The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-04-24
[ lookout Fleet.

lockouts, was the first witness. He
was called for cross-examinatiou on
his story yesterday that the officers
of the ill-fated liner did not furnish
lookouts with binoculars.
The committee worked behind clos
ed doors just as soon as all the seats
II: the room had been taken. In the
front row were fashionably gowned
women, many OF whom had been
waiting hours.
Senator Hitchcock of Nebraska and
Representative Berger were on hand
early. A group of vivacious, chatter
ing seminary girls lent lively touch
iof color to the scene
The hearing began when Senator
Burton of Ohio impatiently ordered
the lookout on the stand. Burton re-
fused to wait until Senator Smith,
chairman, arrived. Fleet told of eye
tests he had undergone year ago.
up until this trip you had the use
of glasses?' asked Burton.
Yes SIR the seaman said positive
| ": We had eye sight tests, too,
fevery year or so,' he added.
Fleet said the lookouts had no
glasses or lights In the crows nest.
He said he did not see the lights OF
the ghost Ship which several wit
nesses testified they discerned near
the Titanic, after he got into a life
boat He said Quartermaster Hichens
believed he saw the lights of the dis
tant ship while on board the Titanic.
| Fleet then retold of his first sight.
ing the iceberg from the Titanic s
crows nest
He could give no opinion as to It's
distance ahead of the liner.
1T was just after seven bells when
| saw the ice That's about $780,"
Fleet said.
Pressed by Senator Burton, Fleet
could give no idea of the time be.
tween his sighting the ice island and
when the collision occurred Fleet
said he was told by the relief watch
! in the crows nest to look out for
small ice-not icebergs.
! Il gave the three bells signal when
saw the iceberg" said Fleet, "to
/ let them know 1t was right ahead
Then l telephoned the bridge"
After Fleet telephoned to the frs,
officer, the Titanic changed her course
two or three points to port, he said
Questioned by Senator Fletcher
brought out the fact that the greater
part of the impact was below the wat
! er. The witness was unable to give
any estimate of the iceberg's size. ex
cept that it was not as high as the
4 crows nest.
4 Senator Smith questioned Fleet re
! garding the conduct of Quartermastel
Hichens, who was in command of the
7 lifeboat. which the witness helped te
man, Two or three women took turn.
at the oars, Fleet said. The womer
passengers repeatedly urged Hichens
to pull towards the shrieking victim.
who were begging for aid. but he re
fused to listen to them.
Fleet made the statememnt that hi.
llifeboat was about mile from tn,
Titanic when the vessel sank.
4 How do you know asked Sena
tor Smith
4 Il heard others say So
But what is your Judgment" tn,
i senator insisted.
i The witness caused litter by an
swering: Il have no Judgment
4 TamperInc GoInu on.
4 Senator Smith then took occasion
to vent his displeasure at what h
termed the attempt of certain inter
ests to dictate how the committee
work is to proceed. IL want again Il
state the purpose of this inquiry. /
is to get all the facts bearing on tn
unfortunate affair. 1t is of course
point that officers are not ship build
!, ers or architects, and the committe
has assumed that if they tell all the
know of the circumstances that SUI
rounded the passage of the ship be
fore the collision and what transpirer
thereafter, that would be all we coul
expect.