New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-10
TITANIC MESSAGES
BASED ON ROMORS
Senate Committee Fails to Find
Origin of Hopeful Reports
Sent After Disaster.
INVESTIGATION AT AN END
NJ. L. Farrell, Last Witness, Says
Most Bulletins Given Out
Were from White Star
Company.
Hmm The Trihnne Rnrcan

SOiuPuhJ'
From Tho Tribune Rurcaul
! Washington. May 9.-Scnator Smith, OF
Michigan. who mas been gathering up cor
tain loose ends of testimony relating to the
| Titanic disaster, finished his task to-day
with the examination of Maurice f.. Farrell,
managing editor or tho Dow-Jones Com
pany, which conducts ticker service in
| New York Senator Smith said no more
hearings would be held and that the record
was complete, except for Information con-
corning some minor details. which he OK
poets to obtain without summoning more
| witnesses.
Senator Smiths purpose to-day was to
| discover the sources Of tho erroneous re
| ports sent out in bulletins on Monday. April
| u. that the Titanic was being lowed 70
| Halifax and that all on board were safe.
| and to ascertain whether these were the
| result of an effort to bolster up the stock
! of the International Mercantile Marine
| Company. Mr.. Farrell denied any such
purpose and said the stock did not huctu-
ate on tho day following the disaster.
/ one of the bulletins referred to was that
| Mr. Franklin, vice-president of the inter-
national Mercantile Marine Company, had
made provision for the TRANSPORTATION OF
| 10 passengers from Halifax. This was
timed 3ol o'clock Monday afternoon. and
! from il Senator Smith inferred that Mr..
| Franklin knew ut that time that only 10
passengers had been rescued
! Mr. Farrell cited instances 10 show the
| rapidty with which rumors spread on both
sides of the Atlantic and led 10 the publica-
! ton of erroneous reports, the rumor COM
! ing from one place being accepted as con-
! firmation OF the same rumor originating
elsewhere. Little additional light was shed
on the circumstances connected with the
| circulation of reports scattered broadcast
| Immediately after the sinking OF the ship.
All from White Star Offices.
| Senator Smith took up the bulletins sent
| out on April 10, and said TO Mr.. Farrell:
In your bulletin at 9:23 a. m. that morn
ing. you said Mr.. Franklin said he had re-
ceivcd a brief dispatch from the Olympic
/ operator saying he had talked with the
! Titanic?"
| Mr. Farrell said the information sent out
was virtually all from the White star
! offices. either from Mr. Franklin or his
! subordinate officers.
/ Senator Smith read from a dispatch which
| stated that "a dispatch received from Hall
| fax reports that all of the passengers OF
! the Titanic left the steamer after "'"'
| o'clock this morning" Mr.. Farrell ident-
! fed memorandum accompanying this as
! match. dated SIS a. m, which. he SAID Was
I received from the Boston News Bureau
/ the Boston correspondent Of the company.
| Ibid YOU attempt to verify this at the
| White star Offices" asked Senator Smi'h'
! I'VE did Prior to that We had receiver
| fror, the White Star offices statement
somewhat similar TO this 1t was puoiishe"
| in orr ticker service at S:S5 a. IN.
Mr. Farrell was asked to read into the
rnoora oil his ticker news service on Mob
/ dav CoIloving the sinking OF the ltdh''
oad ~ exnIain the source Of the dispatches
! Tho diena,cb OF $40 a. m. Monday an
/ ,,o,,,circ the accident. was from the iiio'"-
;na raners Items at 9;o2 and s'zo were
! based on statements onta'''" ~
rortcrs from Mr.. Franklin
Too Busy TO Verify Reports
,-.,, tho I.afran News Bureau. MI. far-
ia no had obtained the basis for MS
. on sttcmpt was being made IN
l'e"' have Ilovds rcinsurc the IL
tanic's cargo III. .,o ,oror, -
! Did you attempt 10 Ne''H NV
senator Smith asked.
40 sir" replied the witness
"D,dn't YOU send reporter 10 '"''
| TO substantiate II? .oo
| Not that | can recall We VIZ
busy" ..r,o No,-
1ba,rman Smith asked about lhe Mon
,rcai star" dispatch that unoihciel t'P'i
.t,tod the Titanic was sun a"od' anu
,oodirg for the coast THIS was u''e"
az q M. according to Chairman o"'''" .
,,,o,,,orardurn. but Mr. Farrell SAID he was
,,,hIe ~ find il in the rccorj OIL MS nv"
IL uas also unable TO hnd as
.,,.t jnood o:sS d. m. giving an opium
,.,t. s,atoment OF Mr.. Franklin, saying
tho OLYMPIC had just been reported ~ nav
in,, becn in direct communication 10y WIZ
less with the Titanic A..
rho item Mt 1890 q. m announcing tn"'
,bo Titanic was heading for llahiaN' MI
! r,a~rou said. was obtained by a reporter
from Mr.. Franklin ~.
The item at 1855 reporting 'hat the WI
o,rian was alongside the Titanic was S"'u
a. have bocn received by the Lahah news
D,,rcau Another was read quoting MT
Ura,,llin as insisting that the Titanic was
unsuitable. ,,-,., -,
The witness read an item published al
90, u m, announcing that Mr.. frahklih
would send a special train to Halifax win
I,wcntv-three coaches to meet the 11tanlc
,,aesonners. and this would accommodate
20 norsons Mr.. Farrell said Mr. FRANKLIN
rayc the information 10 reporter
",rl,at would seem to indicate that MI
Franklin then had information as TO the
ac,ual loss OF life and knew then the sur
yivors were only about seven hundred
said Senator smith
| Taken at its face value, II would seem
or" said Mr. Farrell. but / will explain
tator how the White star people explained
# TO me the next day.
! At AIS u. m. Mr.. Farrell said, he sent
ont an item received from tho La1an bu-
r.au TO the effect that the news had pe"n
received at Halifax that the Titanic vas
being towcd to Halifax.
Didn't Bolster Up Stock.
Mr. Farrell expressed the opinion that the
,oaqsuring dispatches published Monday did
not have the effect Of bolsterinG w the N
| tcrrational Marine stock. lie based this IN
| tho fact that the stock 1uctuatcd very little
! that day.
breaks are sometimes less serious are
they not" said Senator Smith, when they
re expected rather than when they come
unexpectedly"
! Yes"
I'll 4.