Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-04-23
.|SMAY N lakes
new STATEMENT
WHITE STAR OWNER DENIES HE
HAD ANY CONTROL OVER
CONDUCT OF VESSEL.
CAPTAIN SUPREME.
Owner Says He Enjoyed No PrivI'
Ieges Denied Other Passengers;
Describes Manner Of Escape
From Titanic.

from lIdnIC.
New York, April 22.-In a state,
ment given out here Sunday night, J.
Bruce Ismay replies to various pub,
lished statements regarding the II
tanic disaster, particularly those in
which his name has prominently fig
ured He denies that he had anything
to do with the navigation of the YES
sci and declares that he did not con-
suit with her captain regarding her
conduct at sea and made no sugges-
ling Of the ship.
He exercised no privilege that did
not belong to any other first class
cabin passenger, he declares, did not
sit at the captains table. and was not
dining with him at the time of the
accident, and in fact was in bed when
the collision occurred.
He had no idea of returning to
Europe quickly to avoid appearing at
the senatorial investigation, he adds,
and only knew that the investigation
was pending when informed Of it at
the pier on the Carpathia's arrival.
Mr.. Ismay's statement follows:
81 lsmay's Statement.
when l appeared before the sem
ate committee Friday morning l sup
posed the purpose of the inquiry was
to ascertain the cause of the sinking
of the Titanic with view to deter
mining whether additional legislation
was required to prevent the recur-
renee Of SO horrible disaster.
II welcomed such an inquiry and
appeared voluntarily, without SUBJ
poena and answered all questions put
to me by the members of the COM
mittee to the best of my ability, with
complete frankness and without re-
serve. did not suppose the question
of my personal conduct was the sub
ject Of the inquiry, although I was
ready to tell everything I did on the
night of the collision.
"As have been subpoenaed to at
tend before the committee In Wash
ington tomorrow, I should prefer to
make no public statement out of re-
spect for the committee. but I do not
think that courtesy requires me to be
silent In the face Of the untrue state
ments made in some Of the news
papers.
PIdnneo QUICK HetuFn.
when, l wnet on board the Titanic
at Southampton on April 10, 1t was my
intention to return by her. I had no
intention Of remaining in the United
States at that time. l came merely to
observe the new vessel, as I had done
in the case of other vessels Of our
lines.
During the voyage, I was pas
senger and exercised no greater rights
or privileges than any other passen-
ger. I was not consulted by the COM
mander about the ship, her course,
speed, navigation. or her conduct at
sea- All these matters were under the
exclusive control of the captain.
II saw Captain Smith only casually,
as other passengers did: I was never
in his room: I did not sit at his table
in the saloon I had not visited the
engine room nor gone through the
ship, and did not 60. or attempt to 60,
to any part Of the ship to which any
other first cabin passengers did not
have access.
1T is absolutely and unqualifedly
false that ever said that wished that
the Titanic should make speed rec.
/ deny absolutely having said to any
person that We would increase our
speed in order to get out of the ice
zone, or any words to that effect.
-.. Never at Full Speed.
"As I have already testified, at no
time did the Titanic during the voyage
attain her full speed. It was not ex-
pected that she would reach New York
before Wednesday morning. If she had
been pressed she could probably have
arrived Tuesday evening. IL
"The statement that the White Star
line would receive an additional sum
by way of bounty or otherwise for at
tanning certain speed Is absolutely
untrue. The White Star line receives
from the British government a fixed
compensation Of 100000 per fannum for
CARRYING the mails, without regard to
the speed of any of its vessels, and
no additional sum is paid on account
of any increase in speed.
81 was never consulted by Captain
Smith nor by any othr person, nor did
ever make any suggestions whatso-
ever to any human being about the