Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-04-25
Fifth Officer Lowe Tells
Senate Committee How
He Swore at Owner for
Interfering With Boats.
CHAIRMAN SMITH
MAKES STATEMENT
1ntimates Outside Pressure
is Being Used to Shape
Inquiry and Says Commit
tee Won't Stand It.

Washington, D. c., April 24.-J.
Bruce Ismay, the chief official of the
steamAhip line which owned the ILL
fated Titanic was ordered away from
one of the ships life boats while It
was being lowered because, in his ex-
citement, he was interfering with the
ships officers.
Language too Objectionable to be re-
peated aloud in the senate inquiry into
the Titanic disaster was used by Har-
old G. Lowe, the fifth officer of the
ship. ... .-..,.
Lowe dramatically recited to the SEN
not knowing that he was talking to
the head Of the company which employ
ed him, had told Ismay to 'get to
hell out of here SO that I can work, :"
while Lowe and other sailors were try
ing to. lower the first life boat on the
starboard side of the Titanic. ..
Lowe declared that Ismay was not
trying to get into the boat but that he
was very much excited and was inter-
fering with the proper lowering of the
boats. &.@..
This man (Ismay.)" said Lowe,
was greatly excited. He was holler-
I ine lower away, lower away, lower
away and swore at him to order him
back" Il. ~
Lowe said that Ismay went back and
made no reply to him. Lowe also
testified that he never would have
known the man was Ismay If he
(Lowe) had not met steward on
board the Carpathia who told him what
he had done and asked him why he
'swore at Ismay.'
The senate committee Investigating
the Titanic disaster began its fifth day
Of inquiry today with the hope that be-
fore It's close there will have been
fixed the question of responsibility for
the collision with the iceberg that
proved the great ships undoing.
Frederick Fleet, the Titanic's look
out man, who was In the crows nest
at the time of the collision, will be sub
jected to another fire of questions in
an effort to get him to fix the time he
first reported the obstruction to the
officers on the bridge. This he claimed
yesterday he was unable to do.
Senator William Alden Smith, the
chairman, announced after meeting
with his colleagues, that the British
witnesses would be called as rapidly as
possible before any more passengers
were examined. .....
Lookout Fleet Again Witness.
Frederick Fleet, lookout on the
Titanic, was recalled as the first wit
ness Of the day.
Senator Burton asked:
when you were on the Titanic
were your eyes examined?"
EYES," ..,.
"How often?"
Frequently"
"Can you distinguish colors?"
Eyes. sir"
"Did you, when In the Titanic's
crows nest, see a light?"
mo. saw no light until got in
the life boat. Then I saw a bright
light on the forward bow. don't
know what it was. Mr.. Lightolter saw
It before We got off the Titanic and
told us to pull toward it. 1t finally
disappeared. We never made out what
It was"
when you have binoculars what
share of time do you have the glasses
to your eyes while on the lookout ?"
II we fancy we see anything on
the horizon" said Fleet, then We use
the glasses to make sure"
Chairman Makes Statement.
Senator Smith then arose and for
mally announced that he wanted to
meet an inquiry that had arisen as to
the purpose Of the committee.
Nov a word about the difficulty.
To the credit Of most Of the officers
and members of the crew, we have ex-
perienced little difficulty in SEEING
such witnesses as we thought neces-
sary but from the beginning until now
that there has been voluntary graf
ituitous meddle some attempt on the
part of certain persons to influence the
members of the committee and to
shape it's procedure.
Committee Resents Interference.
MISREPRESENTATION have been made
1 have heard. I have not however, read
the newspaper because did not wish
to be prejudiced.
1.-THE representatives Of the press have
all co-operated in every possible way to
tighten the burdens of the committee.
''The committee will not tolerate any
further attempt on the part Of any one
to shape it's course We shall proceed
In our own way and the Judgment of
(Conk,sled on Page 2.)