Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-04-25

ana asked him what was the mAstsr.
Beattie said to me The order Is for the
lifeboats----it 10 serious
II couldn't believe 1t at first. but went
to my cabin and changed TO some heavy
clothes"
The witness said when he got on deok
the boats were being prepared for low
erins on the port side.
They would only allow women Men
had to stand back. No men passengers
got In that boat"
Did you see any man attempt to get
in?" asked Senator Smith,
mo. The boat was safely lowered.
There we're 3s or 81 persons In It. Then
wa turned to the next boat l was SUR
prised that the sailors were not a. their
posts az they should have been. l have
seem fire drill and the action OF the sail
ors did not impress me.
sTOKERs DRIVEN OFF DECK.
They seemed TO be short Of sailors
around the lifeboats where ! was. When
I came on deck first It seemed to me tnat
about 100 stokers came up with their
eunnv sacks and crowded the deck. One
of tho officers. splendid man. drove
these men right of the deck
when we got TO the next boat quar-
termaster and sailor were put In and the
boat was then filled with women. we
called out for more women ana soi"e
% ou,d not leave their husbands"
Ma,o- peuchen said ne had got into the
,,,ohoo, nv sliding down a rope from tho
deck. captain Smith. he said. had told
,u,, IN break out a window and get into
the boat that way. but the major o'o
not think that feasible.
Major Peuchen said that in the lifeboat'
the quartermaster made woman TO"
while ne held the tiller steering Tor
light, which the major declared oiu "''
exist 80 far as he coald see. the quar-
ter,naster refused to turn about ana at
tempt to pick up survivors. said the VIII
ness
"Then we began TO hear signs OF the
breaking up of the Titanic. we nearo
n sort Of a cali for help after the whistie'
then n runbIing sound. Than there was
an explosion, then another. Then the
LIGHTS went out and then those dreadfui
cries"
He did not sec the vessel sink. but his
theory was that the explosions were
above water, caused by the heavy pressure
when the boat started to dive down by
the head
How many explosions were thereT"
asked Senator Smith.
About three, but ! was excited
THINKS CAPTAIN EFFICIENT.
Did you see the captain after he told
YOU to 90 below and get through the
window into the lifeboat?"
NO never saw him after that"
1T 49, nro 10
II think I saw him about seven o'clock
in one Of the companionways"
DO you think ne was attentive 70 his
duties?''
Yes. do"
Major Peuchen said the lifeboat he
was in was equipped with everything
required. Some of the boats. he heard.
were not sufficiently equipped with
i food. When he got on the Carpathia
he examined several lifeboats and
found they had lights. hard tack and
water.
Did the women row in the boats"
Yes. and they were very plucky
about 1t, too. One helped me until she
became i'll from the hard work and
was forced to cease"
Major Peuchen said the impact was
so light that some OF the passengers
were not awakened. He said no alarm
was sounded. Two young women. he
said. whose stateroom was close to
that of Col John Jacob Aston. were
awakened by Mrs. Astor. who led them
on deck.
Did you see Mr.. Ismay that night"
asked Senator Smith.
the port side on the boat deck about
an hour after we struck did not
see him again until he came aboard
the Carpathia."
ROOM IN BOATS FOR MEN
The major said there was still room in
some boats which left from the port side
and he could not understand why more
men were not taken off.
THE Carpathia steamed all around the
scene OF the wreck and we did not see
single body" the major said
He said he was certain that none could
have lived in the icy water more than
an hour
Several senators asked n the fact that
there was no general alarm sounded att.
er the collision might account for the
failure Of many women to appear on the
decks In time for the lifeboats. He
thought that probable
Major Peuchen told the committee he
thought that II the lookouts on the ~
tanic had had glasses the ship might
have been saved from tho collision.
From what you observed was there
proper discipline on the part OF the crew
In loading the lifeboats?"
Those OF the crew that saw working
In lowering and filling the boats couldn' I
have been better. but they were too few
/ was surprised not to see more sailors
at their stations and also surprised that
more people were not put In the boats"
The men had no practice the witness
said. the men of the crew had told him.
ONLY CRITrCIsEs METHODS.
Major Peuchen read a statement In or
der to make clear his position as follows:
Il do not crtticise Captain Smith. but
do criticise the policy OF methods pursued
by the company. for l feel sure that in
this case caution would have averted a
terrible calamity. have been given
credit for saying many things absolutely
untrue and I wish TO state that l have
not said any personal or unkind things
about Captain Smith"
The major was then excused.
Frederick Fleet. the lookout then was
recalled to the stand but before his ex-
animation was begun the comnittee de-
cided to adjourn the hearing until ten
o'clock tomorrow.