Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-04-25
Third Officer Pitman Of IL
tanic Breaks Down When
Picturing Scenes Of Hor-
ror After Ship Sinks.
PREVENTED FROM
GOING TO RESCUE
Told Men at Oars to Pull to
Wreck and Try to Save
Some Lives, but Women
Said it Was Madness.


life and death struggle Of the victims
OF the Titanic disaster were pictured
to the senate investigating committee
today BY Third Officer Herbert John
Pitman of the sunken liner.
Senator Smith of the committee
pressed Pitman regarding scenes af'
ter the sinking Of the ship.
II heard no cries Of distress until
after, the ship went down" he said.
How far away were the cries from
your life boat"
Several hundred yards, probably,
some of them. I told my men to get the
oars out and pull toward the wreck.
that we might be able to save a few
more. ,...
1.-THE people in my boat demurred.
They said it would be mad idea"
did any one in your boat urge or
appeal to you to 60 back toward the
wreck"
mo. not one"
did any woman urge you to 90
back?" 49,.
mo"
who demurred. the men with the
oars?'
"Oh no, they obeyed my order and
all the passengers said it was q mad
idea to 20 back, that We should add an
other forty to the list of drowned.
Then we took in the oars and lay
quiet" os... ,-e
When Pitman yielded to the impor.
tunities Of the passengers he did not
turn back to see. but merely pulled in
his oars and drifted. eAs
"nes epihA tina scpaam ms"
Don't. sir. please. I'd rather not
talk about It."
I'm sorry to press It, but what was
It like? Were the screams intermit-
tent or spasmodic?"
1T. was one long. continuous moan. I"
The witness said the means and
cries continued an hour and that he
made no effort to 70 to the rescue :.
"You drifted in the vicinity Of the
drowning people and made no effort
to give them aid?" asked Senator
Smith in surprise.
please. sir. don't" pleaded Pitman.
II can't bear to recall It, wish We
might not discuss the scene"
~ have no desire to lacerate your
feelings" said Senator Smith. "but
we must know whether you drifted
there without offering aid. Answer
that and I shall press you no more"
II did. sir answered the witness.
did you ever hear anything OF a
boat known as the Hellig Olavf?' sud
denly asked Senator Smith. ~
mo. did not. There may be 4
boat Of that name" said Pitman.
The Olav locked at New York April
| II and is reported to have encountered
an iceberg near where the Titanic
sank. 1t has been suggested that the
Olav may have been the boat whose
lights Fourth Officer Boxhall saw and
which he Intellectually tried to signal
with distress rockets.
When the investigation was reSum-
ed it was announced that J. B. Box
hall, fourth off1cer Of the Titanic, was
Ill and could not be heard further at
this time. H. J. Pittman, third ofiicer
Of the ship, then was called to the
stand. ...
Owing to the great confusion caused
by the rush of the crowds to the hear
ing and the constant Interruptions
during the questioning Of witnesses,
the senate committee determined to-
day to exclude the general public. 10
accomplish this the hearing was trans
ferred to q smaller room in the SEN
ate ONCE building. Only Witnesses
those particularly interested In tho
inquiry and reporters were admitted.
The change caused disappointment
20 thousands most Of them women,
who crowded out in the corridors lead
ing to the Marble caucus room. n
There were loud protests and hun
10 h,t{l AS,S0
clamoring for admittance. Third Or
ficer Pittman told in detail his expert
ences of seventeen years on the sea.
Tells Of Titanic Test Trials. Y
"were you present during the trial
tests of the Titanic?' asked Senator
Smith. .~.. "
eyes. sir. was on the bridge most
of the time" 49, r... ..s
The witness said the test consisted
Of steaming in circles and In perform
ing other evoluttons and In adjusting
compasses. a,
Were there any trials for speed"
he was asked.
mo, sir: 1 believe they have no such
tests on the White Star line"
Tell the committee the circum.
stances Of the departure from South
ampton."
1--WE left Southampton 12:15 p. M.
Wednesday, April 10. Nothing excit-
inx happened except breaking the
moorings Of the New York, caused by
the backwash from our starboard pro-
peller. We got clear and proceeded 10
Cherbourg after half hour delay"
What was the weather.
Perfect"
was 1t good all the way to the place
OF the collision :"
All the way and no heavy sea-