Omaha daily bee., 1912-04-27
WITHIN FEW MILES OF TITANIC
Distress Signals Plainly Seen from
the Upper Decks.
CALIFORNIAN DRIFTING IN ICE
Says Officer Refused to Get Up
Steam and Go to Rescue.
CAPTAIN DENIES THE CHARGE
amined by Senators Throw
Light Upon Number of In
cidents of Wreck.

WASHINGTON. April ga sworr
statement that the captain of the liner
Californian. refused to 90 to the aid OF
the Titanic, although only a few miles
away, was today filed by Ernest gill
donkey engineman on the Californian
with the senate committee investigating
the Titanic disaster. Gill said that the
distress rockets were plainly visible from
the deck OF the Californian and must
have been visible to both the bridge and
the lookout
Captain Lord OF the Californian in Bos-
ton last night denied Gilrs statement.
Gill was placed on the witness stand
Immediately after Senator Smith, the
chairman, had finished reading his affi-
davit. III
Il saw the ship. which | took to be the
Titanic" said GIL after being sworn.
some time before midnight II was
about ten miles away and went past us
apparently at full speed. 1t was big
ship and / saw two tiers Of lights. The
Californian at the time was caught IN
field Ice Its engines were stopped and
it was drifting with the floe.''
The vessel. Gill testified. must have
been plainly visible to the bridge and
the lookouts, as well as the rockets
which 1t sent up later The Californian's s
captain. he said, paid no attention -
the distress signals and his refusal tn
get up steam and go to the aid Of the
stranger SO incensed the crew that GIL
tried to organize a protesting party
among the men. He failed, he said. be-
cause the men were afraid they'd lose
their Jobs
What time did the Californian get up
steam2" interrupted Senator Fletcher.
Il don't know. exactly" said the wit.
ness, but it was some time after ,
O'Clock" o..
Rocket. Twenty Miles Away.
From the rockets Gill judged the dis
tressed ship TO be not more than twenty
miles off. He described the rockets. his
description tallying with that given by
Fourth Officer Roxhall Of the Titanic,
who sent them aloft
When the afternoon session was re.
sumed Senator Smith read into the record
the following note from Operator Young
OF the United States naval wireless sta
tion at the New York navy yard:
Carpathia would. at no time acknowl-
edge receipt OF a message from navy
ships or stations. This station caiied
them at $50 p. m. April Is, when II was
trying to get into communication with
New York stations, but It's operator re-
fused to take any assistance from US.
a mis- was the only station II could work
at that time. as no other station could
hear it. YOUNG, Operator.
Members OF the committe of inquiry
into the Titanic disaster who examined
the British sailors and stew
ards of the Titanlc's crew gathered early
today in the office OF Chairman Smith
to prepare a report OF their investigations
for the full committee.
Only few OF the members OF the crew
were found who could offer anything Of
value that had not been ELECTED from the
surviving officers and passengers. Though
no announcement has been made II was
about the committee room that
those Of the crew whose testimony is not
to be taken in open session will be per
mitted to leave for their homes in Eng
land at once, and that some OF the off
GERS also will be dismissed. Those re
tained will be examined as rapidly ss
possible.
The captain and wireless operator Of
the steamer Californian are scheduled to
testify before the close OF the day.
II was necessary for women and chill
dren on the sinking Titanic to jump
three-fo foot chasm from the deck to life
boats and babies were tossed into the
boats, according to testimony given to
Senator William Alden Smith. chairman
Of the senate committee. by +. o. Evans.
one Of the Titanlc's crew. Evans cred
ited this method OF loading the boats
with the heavy loss of life among the
women and children. Evans was exam
med by Senator Smith last night and tbs
purport of his testimony was made pub
lie today.
Women Thrown Into Boats.
Evans told Senator Smith that when
the boats were swung out they were at
least three feet out from the steamers
deck which was seventy feet aboyes the
sea. The height was so terrifying that
women refused to attempt the jump.
Several were thrown bodily across the
gap, Evans said. and one was propelled
with such force that she went over the
(Coptfnrad on Second pa0aN