Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-26
Gill Not Willing Captain
Should Hush Up Matter


the Californian, who followed Vice Pres
ident Franklin on the stand before the
Senate investigating committee, in his
sensational affidavit, dated last Wednes-
day, declared that he was "actuated by
the desire that no captain who refuses
or neglects to give aid to vessel in dis
tress should be able to hush up the mat
ter.
HE charged that several whom he
had urged to join with him in pro-
testing against the conduct of the Cali
fornian's captain in disregarding the
Titanic's rockets refused to join in a
protest. because they feared Ito lose
their jobs" He said he saw the Titanic
very plainly. and that he could not
have seen her If she had been more
than ten miles distant.
Gill said he was twenty-nine years
old, single. a native of Yorkshire and
was on his third voyage in the Cali
fornian In the bright starlit night Of
Sunday, April IA, he said he came up
on deck of the Californian at 11:56 pm.
as the vessel with engines stopped was
drifting amid foe ice.
Ship Ten Miles Distant.
From the. starboard rail, Gill said, he
saw, the broadside lights Of very large
steamer about ten miles away, watched
her at least two minutes, and that those
on the Californian's bridge, officer and
lookout. could not have helped seeing her
At midnight, Gill continued, he went to
his cabin, where he remarked to his mate,
William Thomas. that he had seen a big
vessel. apparently German, going along
at full speed. He could not sleep and
went back on deck to smoke a cigarette.
Ten minutes later he saw a white rocket
ten miles off to starboard, which he first
thought was a shooting star. A second
rocket in the same place, seven or eight
minutes later. he saw distinctly, and
vessel in Distress
He did not notify the bridge or look
out, because. he said, that was not his
business, and they could not have helped
but see the rockets. and he supp osed they
would pay attention. Gill swore that he
then turned in, and at $40 am. was
awakened with orders to turn out to rem
der assistance, that the Titanic had gone
down. The Californian then was proceed
Ing at fun speed. clear of the ice field.
but with plenty Of icebergs about. He
heard Second Ohcer ]. c. Evans telling
Fourth oficer Wooten that the third Of
hcer had reported rockets during his
watch, and Gill said he knew then 1t must
have been the Titanic that he had seen.
,h Evans ms. according to the affidavit. said
the rockets by the apprentice officer.
thought to have been named Gibson.
The skipper ordered Morse signals to
the distressed vessel sent up. Gibson
again reported the rockets to the cap
tain, who told Gibson to continue to
Morse the distressed vessel until he got
a reply. No reply was received
Gil said the next remark he heard
Evans make was why in the devil
didn't they wake up the wireless mani"
The entire crew, according to Gill.
talked among themselves about the dis
regard Of the rockets. Mr.. Stone, the
second navigating officer. was on the
Californian's bridge at the time of the
rocket signals.
Gill declared that in making this afi-
davit he had no i'll will toward any Off
Ger ct the Californian: that the Cali
fornian certainly was less than the dis
lance OF twenty miles from the Titanic,
which the Californian's officers had re-
ported as their position. He said that
the skipper and the quartermaster. who
was on duty during the discharge Of the
rockets. had a three-quarters of an hour
consultation a day or two before the
Californian reached port and that the
quartermaster declared that he did not
see the rockets.