The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-04-23

oncerS and passengers.
AN INTERESTING POINT.
Then Senator Smith came to one of
the most interesting points of the in
vestigation. He showed to Mr.. Frank
lin the telegram received by Congress
man Hughes of West Virginia
The telegram read as follows:
Titanic proceeding to Halifax.
Passengers probably land on Wednes-
day. ALI safe.
Il ask you," continued the senator,
whether you know about the sending
of that telegram, by whom it was au-
thcrized and by whom it was sent?'
II do not. SIR said Mr.. Franklin.
Since 1t was mentioned at the Wal
dCrf Saturday, we have had the entire
passenger staff examined. and we can
not find out. We appreciate the fact
that Monday there were many junior
clerks at work and there was great
confusion. 1t is possible that some one
who had no absolute information might
have sent 1t. l wish you would have
the telegraph company turn over all
the White Star messages to you SO
that we can see just what happened"
Asked when he first knew that the
Titanic had sunk Franklin said he
first knew 1t at 1927 p. m. Monday.
Mr.. Franklin then produced a thick
package Of kilograms which he had re-
ceired Sunday in relation TO the dis
aster.
About twenty minutes of two on
Monday morning" said he, L was
awakened by a phone bell. L was
called by q reporter for some paper
who informed me that the Titanic had
met with an accident and was sinking.
l asked him where he got the infor
iuaticn. He told me that It had come
by wireless from the steamship Vir-
ginian which had been appealed to by
the Titanic for aid.
Mr.. Franklin said he called up the
White Star docks but they had no in
formation and he then appealed to The
Associated Press and there was read
to him despatch, from Cape Race ad-
vising of the accident.
WANTED STORY HELD.
81 asked the Associated Press" said
Mr.. Franklin, mot to send out the
despatch until we had more detailed
information in order to avoid causing
unnecessary alarm. / was told that
the story already had been sent
I'VE had no direct communication
from any of the ships. Our first en-
deavor to communicate with our big
ships was a message sent April Is at
8 o'clock a. m. This message read as
follows:
Hattock, Olympic:
Make every endeaEor to communi-
cate with Titanic and advise position
and time. Reply the hour That was
the first message. We followed 1t
with others rapidly.
Monday morning we were endeav-
oring to get information from Mon
treal and Cape Race. At 1927 a. m.
We got information from the Olympic
announcing that at a. m she had
been unable to raise the Titanic; was
SIG miles south of her but would
maintain its effort to get in communi-
cation with her.
Between noon and 1 o'clock on the
18th the following message was re-
ceived from the Olympic: Partisan re-
ports Carpathia in attendance, picked
up twenty boats with passengers and
Baltic returning. Position not given
(Signed) Haddock, Olympic
The reassuring statements sent out
by the line in the early hours of
the disaster next were made the sub
ject of inquiry.
Tell the committee on what you
based those statements" directed SEN
ator Smith.
I'VE based them on reports and ru-
mors received at Cape Race by indi-
viduals and by the newspapers. They
were rumors and we could not place
our finger on anything authentic"
Had you heard from the Carpathia
az that timer"
mo sir"
Franklin declared that the Olympic
was then despatched this message:
'Haddock. Olympic-rumored here
Titanic sunk. Cannot confirm here.
Expect Virginian (Signed)
Franklin
AT 2:40 p. m. we wired Haddock
Continued on Page Six.