The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-20
ship made her tinal plunge.

1-'"e BUT, ike COlOnel AStOr,
aied the death OF gallant officer and
brave man there is the same testimony
from survivors. Not SO many evident
~ knew the quiet, retiring army Off
Ger VINO had been the Presidents de-
liShtful companion as knew Colonel
fstor, but there were some who did
and remembered how he acted in those
laSt dreadful hours. One OF them ap-
pears to have been Miss Marie c.
Young, Of Washington who was once
music teacher TO the Roosevelt chill
oreil. AS such she had frequently met
the major at tho White House. She
says that she left on the last boat
10 pull away. and that it was Major
Butt who put her in 1t.
Major Butt escorted me to the seat
in the boat" said Miss Young to-day.
He helped me find space, arranged
, my clothing about me, stood erect,
doffed his hat. smiled and said good
by. And then he stepped back TO the
deck. already awash. as we rowed
away looked back and the last / saw
of him he was smiling and waving
his hat al me-"
Mrs. Churchill Candee, also OF Wash
ington. was with Miss Young, and she,
too, said that she saw Major Butt
standing on the deck watching their
boat pull away and waving good-by.
He was quite calm, they said.
Butts Brnrc End.
Mrs. ID. w. Marvin, q passenger In
another boat, gave testimony TO show
how this gallant officer spent the last
moments of his life. Mrs. Marvin sa I'd
that she saw many brave men push
aside others WHO made for the boats
before the women
y am not sure" she said hut L
think that when we pulled away from
the Titanic l saw Major Butt. whom
knew slightly. standing near where
they were loading some other boats.
He had an iron bar or stick In his
hand. and he was beating back the
frenZied crowd, who We're attempting
to crowd into those lifeboats.'
a second cabin passenger. who was
taken TO the Chelsea Hotel said that
he saw man. who was pointed out
TO him as Ma jor Butt standing along
side one OF the lifeboats.
lie was in his shirt sleeves. In
his right hand he held q revolver, and
as the crowd made toward the boat
heard him shout: stand back, you
men. Women and children first I'll
shoot the first man that tries TO enter
n boat
This held them back. As was
showed TO one side 1 heard pistol
shot. but whether II waE from his re-
volver 1 don't know. Tho last 1 saw
of him was after ] was showed into
the boat with my wife and my ten
months old baby In my arms. I saw
Major Butt and Colonel Aston standing
together as our boat was lowered 10
the water"
With their minds flled with the last
actions Of brave men such as these,
there was one scens. pathetic beyond
all Others which seems TO have re-
manned uppermost with many suryiV-
ors 1t was that OF the deaths OF AIR. and
Mrs. Isidor Straus. The sight OF the
devoted husband and wife disappear
ing beneath the waves together, hand
III hand after Mrs. Straus had refused
to yield to the entreaties OF her hus-
band to leave him, was one that few
could describe 10 the reporters without
great emotion, though they had carried
it wildly away with them. Tho
Strauscs had mingled much with those
on board the ship. and their fellow pas
scrgcrs had had many opportunities In
tho days that preceded the tragedy to
witness their devotion. Apparently in
that awful sccnA. which those looking
back from the boats had indclibly i'm
pressed upon their minds, this couple
stood out most conspicuously. While
the stories regarding tho others who
died then differ somewhat, those relat-
ing to the Stvauscs all seemed TO agree,
showing the accuracy Win wNlch the
impression had been made.
Strangely Calm.
Many of those who told this story
H." been close to the Strauses while
the work of launching the boats was in
progress Every one OF them agree
that during this seen. Mr.. Stratus was
strangely calm and remained so until
the end. III only one small respect do
these stories differ as to what then
occurred. According to Mrs. j. Murray
Brown. who had bean playing bridge
with Mr.. and Mrs. Straus, Mrs. Straus
did actually get into one or tho boats,
but when she found that Mr.. Strauss
would not follow her, she stopped ont
again Other accounts are that Mrs.
Straus first refused TO step foot In Il
boat without Mr.. Straus. and that tho
latter. after trying to force her into
one for few minutes, then gave 1t up.
This scene. narrowing in its details,
Is described thus by n. f. Stcphascn,
an attache OF the Swedish embassy, who
stood by this particular boat and who
only n mlnuts before had seen Colonel