The weekly Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1911-1922, 1912-05-02
STATEMENT CONCERNING
WRECK Of THE TITANIC
STORY OF THE DISASTER TOLD
BY ]. B. THAYER, WHO WAS
RESCUED FROM AN UPTURN-
ED LIFEBOAT.

April 20, 1912.
The following statement was die
tated this afternoon by j. B. Thayer,
Jr.. the seventeen year old son of
Mrs. J. B. Thayer, of Haverford,
Pa. This is the only statement that
he has made:
Father was in bed, and mother
and myself were about to get into
bed. There was no great shock. /
was on my feet at the time, and /
do not think it was enough to throw
anyone down. | put on an over
coat and rushed up on "a deck on
the port side. saw nothing there.
/ then went forward to the bow to
see if / could see any signs Of ice.
The only ice / saw was on the Well
deck. could not see very far ahead,
having just come out of brightly
lighted room. I then went down TO
our room and my father and mother
came on deck with me. to the star
board side of "A deck. We could
not see anything there. Father
thought he saw small pieces of ice
floating around, but could not see
any myself. There was no big
berg. We walked around to the
port side and the ship had then a
fair list to port. We stayed there
looking over the side for about five
minutes. The list seemed very
slowly to be increasing. We then
went down TO our rooms on &C.
deck. All of rs dressed quickly.
putting on all our clothes. We all
put on life preservers, including the
maid and over these we put our
overcoats. Then we hurried up on
deck and walked around. looking
out at different places until the wo-
men were all ordered to collect on
the Port side. Father and l said
goodbye to mother at the top Of
the stairs on "a deck. She and
the maid went night out on "a
deck on the port side and we went
to the starboard side. As at this
time we had no idea the boat would
sink, We walked around 'A' deck
and then went to 81 deck. Then
We thought We would 90 back 10
see if mother had gotten off safely.
and went to the port side of A
deck, We met the chief steward of
the main dining saloon and he told
us that mother had not vet taken a
boat, and he took us to her. Father
and mother went ahead and I follow
ed. They went down to sB' deck,
end crowd got in front of me and
was not able to catch them. and
lost sight of them. As soon as I
could get through the crowd I tried
to find them on 'B' deck, but with
out success. That is the last time
saw my father. This was about
one-half hour before she sank.
then went to the starboard side
thinking that father and mothe,
must have gotten off in a boat. All
of this time / was with a fellow
named Milton c. Long of New York
whom I had just met that evening
son the starboard side the boats
were getting away quickly. Some
boats were already off in a distance
We thought of getting into one Of
the boats, the last boat to go on the
forward part of the starboard side
but there seemed to be such &
crowd around / thought it unwis.
to make any attempt to get into it
He and l stood by the davits of on,
of the boats that had left. I die
not notice anybody that I knew, .ex
cept Mr.. Lindley. whom I had ais,
; just met that evening. I lost sigh
of him in a few minutes. Long ant
, I then stood by the rail just littl,
aft of the Captains bridge.
} "The list to the port had beer
, growing greater all the time. Abou
} this time the people began jumpin.
from the stern. / thought of Jump
ing myself, but was afraid of bein'
J stunned on hitting the water. Thre
times I made up my mind to juml
cut and slide down the davit rope
| and try to make the boats that wer
, lying off from the ship, but eacl
} time Long got hold of me and toll,
me to wait awhile. He then sa
! down and I stood up waiting to Sc
what would happen. Even then W
) thought she might possibly sta,
, afoat.
II got sight on rope between
the davits and a star and notices
that she was gradually sinking
About this time she Strengthened N