The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1912-04-23
THE HORRIBLE DETAILS Of GREAT DISASTER
ARE FINALLY GIVEN TO WORLD
) BAND PLAYED AS
SHIP WENT DOWN.

= the things that linger gratefully
in the minds Of tho survivors was
the music that floated to them
over the waters as the Titanic
slowly filed and settled. The
band was playing solemn tunes.
To the stralning ears Of the peo-
pie IN the boats came FIRST, When
We Meet Beyond" and later,
when the great ship had sagged
still deeper in the water, the band
played softly, Nearer, My God,
to Thee" Titanic survivors who
tarried long enough tonight on
the pier to sketch briefly what
they could OF the horrors Of that
night, said that they never would
forget the playing OF the band.
when their people passed in an acci.
dent that seemed like an insane Wis.
ion of the night. Their faces were
swollen with weeping. They had
drunk as deeply of sorrow as is ever
given to humankind. But many
whose spirits were faint, walked
steadily enough down the gangplank.
Some walked unseeing, in a kind OF
dread somnambulism Of despair.
Some Men Shot Down.
II was with difficulty that the
tongues of many were loosened TO
speak OF the scenes Of agony and fear
that fell over the Tttantc's peaceful
hANanna aUittlV
known that the ship must go down.
Some told haltingly. with dread still
frozen in thedr Dyes Of men who
strove and struggled against women,
lifeboats and of officers shooting
them down. One woman saw an Off
Ger shoot two men, she said, and
other passengers recalled how officers
had stood with drawn pistols while
the women and children were being
guided into the boats. No one seemed
! to know OF the exact fate of the Ii
tanic's captain, II. j. Smith. There
was story that he had committed
suicide, but the Carpathia's passen-
gers did not know that that was true.
Many of them had heard shots fired.
| They believed some OF the firing was
done to warn back steerage passen.
| gers. For the Titanic's officers and
crew the rescued seemed to have
nothing but praise. These men acted
tain laundering. was the report
brought by the rescued.
Crowd Remains Quiet.
The unhappy company 30 marvellous
ly torn from grip of sea was received
solemnly and with remarkable
quiet by the enormous crowd which
I gathered near the Cunard piers and
by the few hundreds that penetrated
by right OF relation or friendship Of
merciful business to the interior OF
| the pIer. There was no cheering, no
upraising OF voices in salute OF the
living. for the thoughtful OF the dead
was In the minds of all onlOokers.
/ The depression OF death was oppres-
alive on the spirits Of the waiting mon
and women. Those who found their
gladdest hopes realized and looked
through the press to make out the
! well.known face Of husbands and faith,
brs and sisters and Wives. could not
conceal their tremendous elation
their thankfulness that all suspense
and disheartening conjecture was
over. But they greeted their rescued
ones quietly for the most part, with O
thought ever present for the overbur
dened hearts OF the many no had
been bereaved,
Police Arrangements Perfect
So perfect were the police and 9th
or arrangements at the pier that
there was no surging OF crowds, nc
hustling aud batting OF the Titanic'l
survivors. The crowds were held bach
two blocks from the pier on the north
east and south. Everything was dona
to expedite the passage of the res
cued ones and make their transfer
from pier to pier or to hotels as ess,
and comfortable as possible.
Within the pier shed were hundreds
who had the keenest personal inter
est In the survivors. Young vincen
Astor was there early awaiting witt
an automobile Mrs. John Jacob Astoi
and still hopeful that by some chanc
good news would be given Of hi
father. j. p. Morgan, Jr,, was a
early arrival. There was commit
; tee from the stock exchange, heade
by Ransom Thomas, the president
p. A. h. Wldener OF Philadelphia, tn
! traction magnate. who waited for hi
daughter-in-law and grandson, bu
with no hope left for the survival [
{ ais son. George d, Widener. Senate
y sss,.aal 49,
!. Continued on page seven)