The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-04-19
How Fifteen Hundred Ninety
Five People Lost Lives.
Men Performed Like Heroes as
Ocean Giant Sank.
BAND PLAYED ON THE DECK
Strains of ''Nearer My God to
Thee FIOated to Survivors.
Thrilling Stories Told by Men
and Women.
WENT DOWN HEAD FIRST
Great Vessel Turned on End as
She Sank.
]. Bruce Ismay Tells Story to
Congressional Committee.
Great Vessel Turned on End as
She Sank.
J. Bruce Ismay Tells Story to
Congressional Committee.

New York. April 19.-SeVen hum
dred and forty-five persons, mostly
women. sick in heart and body. wrote
into the annals of maritime history
today the loss of the biggest steam
ship ever built.
They were the survivors OF the
White star liner Titanic, which sank
bow foremast with 1886 souls aboard
her captain at the bridge, her colors
flying and her band playing Nearer
Nv Cod to Thee" in 1000 fathoms OF
water off the banks of Newfoundland
1nder starlit skies at 2:20 a. m Mon
day.
With one voice they told of the
snlandid heroism of those who re-
rnained behind to find a watery grave
that they might live.
Captain Smith died. they said as
d Gallant sailor should, after having
frS+ rlaced all the women who would
go aboard the lifeluats. There were
,,,anv who stayed behind to die in
their husbands arms.
From their narratives stand out IN
hold relief the following facts:
The Titanic was making twenty-one
l.nots an hour when she struck the
iceberg.
No one at first thought she would
sink.
She remained afloat more than two
hours.
Tho iceberg ripped open her hull
below the water line.
Instant panic was averted by Capt
Smiths terse appeal to his crew: ''6e
British, my men!"
A small number of steerage pas
-.,,gars tried to rush for the life ooats
I'D wore held back by the crew anu
other passengers
Tba Titanic turned her nose for bot
.or,, whom the last life boat was less
+hap q hundred yards away, reared her
80, t,igb in the air and trembled for
. moment before seeking the bottom
r1,bere we're two explosions when the in
..-,i,,- waters reached her boilers
When she sank there was silence. A
,,o,1ent later the cries and suppllca-
+ions of 500 dying men rose IN choruS
indescribable over the spot Where sue
,,-e1+ down. For hours the survivors
owed in life boats ove~ calm sea IN
hitter cold until tne Carpathla plcheu
In the aftermath today of the dis
ester the principal developments were
the testimony of j. Bruce lsnay' Mali
aging director of the White Star line,
before the senate Investigating commit
tee and the removal of surviving mem
bers of the Titanic's crew aboard the
Lapland.
Director Ismay's Story.
The story of how the Titanic met its
fate was told today to the United
states Investigating committee into the
Titanic disaster by J. Bruce lsmay,
managing director of the White Star
line When asked the circumstances
under which he left the boat, Mr..
Tsmav replied almost in a whisper:
lone of the boats was being filed.
Oficers called out to know if there
were any more women TO 60 Ihere
were none. No passengers were on
the deck, as the boat was belhS loWer-
ed I got into it."
The details of the story were drawn
out bv Senator Alden Smith. chairman
of the subcommittee charged with the
examination of witnesses, and New
lands. the other senator, who came to
New York to conduct the inquiry. Is
may was accompanied by Franklin,
vice president. and Emerson e. Par
vim. secretary of the company.
Beside the committee Representa-
tive Hughes Of West Virginia, whose
daughter, Mrs. Lucien P Smith, was
saved and whose son-ln-IaW was lost,
was present. Another spectator was
Truman H. Newberry, former assistant
secretary of the navy.
He Is Nervous.
Adjusting his cuffs. Mr.. Ismay was
visibly nervous when he took the
stand. He gave his age as so years.
In response to a few formal questions,
he said he sailed as a voluntary pas
sengcr on the Titanic. Senator Smith
began to ask the witness to detail his
experience on the Titanic. Mr.. Ismay
interrupted but Senator Smith con-
tinued. Then Mr.. Ismay said he de-
sired to express his sincere grief at the
catastrophe and to welcome the fullest
inquiry.
kindly tell the committee all the
circumstances surrounding your voy-
age asked Senator Smith.
Tell US as succinctly as possible
beginning with your boarding the yes
sci at Liverpool your place on the ship
and as many circumstances as pos
sible to help this committee"
First, I wish to say that I court
the fullest inquiry said Mr. Ismay,
this awful catastrophe I must say at
the outset I greatly deplore. We have
nothing to conceal. nothing to hide.
THE boat left Belfast, 1 think, on
~ fiv-o% Of IL.