The Washington times., 1912-04-23
OFFICER OF TITANIC
TELLS REMARKABLE
STORY OF DISASTER
Herbert ]. Pitman Says
Cries of Drowning Last
ed an Hour.
Continued from First Page.)

stood on his brow and face, and he
begged Chairman Smith repeatedly
not to ask him to talk of it.
"Td rather you'd let that out al.
together" he implored Senator
Smith.
I know you would" said Senator
smith, not unhndly, "but l must
know what effort you made to save
the lives Of those who were drown
ing"
Tragic Picture Limned.
The tragic picture limned by Pitman n
was that of lifeboat No. hurryinc
away from the stricken shin. under or
ders from First officer Murdock. of
seeing the Titanic plunge straight down
into the sea, of hearing several loud
explosions that sounded like the boom.
ing OF heavy guns, and then OF listen
Ing to the agonizing cries and shouts of
the dying as they struggled in vain to
save themselves, and of falling. be-
cause of yielding to those in his life
IL would be madness to 20 back and
be swamped and add forty more 10
those who are drowned" was the lam
guage of the passengers in No. life
Vpoat' according to Pitman.
This ghastly experience of Pitman and
those with him, deeply moving to the
audience in the committee room. ard
the members of the committee, was
70
ang session of the investigating bod.
Talked of Icebergs.
1t was not, however, all of tire i'm
portant testimony brought out. AmorE
other things, Mr.. Pitman made it plain
that on that fateful Sunday night,
about o'clock in the evening, only a
lew hours before the accident, he and
Mr. LlghLoller, second officer. talked
over the fact that they were In the
presence of iceberss and that there
would be icebergs near during the watch
of First Officer Murdoek. Pitman hlIr-
self had paid little attention to 1t, he
said, as 1t was not his business to do
so.
The two facts. that the presence of
iC"hergs was known Sunday night and
that more people could have been res
Cuod, had proper measures been taken.
nlOnY.
That lfeboat No. :. which for time
was tied up to No. >, did not have as
rany people in as she might have car.
ried was asserted by Mr.. Pltman.
The third officer helped along the pro-
c. SIS of giving J. Bruce Ismay a clean
hlll OF health. He told of seeing Ismuy
after the Titani" struck, of tsmay ap-
pearing on the boat deck i'm dressing
gown and pa iamas, and of the head oi
the International Mercantile Marine
Company, then unknown to him. warn
ing him there was no time to be lost,
of seeing Ismay helping in the work ~
getting wcmen and children launched,
and of lsmay remaining on the Titanic
when he. Pitman, left 1t, and later COM
ing to the Carpathia in one of the col
lapsihles.
Pitman's Face Haggard.
Through the recital of the fearful por-
,tirayal Of Pitman, Ismay sat at orc
side of the committee room and look ej
on and listened intently. His face was
drawn and haggard and deep lines fur
roWed his Countenance.
In his testimony yesterday. Fourth OF.
f1cer BoXhall, startled the committee by
another ship, within FIVE miles of the
Titanic after she was struck. This was
In part borne out today by the state
ment of .Pitman. He said that he saw
the Titanic after the collision and when
he was in the lifeboat. He said II
seemed a considerable distance away
and all he-knew about it was that he
saw the light.
II was about 80 in the morning, OF
fifty minutes before the Titanic sank
according to his recital, that he caught
sight of this light.
You couldn't make anything out OF
IT, he said, in response to the questions
OF Senator Smith.
Enough Witnesses For Present.
Before calling the meeting to order
Senator Smith stated that for the
present it had been decided not to sub
poena additional witnesses until the
committee had discovered how much
those already held as witnesses knew
or the disaster.
II will not ask Mrs. John Jacob As.
tor to appear at the present time" he
said.
Her physical condition necessitated a
rostponement of her call here.
Everything will be done by the COM
mlttec to expedite the hearings. We
expect only to hear evidence to tho
point, and will release those who want
10 go just as soon as we feel that they
have told up all they know"
Pitman First Witness.
Third Officer Herbert J. Pitman, OF
INV lltdHlN was lHt III Sl NllHtSS CdllGu
. today. Smith had received a note from
a physician that Fourth Officer j. G.
BoNhall, whose cross-eXaminRtion was
TO have continued today. was i'll and
could not appear.
Offcer Pitman. a stocky, forid Briton
testitie, in New York that he knew
nothing of the Titanic's log being
saved
Pitman began his story today by re.
counting the Titanic's final trials al
Belfast loCh.
How long did they take?" asked
Senator Smith
About eight hours" Pitman said
Were there any trials for speed?'
No. sir; ! believe there are no such
trials In the White Star service"
Pltman told of the Titanics sailing
from southampton at l2:l5 p. M, Apri
Nothing exciting happened ex,
Cept the trouble with the steamer New
York breaking its moorngs by tn,
back wash OF our prOpellers," he said
"lt detained us u half hour.
We had perfect weather: no heavy
sess-fins and clear. with starIit skies :
He told OF the lifeboat tests at South,