Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1912-04-26


gers and crew was given by Mr.
Beasley of London, one of the pas
sengers on the ill-fated steamer:
The voyage from Queenstown had
been quite uneventful; very fine
weather was experienced and the sea
Was quite calm. The wind had been
westerly to southwesterly the whole
way. but very cold, particularly the
last day; In fact, after dinner on Sun
day evening it was almost too cold to
Dc out on deck at all. I had been in
my berth for about ten minutes, when,
az about Ills p. M, felt a slight
jar, and then. soon after, a second
one, but not sufficiently large to cause
any anxiety to any one, however nerv-
Gus they may have been. However,
the engines stopped Immediately aft
erwards, and my first thought was
She has lost propeller / went up
on the top (boat) deck in dressing
gown and found only few people
there, who had come up similarly to
inquire why we had stopped, but
tnere was no sort of anxiety in the
minds Of any one.
CARD PLAYERS SAW ICEBERG.
We saw through the smoking-room
window game of cards going on and
vent in to inquire If they knew any
ming; 1t seems they felt more of the
gar, and looking through the window
had seen huge iceberg go by close
70 the side of the boat They thought
we had just grazed it with a glancing
ploW and the engines had been
to see IL any damage had
been done. No one, of course, had any
conception that she had been pierced
below by part of the submerged ice
berg. The game went on without any
hought of disaster, and l retired to
ny cabin to read until we went on
gain. never saw any Of the players
" the onlookers again. A little later, /
fearing people going upstairs, went
'm again and found every one want |
ng to know why the engines had
stopped. No doubt many were awak- |
sned from sleep by the sudden stop
)lng of a vibration to which they had |
'ecome accustomed during the four |
lays we had been on board Natural. |
y, with such powerful engines as the |
Titanic carried, the vibration was very
noticeable all the time, and the sud-
EN- stopping had something the same I
fleet as the stopping of loud tick
ng grandfather's clock in a room.
"On going on deck again / saw that
here was an undoubted list down
7ards from stern to bows, but, know
lg nothing of what had happened,
oncluded some of the front compart-
lents had filled and weighed her
own. / went down again to put on
'armer clothing and as / dressed
card an order shouted:
LlFERoATS ORDERED.
All passengers on deck with life
elts on
I'VE all walked slowly up with them
ed on oyer our clothing, but even
len presumed this was wise pre-
aut1on the captain was taking. and
lat We should return in a short time
I'D retire to bed. There was a total
1sence of any panic or any express
ons of alarm, and / suppose this
IN be accounted for by the exceed ,
gly calm night and the absence of
~ signs Of the accident. The ship .
as absolutely still and except for a !
,ntle tilt downward, which I don't ,
ink one person In ten would have !
,ticed at that time, no signs of the :
preaching disaster were visible. :
10 lay just as If she were waiting :
g order to go on again, when some !
fling matter had been adjusted. +
1T in few moments we saw the .
vers lifted from the boats, and the
ews allotted to them standing by !
d curling up the ropes which were
lower them by the pulley blocks .
to the water :,
I'VE then began to realize # was !,
IRE serious than had been supposed. i
d my first thought was to go down :
get more clothing and some :,
,ney. but seeing people pouring up :,
} stairs decided it was better to :,
1se no confusion to people coming :,
by doing SO. Presently we heard =
} order: -
OMEN TORN FROM HUSBANDS. :
All men. stand back away from ;
J boats and all ladies retire to
It deck belows'-the smoking-room 81
TX or B deck. The men all stood OF
ay and remained in absolute ST. sa
ce. leaning against the end ratings W
the deck or pacing slowly I'D and in
vn. The boats were swung out SO
lowered from A deck. When they ca
re to the level of B deck. where ali an
ladies were collected. the ladies' to
in quietly. with the exception OF II
le who refused to leave their hus. be
ds. In some cases they were torn dr.
n them and pushed into the boats. ro
in many instances they were al
ed to remain because there was ii
one to insist they should go. an
looking cser tie side. one saw stl