New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-04-26
Titanic's First Distress Call.


would have the government refuse TO
license more stations.
Titanic's First Distress Call.
II. r Gotham, wireless operator OF the
Carpathia, was questioned as TO the dlS-
tress messages sent from the Titanic. lie
reiterated the statements he made In Now
York, aiding somewhat to the details. The
frat message OF distress from the Titanic,
he said. was:
Come at once. Have struck a berg
This is a G Q n"
Gotham said he assisted the Titanic IN
communicating with other ships. because
the Titanic operator said escaping steam
aboard interfered with his instruments. lie
told III getting IN touch with the olympic
the Californian and the Baltic
"DiG you get i'm touch with the Mount
Tempc"" asked Senator Smith.
Yes sir: about 1890 that night. She
gave me good night but did not Get her
position"
The witness said he was I'm touch with
six or seven ships that night, among them
he Hellig Olav
senator Smith sought To learn whether
proximity or distance 81 tho vessel from
which the message came. Gotham said II
did not unless the receiving operator knew
intimately the strength Of the sending opnr-
s,or's batteries and tho style Of tho APP
parstLs.
Did YOU receive y wireless from the
Chester" Gotham was asked.
Several. asking for q passenger list.
said Gotham II took tho message to the
captain and he replied 10 the chester later.
stating what names Of survivors already
had been forwarded. lie told the chester
that all but tho third class passengers had
been sent and that the Chester could have
them n wanted"
Did YOU know the message from
the President of the United states
mo. It was only signed by the com
mander Of the Chester lie asked once
about Major Butt"
Gotham said ho worked almost contnu-
ously from tho time Of the rescue until tho
| Csrpatbis docked He said hc MAS not in
communication with the Marconi company
| that day. and on tho day Of tho landing he
received no messages from Marcoui. Samms
or any one Of tho company.
Senator Smith read tho keep your
mouth shut" telegram but tho witness
said he did not know Of ~. iIc did remcm-
her he said. receipt 81 tho message signed
by Sammis promising the operators mon
ey in four figures for their stories. and
telling them mot N talk" IIc said Bride
| took it aud he did not discuss tho matter
with him.
Did Keen Mouth Shut"
Did YOU keep your mouth shut. ss d.
rected?" asked Senator Smith
certainly"
There was a persistent demand for news
Of tho disaster. was there not"
There was but | was busy taking mos
sagcs for passengers and I'm sending their
messages. The captain told me to ignore
passing ships and TO refuse all calls FOR
details. We had the passengers to look
after"
Asked whether there was any rivalry or
enmity between Marconi operators and the
operators of other systems. Gotham said
there was some feeling. Senator Smith
, asked II any feeling existed between the
operators on the Titanic and the one on
the Frankfurt. which was said not 10 have
responded promptly to the THAMES &C.
@ D.
mo. sir said Gotham Furthermore
the g Q ID should have been signal
enough for the operator TO have reported
at once the distress Of the vessel"
Gotham declared he would have answered
| the operator Of tho Frankfurt the same
way the Titanic dh-"keep out, you fool
had it been his place to. when the Frank
furt operator answered the Titanic's &C..
| = ~ call twenty minutes late.
when only two hours is between life
and DEATH" said Gotham. twenty min
utes Is long time. I don't know what
else but fool 10 call man who was so
foolish to interfere with other commu-
nications to answer "A g Q D. and ask
What's the matter? twenty minutes late"
Did Not Enioin Silence.
An executive session was held after cot
tam had testified, and when the committee
resumed Senator Smith recalled Mr.. Mar
| conf. saying
81 desire to ask whether an officer, d.
rector or employe OF the International Mer-
camille Marine. after the collision, asked
you to enjoin silence on Bride the Titanic
operator, or Cottam. the Carpathia oper-
ator, as TO the time or the manner in
which the accident occurred
mo request was made, and no order
was issued TO stop any message" Mr.. Mar
conf replied. mo such instructions Of any
| sort or manner ever were issued"
Senator Smith made this announcement
just before the committee adjourned
Il desire TO say that some rumors have
| reached the committee that there is fric-
ton and lack OF harmony among the mem
bers OF the subcommittee. and / have the
| concurrence OF my assistants that the state
ment is absolutely untrue.
PERSONALLY, I have never heard of the
slightest friction. We are all proceeding in
our own way to get at results While some
Of my colleagues have been absent at some
OF the hearings, I want the record TO show
that they are performing public dur on
the Committee on Commerce and their alb
sencc must not be noted as any indication
of their failure 10 take active part I'm this
hearing.
II wish TO say further that we have de-
terminated to hear the members OF the crew
OF the Titanic. 1t has been thought neces-
sary, because OF the large number OF these
men, TO proceed with the hearing without
the attendance Of the public, each member Of
the committee examining his quota OF these
men. This is done TO expedite the hear
ing"