The Detroit times., 1912-04-24
Tells Committee He Tried In
Vain To Get Them Before
= Leaving Southampton
OFFICER TELLS HOW
DEATH CRIES FILLED AIR
Committee To Cross-Examine
Seaman WHO Says Passing
Ship Ignored Signals

Iitanfc's crows nest, testified this af:
ternoon before the senate inyestigat.
ing committee that no marine glasses
We're furnished the lookouts. He had
asked for glasses at Southampton, he
said, but was told there were none
Tor him. Other vessels, he asserted,
provided their lookouts with glasses.
The witness swore he could have
sighted the iceberg which sent the
Titanic TO the bottom soon enough for
the ship to have steered out of tho
way if he had glasses.
did you express surprise that no
glasses were furnlshed?" asked Sen
.ator Smith
Yes. sir" the witness answered.
Fleet said he had been a lookout
for nearly FIVE years and received five
pounds sterling a month and five
shillings lookout money" extra.
Death cries OF the Titanics 1000
victims re-echoed through the senate
building today when Third Officer
Herbert j. Pittman vividly described
the sinking OF the great ship to the
senate investigating committee
Prayers. cries and moans-a mighty
chorus OF woe rose from the victims.
The British officer told the pathetic
story in an almost stolid manner. But
even he begged the committee not to
press him. along that line.
1t was a continual moan for about
an hour" he said 'It died away
gradually"
is that all you care to say about
that aspect?' he was asked.
I'D rather you'd left that out alto
sether,' the big, brawny Briton plead
ed as his voice choked In emotion of
recollections. Tears welled the eyes
of many women in the room. Even
senator's shaded their eyes as Pittman
described the scene of midnight ter
tor.
Pittman was the first witness today
Fourth Officer Boxhall was too iii to
resume cross-examination. Pittman
told of the entire voyage. He said the
Titanic WAS travelling about 81 1-2
knots an hour He declared he knew
the officers were warned, Saturday or
Sunday, of icebergs on their route
and that the bergs were charted on
the ships map. He was asleep and
hardly Weakened when the iceberg was
struck $50. ~ <st-a g.
Then followed his tale OF terror He
said j. Bruce Ismay met him near
lifeboat and asked that the boats be
loaded with women. He said that
Capt. Smith gave the orders after Is.
may made the suggestion.
Pittman said his boat saved 40 pas.
sengers and six of the crew. He heard
four explosions before the Titanic
went down, pitching perpendicularly.
Won't Call Mrs. Astor Now.
The committee was late in conyen-
ing, due to a conference. Before cali
ing the meeting to order, Smith stated
that for the present il had been de-
cided not TO subpoena additional wit
nesses until the committee had dis
covered how much those already held
as Witnesses knew of the disaster.
Il will not ask Mrs. John Jacob
Aston to appear at the present time"
Smith said, Her physical condition
necessitates a postponement of her
call here"
Everything will be done by the
committee TO expedite the hearings
We expect only TO hear evidence TO
the point and will release those who
want to go just as soon as We feel
that they have told us all they know"
Third officer Herbert j. Pittman,
OF the Titanic, was the first witness
called today. Smith said he had re-
Ceived a note from a physician that
Fourth Officer ]. G.. Boxhall, whose
cross-examination was to have con-
tinued today, was i'll and could not ap-
pear.
officer Pittman, stocky, ford
Briton, testified in New York that he
knew nothing of the THAMES log
being saved
began-his- -storr--today--b
recounting the Titanic's final trials at
Belfast.
How long did they take?" asked
Senator Smith.
About eight hours" Pittman said
Were there any trials for speed"
mo. sir, believe there are no such
trials in the White. Star service"
Pittman told of the Titanic's sailing
from Southampton, at 1925 p. m,
April 5. Nothing exciting happened
except the trouble with the steamer
New York, breaking its moorings by
the backwash OF our propellers,' he
said.
1T detained us a half hour We
had perfect weather: no heavy seas
fine and clear, with starlit skies"
Pittman told of lifeboat tests at
Southampton before the British Board
OF Trade, saying only two starboard
boats were lowered and unanswered
in the water, with eight men in each
boat.
Warned Against lcebergs.
Pittman said there was no fire drill!
aboard the Titanic from the time 1t
left Southampton. He was on the
bridge, Sunday afternoon, but saw no
iceberg or field ice. He heard, how.
ever, that wireless message had
warned of their proximity. Fourth
Officer Boxhall had drawn a cross on
The chart noting the location of the
berg against which they were warned.
Pittman did not talk with any of the
officers about the icebergs, although
ne frequently came in contact with
Capt. Smith.
did You see any ice on Sunday"
he was asked.
NO. sir"
Pittman said, in IA years experience
as a ships officer, he had seen an
iceberg only once before. but had
never before crossed the Grand Banks
as early as April.
ION a clear day over the Ice. is IL
not true, the sky is paler and brighter
i'm color in the north Atlantic2"
enc, sir" was his answer.
Icebergs can be seen for long dis