Eastern Colorado times., 1912-04-26

AAASSAASAS
the oarsmen pulled their boats away,
and the chilling waters began to echo
splash after splash as passengers and
sailors in life preservers leaped over
and started swimming away to es-
cape tho expected suction.
Icy Water Brings Death.
Only the hardest OF constitutions
could endure for more than few mo-
iments such numbing bath. The
first vigorous strokes gave way to
!heartbreaking cries Of Help! Help!"
and stiffened forms were seen. the
faces relaxed in death.
Revolver shots were heard in the
ships last moments. The first report
spread among the boats was that Cap
tain Smith had ended his life with a
bullet Then 1t was said that a mate
had shot steward who tried to push
his way upon boat against orders.
None Of these tales have been ver1-'
fed, and many of the crew say the
captain, without a preserver. leaped
in at the last and went down. refusing
a cooks offered aid.
Last Llfeboat 10 capslzed.
was launched too late to get away,
and was overturned by the ships
sinking Some OF those in it-all, say
some witnesses-found safety on q
raft, or were picked up by lifeboats.
In the Marconi tower, almost to the
last, the loud click OF the sending in
strument was heard over the waters.
Who was receiving the message, those
in the boats did not know. and they
would least of all have supposed that
Mediterranean ship in the distant
South Atlantic track would be their
rescuer.
Music Was q Sacrament.
AS the screams in the water multi
piled another sound was heard, strong
at first. then fainter in the distance.
It was the melody of the hymn.
Nearer. My God. to Thee" played by
the string orchestra in the dining
saloon. Some of those on the water
started to sing the words, but grew
silent as they realized that for the
men who played, the music was a sac
death The serene strains OF the
hymn and the frantic cries Of the dy-
ing blended in symphony Of sorrow.
Titanic Goes to Bottom.
Led by the green light, under the
light OF the stars, the boats drew
away, and the bow. then the quarter.
then the stacks. and at last the stern
of the marvel-ship Of few days be-
fore passed beneath the waters. The
great force Of the ships sinking was
unaided by any violence Of the ele-
ments, and the suction, not so great
as had been feared. rocked but mildly
the group OF boats now a quarter Of a
mile distant from it.
Sixteen boats were in the forlorn
procession which entered on the terri
BILE hours OF rowing, drifting and sus.
pense. Women wept for lost hus-
bands and sons. Sailors sobbed for
the ship which had been their pride.
Men choked back tears and sought to
comfort the widowed. Perhaps, they
said, other boats might have put of in
another direction toward the last.
They strove, though none too sure
themselves, to convince the women Of
the certainty that rescue ship would
appear.
carpathIa Brings Joy.
Early dawn brought no ship, but not
long after s a. m. the Carpathia. far
out Of her path and making 1S knots
an hour instead OF her wonted Is,
showed her single red and black
smokestack upon the horizon. In the
Joy of that moment, the heaviest
griefs were forgotten.
Soon afterward, Captain Rostron
and Chief Steward Hughes were well
coming the chilled and bedraggled
arrivals over the Carpathia's side.
Men Praised by Women.
One Of the few women able to give
an account Of the disaster was Miss
Cornelia Andrews of Hudson, N. Y.
Miss Andrews said she was in the last
boat to be picked up.
"The behavior Of the men," she said,
was wonderful-the most marvellous
I have ever beheld."
did you see any shooting1" she
was asked.
NO." she replied. but one officer
did say he would shoot some Of the
steerage who were trying to crowd in
to the boats. Many jumped from the
decks. l saw a boat sink"
Miss Andrews was probably refer
ring to the collapsible boat which
overturned. She said that the sinking
Of the ship was attended by a noise
such as might be made by the boilers
exploding. She was watching the ship.