The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-04-20

Miss Taussig she opened the door. I
urged her to put on a coat; not TO
dress. She had been awakened by the
said, TO hell with clothes. Slip into
this coat If you stop to dress you'll
drown I then adjusted the life oeII
ssMr. and Mrs. Isador Stratus occu-
pied -stateroom No. so AS I knocked
at the door Mr.. Straus asked: what
is it. steward?'
"I answered, Water is coming III
fast. The ship is sinking. -
'I will get up but don't think II
is as serious as all that he answered.
ct then summoned Others and went
to d deck where 1 again met BreWS-
fer. Passengers were running to and
fro and as we passed the purserS OF
fee there were scores of men ana
women demanding and receiving their
valuables. I want to say right mere
that the watertight doors were shut
Immediately upon the first notice OF
the crash. These extended upward 81
feet above the water line: In the en-
gineroom one engineer had ms reg
caught as a door swung 1t was
crushed and he was held as IN wise;
Before leaving the Titanic l was told
how he had begged to be shot 10 emu
his agony. His wish was complleo
with but this is the only shot Kho"
ARRIVING at the sun deck, which is
the topmost deck, 1 saw hundreds of
people running to and fro. 1 was just
aft of the bridge, on which L saw cap
tain Smith. He had assumed control
Immediately upon hearing of the acct
dent. The first officer had been in
charge until that time, the captain, TO
my personal knowledge being in por-
ton of the ship near the main salon.
He passed me just after had seen the
firemen rushing from the incoming
waters.
Boats /. and were already in the
water, which by now was only 30 feet
below the topmost deck. 1t was 1z:5O
by this time and we saw the vessel was
doomed. !
I'm the fire drill which, by the way
had never been demonstrated on this
ship, I was assigned to life boat No
IL. I knew this only by reading the
rules. On the deck at this time an Off
Ger ordered all of US to stand In
crowd and not to move.
d" Women and children first he said,
and then the men,.
LAS fast as the women and children
nearest any particular boat found
places and there was still room, rev
men were told off. Finally l saw there
was no hope there and ran back toward
the second cabin section of the deck
Here was boat No. Is. 1 aided in get
ting her davits swung over the side of
the ship but an officer said: There is
1.-The boat was lowered and rOwed
away. 1 stood there talking to Store
keeper Reick. About a half mile away
was a massive iceberg. 1t looked like
the rock of Gibraltar. 1t was fully
three miles long and extending out
from the huge cliff was a section SEEM
ingly from three to six feet above re
water. 1t was into this that we had
run and it was this that tore the plates
from the bottom. There were two main
pillars of ice, the highest about $50 feet
tAs we stood looking at this, the
cause of the disaster, a violent ex-
plosion suddenly shook the entire boat.
lost sight of Reick but saved myself
from being thrown, God only knows
where, by grabbing hold of the rail.
The vessel seemed to break in two. The
part on which stood went way up into
the air and remained in that position
This was the stern. The lights had
gradually gone out excepting one light
near where I stood. Several hundred
men were gathered about me. saw
that all was over.
Steward Seibert was the nearest
person to me. All of US had life belts
on. L said to Seibert, Come, we had
better get away and take our chance
before she sinks
Il leaped into the water and he fol-
lowed me. I swan as hard as 1 could
go and finally near to me 1 saw a raft
on which few men were clinging. A
willing hand was extended me and we
picked up II others. A woman was
among these and I must give her
praise. 1 wish I could remember her |
name. During those two dreary hours |
she laughed and sang, cheering us.
THE water was up to our knees. |
AS we stood there the Titanic sudden |
ly sank. I say suddenly but it seemed |
to be a gradual sinking. I remember |
the band. Those brave men were |
playing that immortal hymn, Near |
er My God to Thee
''Then CAGE an awful cry out of the |
depths of the sea. The vessel had dis |
appeared. The unfortunates who |
found no means of escaping dotted the |
ocean. All silent. Before day light a |
lifeboat came near to us on the raft |
We were rescued and taken aboard |
Seibert was dead.
Then came the shout "a steamer |
and finally we were rescued by the |
Carpathia. The Carpathia had pro- |
vided for our comfort and each of us |
was given coffee and sandwiches when /
we were hauled aboard.
ST am through with the sea, but for |
the heroes that stuck to their posts 1 |
have only words of praise. For the !
captain I feel sorrowful. He was we'll /
named The Grand Old Man of the |
Sea-