The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1912-04-23

waters" Mr.. Stengel said that early |
the next morning, shortly after they |
had been picked up. they saw float |
ing far away gigantic iceberg, with |
two peaks shining in the morning |
sun. This was the berg that sent !
the Titanic to the bottom, he thought. |
j. A. BraytOD OF Los Angeles was
one OF those who Jumped from the
Titanic after the fret big list. He
was about 80 feet from the boat,
swimming on his back amid the ice.
with his face turned toward the III.
fated ship. He said her bow sank
and then rose up into the air Then
came third boiler explosion The
ship buckled amldships and sank
He said there was not enough sue
tion TO draw him back, but a wave
came from the vessel and pitched
him forward and away from the ship.
Many promenaders Out.
'T was walking on the deck" he
said, "and IL was a fine cold, clear
night. The moon was shining and
number Of us were enjoying the
crisp, keen air. promenading about
the deck. Captain Smith was on the
bridge. when the first cry from
the lookout came to him that there
was an iceberg ahead. II may have
been 300 feet hib when ] saw II and
It was probably 200 yards away from
us, dead ahead. Captain Smith shout
ed some orders. What they were
could not understand and have not
since learned, but a number OF us
promenaders rushed to the bow OF
the ship. When we saw we could
not fail to hit it, we all rushed to
the stern. There came crash and
the passengers were panic-stricken
for a time. But Captain Smith and
number of officers reassured every
body and insisted there was no dan
ger IL only the passengers would
keep their heads. A number of peo-
pie had gone to their beds and after
the crash they rushed affrighted to
the bridge. Captain Smith and his
officers assured all. We stood around,
huddled in groups, after we had been
paciiied and reassured, telling one
another that certainly there could be
no danger, that the Titanic simply
could not sink.
THE accident happened at about
half-past 10. Within an half hour the
wireless was calling for help and at
about midnight I think there came
the first boiler explosion. Then, for
the first time, think, Captain Smith
began to get worried. A few min.
utes later a second boiler explosion
occurred and then Captain Smith Or
dered the crew to man the boats
Orders "Women First"
Among the first-cabin passengers
little or NO confusion prevailed. The
first and second officers with revol-
yers stood by the ladders to the
boats. The orders were women
first Captain Smith paced up and
down the deck enforcing and contin-
ually reiterating the command 'wom-
en- first The procedure into the
boats was orderly. l understand that
among the steerage passengers q
panic broke out and that the ships
officers had to shoot three men who
! | ditu ~ IoitO way lhlo thS
!, boats. No trouble dt all of this kind
broke out among the first-cabin pas
sengers. Occasionally an officer had
to drive man away from the boat
but no shooting was done"
At this point William B. Harris
Jr., brother Of Henry B. Harris, the
theatrical man, who went down il
! tho Tifapic int and ar
how Henry B. Harris had behaved.
, THE first officer drove him bacl
from his wife at the point of gun,
replied Mr.. Brayton. Continuing
he said:
"The small boats were all filled
when the ship gave heavy lurch
y She rolled to the right and to the
9 left as if she were soggy. l dom
y know why jumped at this point, bu
y did, with my heavy ulster still Oh
6 Then ! began to swim away from
the boat, as feared that if the boa
went down it would suck me under
l. My coat helped to keep me up, al
G though It retarded my swimming
and l was about so feet away wheI
che sank. I was probably in th'
6 water for 25 minutes when I wa
t, picked up by one of the small boats
Il The 16 small boats that the Titanic
:, had had all been filled when the tt
tanic went down Three Of then
which were in the rear Of the Titani'
S were sucked under when the steam
g. ship sank. was In the water 70
= probably 20 minutes when wa
G picked up by a small boat"
g At this point Mr. Brayton wa
O asked how Colonel Astor, BENJAMIN
Guggenheim and Major Butt had car
I. ried themselves.
0 Astor Was Cool.
# Colonel Astor was the only one o
y these whom | noticed" said Mr.. Bray
e ton, land he behaved very well.
D think that he jumped right after
y did, but | am not certain. | saw Mrs
y Astor get into a small boat. Befor'
Al rtt ~,