The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-04-18
OPERATOR ASLEEP
ON PARISIAN AS
APPEALS FILL AIR
Ship Could Probably Have
Reached Titanic and Saved
Hundreds OF Lives
WIRELESS MAN HAD
BEEN UP lS HOURS
Believes Inflated Steamer Was
Going at Fast Clip When
Disaster Occurred
BY MaRLEN r.. PEW.
stan Correspondent United Press ANA
Detroit Times.

betFOu iImeh.
HALIFAX, n. s., April lS--It was
= believed here today, following the ar
rival OF the steamer Partisan, OF the
Allan line, and the receipt OF many
wireless dispatches that when the
Titanic was wrecked, Sunday night,
she Was proceeding al fast rate OF
speed. Capt Haines and Wireless
Operator Sutherland OF the Partisan
insisted today mat the night was
clear and that therefore, Capt. Smith
was undoubtedly holding 10 his course
and making god time II this Is so, II
would account for the magnitude or
the tragedy, as the Titanic must have
struck the berg fearful blow which
shattered her entire forward struc
ture.
Haines and Sutherland declared
that Capt. Smith must have known
all day Sunday and Sunday night that
the gigantic icebergs, the largest seen
IN years, were floating fully hun
dred miles south OF the dangerous
ice fine usually observed b. Atlantic
navigators. Sutherland says that the
Titanic was 100 miles astern of the
Partisan on Sunday. He was himself
in wireless communication, with Oper-
ator Jack Phillips, OF the Titanic on
Sunday evening.
Il knew poor Jack Phillips very
well," said Switzerland, but had
not seen him for some months. | sent
aim a word OF greeting and then put
through q message for Capt. Halnes
concerning the ships business. Later
| got the Atlantic transport liner
Mesaba On the wireless and reported
having sighted more huge icebergs.
The Mesaba was at this time running
between the Titanic and the Partisan
and was relaying my messages con-
Cerning icebergs TO the Titanic.
The weather was clear and We
could see the bergs clearly Sunday
night"
sutherland said that his last com
munication with the Titanic direct
was at 1920 p. m. (ship's time). on
Sunday. AS the Official statement OF
the White Star line is that the II.
tanic struck at 1910 p, m, New YORK
time. the last wireless communication
from the Titanic 10 the Partisan was
only about an hour before the Titanic
struck against the side OF fioatlnS
mountain of ice.
The Partisan carries only one wire
less operator. He had bee nat his key
for IS hours when he sent his maj
message to the Titanic. He then
vent to bed and was asleep When
Phillips was franticaliy flashing the
fateful SOS"
While Operator Donald Sutherland
- slept his friend and colleagues, Jack
Phillips, signaled the death cries OF
more than thousand souls, vainiy
so far as the Partisan was concerned.
II Capt. Haines had received the
SOS" his ship could have rushed
10 the scene doubtless arriving there
before the Carpsthia.
Sutherland awOke late Monday
morning. He put his wireless cap on
and heard the CaEpathia wireless opef'
a;or's description Of the Titanics TWO.
mile plunge into the deep. He told
Capt. Haines what had happened.
The Partisan mad gone OF her
course. searching for the tank snip
deutschland, which was helpless
Having been short OF coal, Capt'
uaiues decided he could not reach
the iTtanic In time 10 be OF service
and went on chasing after the TANK III
the hone Of giving her tow 10 HaiilaN'
Cant Haines was asked tousy
would It be possible that an Ice
berg would lie so low in the water
that II would be impossible 10 see y
in a clear night?"
He answered: Il have never hearu
NJ an entirely submerged iceberg OF
a size large enough to wreck the IL
tanic." ..
lie would not discuss the matter
frrther although he merely admitted
nn Nod never seen a clearer night in
Hnru off the Newfoundland coast than
last Sunday night
job PrInuns p"hn Rst