New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-18
TWO WITNESSES "SEEN"
IN SIR COSMOS BEHALF
Fireman TeStifying at Titanic
Inquiry Admits Receiving
Money for Expenses"
UFF-GORDON ON STAND
Denies on Oath That Either He
or His Wife Protested Against
Lifeboat Returning to
Rescue.

Rescue.
London. May 17-Lord Morsey. the
president of the Titanic inquiry com
mission. his five assessors and an array
Of Great Britains most brilliant attOr-
neys with an audience of fashionably
dressed women looking on, spent the
greater part of to-day in probing the
statement Of Charles Hendrickson. one
Of the surviving firemen. He had raid
Sir Cosmo and Lady Duff Gordon, who
were two of the five passengers in
partly filed lifeboat had protested
against returning to the scene Of the
disaster TO try TO rescue some of those
struggling in the water.
Sir CosTo and Lady Duff Gordon were
both in court. with their legal advisers.
including Henry L. Duke. NJ. p, one Of
the leading and most highly paid lawyers
IN the country.
Charles Hend-ickson. whose Cross-eX-
animation had been postponed until to-
day al the request Of Sir Robert Finlay.
counsel for the White Star Line. was
called 10 the stand. Sir Robert F'inlay
was not present and his colleague put
only few unimportant questions
Witness Sticks to Story
Witness, who was then taken in hand
nv MI Duke. was very closely examined
Duff -Gordons were responsible for the
boat not returning to the scene Of the
catastrophe.
Iendrickson stuck to his evidence. and
although he could not specify when he
first made the statement discrediting the
Duff Gordons, Sir Rufus Isaacs, the At
torney General. was able to prompt him
from dispositions taken at the time " me
arrival Of the crew in England, in which
witness had said Passengers protested
against the boat going back
Mr.. Dukes examination Indicated that
the case for the Duff -Gordons would be
an absolute denial OF the story. Their
denial would be supported by the evil
dence Of the other members OF the crew
who were in the lifeboat.
MT. Duke suSseslcu llldt Lazy i)uI-
Gordon refused to go into the boat with
out her husband. and after the boat was
lowered she was so Seasick she was
unable 10 protest.
Hendrickson admitted she was ill and
lying on a seat. but she was able TO con-
verse with her husband.
Mr.. Duke also suggested that Hen
erickson was the first to hint at a re-
ward for the crew of the boat and pro-
duced a document in Hendrickson's
handwriting giving the names Of .he
crew, which he had handed to Duff Cor
don 10 enable him TO make out checks
of the value of 60 Cs25) for each OF
Them
Witness Was Seen"
q. Symons. an able seaman and one
OF the lookouts Of the Titanic. was rext
called. He gave his story Of the lifeboat
in which the Duff Gordons left the YES
sci. He said the crew had already taken
their seats in the beat when two women
rushed out Of a cabin and asked First
Of1ccr Murdoch whether they could get
into the boat. Murdoch replied. Yes;
jump in" The women were followed by
two men passengers. whom Murdoch
also told TO jump in.
Sir Rufus Jsaacs-Was there room for
more passengers?
symons-Yos, hut Murdoch ordered the
BOAT TO he lowered. and there was not an
other passenger in sgnt.
Lord Merse y-There were more people on
the ship, and ] cannot understand why
Mnrdock ordered the boat to be lowerei
when it was only half filled How soon
after the passengers were in the boat was
the order given TO lower?
Symons-Three or four minutes.
Symcns continued: when We heard the
cries of The people in the water We did not
safe |S'N' Dc "" ''''e"' i "0''' 'e u"
SIR Rufus Isaacs--You could have gone
back and rescued some without going into
the seething mass in the water.
Lord Mersey-What were yOu afraid Of?
The ship had sunk. and she was no longer
sym6ns-Wc were afraid the boat would
swamp.
Sir Rufus Isaqcs--Was the question Of go
Ing back raised"
Symons-NeVer.
Sir Rufus Isaacs mean that none OF
the twelve persons in the boat suggested
going hack
sir Rufus Isaacs-So you lay on your
oars in a partly filed boat listening TO
people crying for help.
symons-I was surprised no ono suggested
roinC back.
Lord Mcrsey-Why wor" you surprised
SymOns-It seemed reasonable some one
would have mentioned IT,
After some difficulty Sir Rufus IssacS
drew from Symons the admission that
somebody had seen him on behalf Of the
Duff Gordons this week.
Symons objected to questions relating
10 this. which led Sir Rufus Isaacs to
ask: why are you so shy"
SIR Rufus lsaacs examined Symons on
the testimony he had given before the
Senatorial committee In AmeSica. and
pointed out discrepancies between il and
the evidence he gave to-day.
Synons later admitted that Hendrick-