Evening journal., 1912-04-19

BY Inc Jnlleu iic5o'
NEW YORK. April ID Bruce Is
may. managing director of the Inter
national Mercantile Marine Company,
owners of the ill-fated Titanic. took
the stand as the first witness before
the Senate investigating committee,
probing the Titanic disaster today,
After lsmay had been sworn by
Chairman Smith he was questioned at
length. He said
MY name is Bruce lsmay; am hity
years old: am an officer Of the White
star Line in the capacity of managing
director. I was not officially designat-
ed hy the directors to go with the IL
tanic on her maiden voyage
TELL in YOUR own way what you
n consider the cause of the accident TO
the Titanic" said Smith.
a First. of all | want to express
n NV great grief" began lsmay. sec
ondly. I wish to say that we welcomed
h investigation; we court the fullest IN
nuirv and that we have nothing to
II conceal or hide.
"The ship was built in Belfast, and
& was the latest thing in shipbuildins.
q No money was spared in her con-
n struction. She was not built Dy
81 contracts. but by commission"
Tsmav then reviewed the early his
81 tory of the Titanic. When she was
M laid down. when she was launched
81 and the details leading up to the starr
81 of her maiden voyage. He said tha'
NJ the weather had been fine every day
81 after the ship left Southampton unil
81 the mid-ocean crash. with the eXcep'
# tson of abou ten minutes when
81 dense fog encompassed the vessel.
an Denies shin Was Speeding.
He said: "The accident took place
the Sunday night flowing the Wed
nesdav of her departure. / was asleel
# in nv stateroom at the time. Ih'
# shin sank I am told at go o'cloci
# Monday morning. | understand
Y has been stated that the ship was go
+ in1 AZ full speed when she CRASHED
81 INTO the big berg. She never Wen
al full speed II the weather o
|# Monday and Tuesday had been goo
z& h was our intention to go at ful
# speed"
smith then asked 1smay to describ
what took place after the collision
Ismay said:
"I Law i'm my bed a few minutes no
knowing what had happened. / wen
ont on the deck and asked an once
what he thought the trouble was. II
f said he did not know. ] returne
to NV stateroom. dressed myself an
went to the bridge where ! met Cap
tain Smith. I asked him what ha
+ banpened. He said the ship ha
strnclk ice and he feared it was seri
ouslv damaged l rushed down Z
the Office of the chief engineer and n
told me he feared the ship had bee
seriously damaged. I went back |
the bridge and heard the order give
10 get out the life boats asslsts
in getting them out went to tn
starboard side Of the ship and | stay
cd till the fourth boat had been low
cred. which 7 understand was the las
boat which left the Titanic. ] d
Il not know whether the captain staye
on the bridge"
"Did the other officers seem to kno,
the serious condition of the snip
asked Smith.
"I couldn't say. l had no converse
tion with them.
Dapper. and neatly-dressed IN
black. frocl1 coat. with white pipin
M i'm his vest. the managing directC
twirled the ends OF his military mou
. tacne ncrNOuSiN as ouilln cuueoNJ''
to get specific details.
His memory was bad in spots !
turned to Vice President Franklin vi
sat nearby several times during h
1 testimony as if expecting support
& prompting.
Ismay said he had a choice suite
rooms on the third deck from Il
ton. near the captains quarters
did you consult with the cspta
regarding the ships movements
asked Smith
NO" replied Ismay emphaticall
6 II want to say this right here. v
W we're not attempting to make al
M speed records. We did not plan
arrive in New York until Wednesd'
at o'clock.
Ice Had Feen Reported.
did you know you we're near ic
bergs?" demanded Smith,
|z q knew ice had been reported
z admitted Ismay, "I had never seen !
iceberg in my life before We VIC
TI travelling the extreme southern rCu
for westbound ships. I was not co
infant of the proximity Of icebergs