The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-28


- - cd each other at the same
moment. Girl and man rushed
toward each other the crowd separat-
ing that they might meet. and Mrs.
Smith. with a cry fell fainting into her
fathers arms.
Minute after minute the scene was
repeated until. late at night. the last
OF the survivors able to walk had left
aboard many women too seriously H.
not from physical exposure entirely. but
from the awful mental strain as we'll.
to be moved.
Among the first to board the Car
pathia were Senator William Alden
Smith of Michigan and Senator f. G.
Newlands OF Nevada, representing the
Senate Investigating Committee which
is still inauiring into the sinking of the
Titanic and the tremendous loss of life
involved The Senators sought ]. Bruce
Ismay. who still kept to his cabin
aboard the Carpathia where he had
remained almost without appearing on
the decks since he was picked out of
one of the 'Titanics litehoats.
Mr.. Ismay refused to see the Senators
camille Marine Company was present.
but when he arrived and also =. a. S.
Franklin. Vice President and General
Manager OF the International Mcrcan-
tile Marine Company. the interview
was accorded
After half an hour spent In Mr.. Is
mays cabin. Mcssrs. Smith and New
lands left the pier for the Waldorf,
where they announced. as aftcrward
took place. that the first inquiry into
the disaster would he held al 10 o'clock
Saturday morning. Mr.. Smith issued
this statement:
The interview with Mr.. Ismay and
Mr. Franklin has been very frank and
courteous. and they will appear be-
fore us with the four surviving off
GERS of the Titanic for examination.
Our course will be determined by what
We learn. do not find any DISPOSE
ton TO thwart our purpose. but rather
10 aid us in obtaining all information
and in carrying on the investigation.
y meeting will be held tomorrow at
the Waldorf"
The arrival of the Carpathla was the
signal for the most sensational rumors
10 be circulated through the crowd on
the pier. Capt. Smith and The First
Engineer We're reported to have shot
themselves whers they. found that the
Titanic WAS doomed 10 sink After
ward the true story of Capt Smith s
death was told by survivors. one ut
least of whom had seen him die.
Major Archibald Butt. President
Taft's military aid. was said To have
entered into an agreement with Col.
John Jacob Astor. Isidor Straus, and
George D. Widencr. first to kill them
and then shoot himself before the Ii
tanic should disappear beneath the
waves. Later the heroic deaths of these
men. faced without a qualm, after they
had assisted the last OF the women and
the children TO leave the Titanic. were
recounted by many of those who, from
The small boats had seen them busly
At work on the decks and later stand
ing there calmly awaiting the giant
liners final plunge.
Mrs. John Jacob Astor was reported
10 have died al SOC o'clock when the
Carpathia was passing the Battery
when she was at last within sight of
Manhattan Island. Afterward Mrs AS
tor alighted from the ship unaided
though weak and m from her expert
ence, and was hurried to the home of
her father, William II. Force
All the while that the Titanic sur
vivors were alightinG from the Car
pathia, greater and greater crowds were
coming afoot, by automobile. IN street
cars and elevated trains. to catch n
glimpse of them. At ii O'clock Police
Inspector Mccluskey estimated that the
crowd then Surrounding tho pier num-
bered 10000 persons. Thirteenth. Four
teen,h and Fifteenth streets were
damned from the river front TO Ninth
Avenue.
Time and again the excited ihrongs
tried 10 break the police lines. giving
way only before the swiftly welded
night sticks OF the officers Women
crying and screaming. implorod the no
iicemen To let them pass the lines TO
the pier. There were relatives there
who needed them, they said. But in the
mighty crush to gain admission to the
pier none was passed on to it who
could not show the special pass issued
by the Custom House.
But still the crowd would not 20
home Ambulances carrying survivors
TO hospitals had to have police escorts
To pass through the throngs.
1t was long after midnight when the
last Of the survivors to leave stepped
from the pier. Others were too weak
and III to be moved. and were kept on
'he Cunarder overnight. though she was