanic in life boar NJ
I 5, the second or third boat which nu+
out from the ship.
Mrs. White said this boat contained
% women and three men," said sena-
tor smith. 'One Of the men. she said
was a seaman the other two said thew
never handled an oar in their lives and
knew nothing about rowing.
Mrs. White swOre these men were
neither kind nor cOurteous- that tbev
lighted pipes or cigarettes. notwith-
standing that there was ignitabIe mat
ter aboard, and the with this kind Of
men they were put out 10 sea and told
10 row directly flor a light. 1 have
concluded this light was the light OF
a schooner mentioned by captain
Moore ana vas a out five or ten 1,j1as
away"
Senator Smith said he intended to ex-
anime two more witnesses