Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-04-22
THE PROBE GOES DEEP.

New York, April 21- With dramatic
suddenaess the Senate investigation
of the Titanic disaster came TO an end,
Saturday, so far as the New York
hearing was concerned.
1t will be resumed, however, in
Washington, Monday, when j. Bruce
Ismay and P. A. 5. Franklin, the chief
officers of the White Star Line, and
more than 20 of the officers and crew
of the sunken vessel, Will appear be-
fore the committee.
Incident to the sudden close of the
hearing here was the story Of Harold
S. Bride, the second and only surviv-
ing wireless operator of the Titanic.
His recital was one of suffering and of
death
He Described the final plunge of the
vessel TO her ocean burial. Her cap
tains end also was revealed. He leap
ed from the bridge when the waters
were closing over bis ship.
As to why the hearing was trans
ferred to Washington ii was limited
at first that the power of the Senate
on federal territory would be undis-
pute1 in getting at the facts and no
question of state rights would arise to
interfere.
Also. officials of the White Star Line
had cited the dangers of Sailors board
ing houses in New York as rea son
why n large number of the crew of
the Titanic detained by the commit
tee should be allowed to sail on the
Lapland, which left port, Saturday.
Throughout the hearing, yesterday
morning, Wireless Operator Bride. Grip
pied as a result of his experiences and
seated in an invalid's chair, told his
story of the last moments of the Ti-
tanie.
His narrative. drawn from him
piecemeal bY the shrewed questioning
of Senator saith of Michigan. chair
man of the committee. held the COM
mittee and the audience enthralled.
When his ordeal ended he was almost
on the verge of collapse.
After the hearing was resumed in
the afternoon announcement Of the
change in the committees plans was
made.
j Herbert ]. Pittman. the third officer
of the Titanic, had been called to the
witness chair and sworn.
Senator Smith directed one question
to hin, relating to the whereabouts
OF the ships log. The witness said he
did aot know.
Promptly MIR Smith announced tho
committees decision 20 resume the IN
quiry in Washington, Monday.
The committee devoted its entire day
! to an investigation of the connection
of the wireless with the disaster. III.
T. Gotham, the operator on the Car
pathia, was the first witness. Sena-
tor smith sought to establish certain
Testimony he gave on the stand, FRI
day, and this was soon ended.
Then came the star witness of the
! day Seated in an invalid's chair,
Bride was wheeled TO the end Of the
long table at which the committee sat
He was hollow-c checked and wan and
/ had just come from a physicians care.
His hands were never quiet and he
licked and interlocked his fingers in
cessantiy.
Like Gotham, who is % years old,
Bride is merely a boy. a year Younger
than his confrere. Neither had any
telegra phic experience previous to taxi
ing up wireless telegraphy and both
gave accounts of long hours at low
wages and days and nights spent
without sleep.
This experience and the mental con-
dition of the young operators were
then two points upon which Senator
Smith dwelt persistently. He had put
Gotham through a rigid examination,
in which the youth testified that he
had not slept more than eight or ten
hours between Sunday night, when the
Titanic called for help and Thursday
night, when the vessel docked here
with its load OF unneryed men and
hysterical women
Brides story was one that bore out
virtually all that Cottam's had estab-
lished except that his was enc Of strain
and worry and suspense.
The first witness was Thomas Cot
tam. the wireless operator On the Car
pathia who was recalled TO the stand.
Senator Smith sought TO clear up the
messages that had passed between the
Carpathia and the Titanic
Continued on rage Ten.)