The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1912-04-27
THE WOMEN FIRST!'
AND MEN STOOD BY
A WATERY GRAVE FOR ASTOR
AND OTHER PROMINENT
AND RICH MEN.
CAPTAIN Smith A REAL HERO
Weird Tales Told of Rescues and
Hours Spent in Lifeboats-Many
Acts of Heroism-Rescue
Ship Sighted.

New Ork.-In0 HV1nS cdTeu 1OII
the dead beyond recall, survivors OF
the Titanic disaster are able to see
in calmer retrospect the tragedy OF
the North Atlantic and from their
more normal utterances, slowly un-
folding the full story of how the great
White Star liner, her band playing TO
the last, sank off the Grand Banks
i with more than 1900 souls ABOARD.
From the countess Of Rothes, to the
six Chinese coolies who escaped by
hiding under the lifeboat seats, all OF
the $50 have been provided with food
and clothing and some, Immigrant and
millionaire, are on their way home
to England, the continent, or distant
parts of the United States. Many,
howexer, and of these the hospitals
shdlxg scores, still remain in New
York, where the Cunard liner Car
pathia brought them Friday.
Story of the Man at the Wheel.
Robert Hickens, one Of the six sur
viving quartermasters OF the Titanic,
the man E5+s was on duty at the
wheel wheM~fhe ship struck the ice
berg, told the following story:
81 went on watch at s O'Clock Sun
day night and stood by the man at the
wheel until 10 o'clock At 10 O'Clock
I took the wheel for two hours. ON
the bridge from 10 o'clock were First
Officer Murdoch, Fourth Offlcer Box
hall and Sixth Officer Moody. In
the crows nest Qookout~tower) were
Fleet and another man whose name l
don't know.
Temperature About 81 Degrees.
Second Officer Lightoller, who was
on watch while | stood by from to
10, sent me soon, after a8 toatella The
carpenter to look out for the fresh
water supply, as there might be dan
ger of freezing. The temperature was
then about 81 degrees He gave the
crows nest strict order to look out
for small icebergs.
Second Officer Lightoller was re-
lieved by First Officer Murdoch at 10
and | took the wheel then. At l1:40
three gongs sounded from the crows
nest, the signal for something right
ahead
"At the same time one of the men
in the next telephoned to the bridge
that there was large iceberg right
ahead. AS Officer Murdock's hand
was on the lever to stop the engines
the crash came He stopped the en-
gines and then Immediately, by an
other lever, closed the water-tlght
doors.
"close Emergency Doors"
"The skipper Captain Smith) came
from the chartroom onto the bridge.
His first words were: Close the
emergency DOORS
""They are already closed, SIR Muir
dock replied.
"'Send to the carpenter and tell him
to sound the ship was the shippers
next order The message was sent to
the carpenter The carpenter never
came up to report.
"The commutator showed the boat
carried five degrees list to starboard.
She was then rapidly settling forward.
All the steam sirens were blowing by
the shippers orders, the engines were
put to work at pumping out the ship,
distress signals were sent by Maroon
and rockets weer sent up. All hands
were ordered op.deck and lifebelts
were sewed ontoseyery passenger.
There Was No Panic.
"The stewards and other hancs
helped the sailors in getting the boats
out. The order, Women and children
| first was given and enforced. There
was no panic.
II was at the wheel until 1925. 1t
was my duty to stay there until re-
lieved. l was not relieved by anyone,
but was simply sent away by Second
Officer Lightolle1, who told me to take
charge of a certain boat and to load
it with ladies'.
Il did so, and there were thirty-two
ladies, sailor and myself in the boat
when it Asas lowered some time after
i o'clocho
"The Titanic had sixteen lifeboats
and two collapsihE9 boats. All got
away loaded except one or the collap-
sibles, which did not open properly
and was used as 4 raft. Forty sailors
and stewards who were floating in
the water got on This raft and were
piaSed up on the lifeboats. Some were
tNNing about on chairs when picked
up.
Boats Fully Loaded.
Every boat, SO far as l saw, was
flSss> when loaded, and every boat that
sSbut reached the Carpathia The
green light on the beat helped to keep
us together. There were other lights.
One was an electric flashlight some
one carried in his pocket
Our boat was 4Qo yards away
when our ship went down. The sue
licn only rocked Us a little,
q board revolver sho's- rs every
one did. car not say who fired any
Of them"
in Water Two Hours.
G. Whiteman Of Palymra. n. j.,
was blown off the deck by the second
Of the two explosions OF the boiler and