Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-21
BOY GIVES VIVID
STORY OF WRECK
John B. Thayer, Jr., Jumped
lust Before Titanic Sank
From View.
PULLED ABOARD SHIPS
LlFEB0AT BY A ST0KER
Prayed and Sang Hymns Until Car
pathia Picked Them Up.
LOST HIS PARENT ON LINER
Mother and Maid Rescued, But
Father, Railroad Magnate,
Among the Perished.
Prayed and Sang Hymns Until Car.
pathia Picked Them Up.
LOST HIS PARENT ON LINER

vice president or the Pennsylvania Rail-
road Company. went down with the Tt
tanic, while his mother was saved, along
with her maid, today dictated at his
home, in Haverford. near here, in the
presence Of members of his family and
omcers Of the railroad company an &C
count of his thrilling experience In the
great sea tragedy. Young Thayer. who
is seventeen years old, said:
Father was in bed and mother and
myself were about to get into bed. There
was no great shock. I was on my feet
at the time and + do not think 1t was
enough to throw any one down. put
on an overcoat and rushed up on "A deck,
on the port side. saw nothing there.
I then went forward to the bow to see II
I could see any signs of Ice. The only
ice saw was on the well deck. then
went down to our room, and my father
starboard side Of "A deck. There was
no big berg. We walked around to the
port side and the ship had then a fair
list to port. We stayed there looking
over the side for about Ave minutes. The
list seemed very slowly to be increasing.
Said Goodbye to Mother.
I'VE then went down to our rooms on
C deck. All Of US dressed quickly. put
ting on all our clothes. We all put on
life preservers. including the maids, and
over these we put our oercoats Then
We hurried up on deck and walked
around. looking out at different places
until the women were all ordered to col
Iect on the port side. Father and I said
goodbye to mother at the top of the
stairs on "A deck. She and the maid
went right out on "A deck to the port
side and we went to the starboard side.
AS at this time we had no idea the
boat would sink we walked ~around "A
deck and then went to 81 deck. Then
we thought we would go back to see II
mother had gotten OF safely, and went To
the port side Of "A deck We met the
cme1 steward of the main dining saloon
taken boat. and he took US to her.
Separated From Parents.
Father and mother went ahead ann 7
followed. They went down to b deck.
and crowd got in front of me and
was not able to catch them and lost sight
of them. AS soon as / could get through
the crowd l tried to find them on n,
deck, but without success. That 8. the
last time l saw father. This was alboui
one-half an hour before she sank I
then Went to the starboard side, THINKING
tnat Iather and mother must have gotten
on In noat. All OF this time I was
with fellow named Milton c.. Long of
New York. whom 1 had just met that
evening.
"On the starboard side the boats were
getting away quickly. Some boats were
already on in the distance. We tl.ought
boat to go on the forward part Of the
starboard side, but there seemed to be
SUCH crowd around 1t I thought it un-
wise to make an attempt to get into it.
re ana stood by the davits OF one of
the boats that had left. did not notice
anybody that I knew except Mr.. Lindley.
whom I also had just met that eyenine''
l lost sight Of him in a few minutes.
Long and I then stood by the rail Just a
little aft Of the captains bridge.
Bids Farewell to Long.
The list to the port had been growing
greater all the time About this time
the people began jumping from the stern.
thought of jumping myself. but was
afraid Of being stunned on hitting the
water.
Three times I made up my mind to
jump out and slide down the davit ropes.
and try to make the boats that were lying
off from the ship. but each time Long
got hold of me and told me to wait q
while. He then sat down, and stood up
waiting to see what would happen. Even
then we thought she might possibly stay
af1oat.
II got q sight on rope between the
davfts and star and noticed that .he
was gradually sinking. About this time
she straightened up on an even keel and
started to go down fairly fast at an angle
of about 30 degrees. AS she started to
sink We left the davits and went back
and stood by the rail about even with
the second funnel.
Long and myself said goodbye to each
other and jumped up on the rail. He
put his legs over and held on a minute
and asked me II I was coming. I told
him / would be with him in a minute.
side of the ship. l never saw him again.
Pulled Aboard Boat.
about nve seconds after he jumped,
jumped out. feet first. I was clear Of
I was pushed away from the ship by
some force. I came up facing the ship,
and one OF the tunnels seemed to be
lifted OF and fell toward me about If
teen yards away, with q mass Of sparks
and steam coming out OF 1t.
Il saw the ship In a sort Of q red glare,
and 1t seemed to me that she broke in
two just in front Of the third of the
tunnels. was sucked down, and as l
came up I was pushed out again and
twisted around by q large wave, coming
up in the midst of q great deal OF small
wreckage. AS I pushed it from my head
my hand touched the cork fender OF an
overturned lifeboat. I looked up and
saw some men on the top and asked them
to give me q hand. One Of them, who
was q stoker, helped me up. In a short
time the bottom was covered with about
twenty-five or thirty men.
People Swimming All Around.
when 1 got on this was facing the
ship. The stern then seemed to rise
In the air. and stopped at about an
angle OF sixty degrees. It seemed to
hold there for a time. and then with q
kissing sound 1t shot right down out Of
sight with people jumping from. the
stern The stern either pivoted
around toward our boat, or we were
sucked toward 1t. and as we had only
There did not seem to be very much
suction and most OF us managed to
stay on the bottom OF our boat.
I'VE were then right In, the midst
Of fairly large wreckage, with people
swimming all around us: The sea was
steady. but every now and then q
wave would wash over 1t.
''The assistant wireless operator was
right next to mo holding on to me
and kneeling In the water. We all
sang hymn and said the Lords
come. A. often as we saw the other
boats ct . distance we would YELL