Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-05-17
Several Of Titanic's VIC
Tins Starved to Death.
ColIapslbIe Life Raft Found,
Bearing Three Bodies.
Memorial to Major Butt Proposed.
London Hearing Progresses.


the passengers of the steamship IT.
tanic, starved to death in open boats
after they had escaped from the sink
ing vessel was made terribly prob
able, today, with the arrival here of
the White Star liner Oceanic from
Southampton.
In a collapsible life raft which the
Oceanic sighted and picked up. on
Monday last. at 1916 O'Clock p. NJ,
were found three bodies, all in such
condition that they We're committed to
the sea as soon as the buriai service
could be read over them The bodies
were of men and one of them that of
fireman. was chained by the leg TO
a thwart in one end of the boat, while
the other two were huddled in the
other end In their mouths were
small pieces of cork. which DIR. T. S.
French of the Oceanic staff, believes
the victims chewed in their delirium
to ease the pain of hunger and thirst
Nine. Marcelle Navratil of Nice
France, arrived on the Oceanic and
was driven at once to the ChiIdren's
Society. where she met her ;wo chill
dren, Michael and Edmond. who were
rescued from the Titanic, while their
father persisted. The widow was met
at the pier by her cousin, Miss Rose
Bruno, of Elkins Park. Maryland. and
Miss Margaret Hays OF this city, who
for weeks cared for the little survivors.
The meeting between mother and
children was an affecting one.
------
Washington. May 16-Testimony
tending to rebut the theory that White |
Star officials knew OF the sinking of |
the Titanic hours before they ANNOUNCE
ed to the world the loss of their ship
was presented. today. at special |
meeting of the Senate Titanic COM
mittee by Vice President Benjamin
Campbell of the New York. New Hav-
en- & Hartford Railroad Company. Ii
WAS he with whom Vice President
Franklin of the White Star mace arr
engagements TO have special train
sent to Halifax to bring the surviv-
ors to New York
Previous testimony was to the eff
feet that Mr.. Franklin had made ar
rangements. Monday noon. to have a |
train TO accommodate only 7f0 sur |
vivors.
Mr.. Campbell said Mr.. Franklin ask |
ed him by telephone to New Haven |
ooout II VI Lt<ot n. M hbHddNs W /
arrange to send train accommodations |
for 325 first class passengers, 4S5 Sec |
ond and 40 third class.
Later in the day Mr. Campbell said, |
he asked Mr.. Franklin to confirm this |
verbal order by letter. Mr.. Campbell |
read the letter.
Mr.. Campbell said the order cam
ceiling the train reached him at New |
London at $40 r. M.
Two affidavits. one arraigning the |
conduct of Officer Loewe of The ri
tanic who was charged with biasph
envy and brutal remarks just after the |
sinking of the vessel. were put on |
record
Daisy Minahan of Grand Rapids, Wis. |
declared in one affidavit that as her life |
boat-No. 14-was being lowered men |
jumped into it at each deck until an
officer threatened to shoot the next man
who jumped Her party found no light, |
no bread or water in the boat and OH |
Ger Loewe continuously suggested sing
ing Throw Out the Life Line'' and |
that the best thing for you women to
do is to take nap
Some of the women she said. ''im- |
plored Officer Loewe to divide his pas
go back to the rescue. His first answer
was You ought to be damned glad YOU
are here and have got your own life
After some time he was persuaded to do |
as he was asked. AS came up to hirn |
TO be transferred to the other boat he
shouted Jump, damn you. jump / was
waiting only my turn. He had been so
blasphemous during the two hours we
were in his boat that the women at my
end all thought he was under the in
ftuence of liquor
"A Stewards who had been saved
told me that after the Titanic left South
ampton there We're q, number of carpen-
tiers working to put the doors of the air
tight compartments in working order.
They had great difficulty in making them
respond and one of them remarked that
they would be of little use in case of
accident"
officials of the White Star Line in a
statement, late today. discredited the
theory that the bodies found in the, I'll
Continued on Page Two.)