The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-04-25
TURNING DYING
Walls INTO DOLLARS
CONTINUED from page u

history, except through the exclusive
appropriation of the facts by the oper-
ator who is cognizant Of them?"
Not at all. | gave no instructions
in regard to withholding information
VI did not authorize him, II offered
payment, to accept it,
If the mouth of this operator was
to be closed so the details of that dis
aster could not be printed, might not
the British public be deprived of prac-
tically all the facts concerning the
sinking of the Titanic?"
You are assuming that ! attempted
to obstruct the messages said Mar-
conf. II did not"
Il heard of tho presidents attempt
to reach the Carpathia," the witness
continued, 81 asked Operator Cotta,n
about it and he stated that the Chest,
er had asked for list of The sur
yivors' names and that he told the
Chester that this list had already
been sent and acknowledged BY
shore station.
Il also asked him about the preoi-
!
received no such inquiry and that II
he had, he would certainly have an.
4 swered it,
I'D like your best Judgment as to
whether the press privilege accorded
Binns in the Republic disaster had
4 anything to do with your failure to
get and give out public information
about the Titanic?" Smith queried
In my opinion. 1t had not" said
Marconi II have no knowledge what
ever about any Of these alleged mes
sages.
Il did not talk to Mr.. Sammis about
4 1t before or since
What l meant" Marconi continued,
when l told the operator to take
something for the story was that the
newspapers would be SO interested in
what he had to say and in view OF the
fact that Bride had behaved, so brave
ly and brilliantly, that he could ex,
pect to be paid"
To the Highest Bidder.
The inventor said he did not expect
the operator to put the story up for
the highest bidder. He merely wanted
, the operator to know he could accept
money if 1t was rendered him.
The witness believed Bride and
Gotham both received remuneration
for their stories. he, heard Bride re-
ceived $500 from a newspaper but he
did not know what Gotham received
, He did not believe any of the officials
J of the company received any of the
money 1T would be absolutely wrong
for any of them to receive money from
, the operator" he said.
, Any information received by the
operator of the Carpathia from the
. operator of the Titanic was official In
J formation he said
: THAT information you authorized
1 your operator to give out?'
4 NO, did not. Bride was second
9 operator on the Titanic. He was moi
, compelled by any law or regulation tc
3 withhold anything regarding his ex
) perience. He had as much right te
tell of his rescue as any of the other
survivors did not see Gotham thai
night gave him no instruction as tc
what he should or should not say.
absolutely deny that gave him an.
/ authority to give out anything he
/ should not. ;"
q Senator Smith thanked Marconi fol
!, his sweeping denial, insisting that he
p did not wish the public OF the witnes:
i to think the committee suspected hin
on.. ,,,,u-1.tb,. ,ootiva
:. Marconi reiterated that he was par
ticularly anxious that the public
a should have the details as quickl.
q and accurately as possible. whethe
: it was through the New York paper t.
which the story was sold, or through
q other sources.
q This four figures message wa
4 transmitted when the Carpathia wa
:, entering New York harbor," sal,
Marconi. I'm not expressing M.
opinion except that did not authoriz
it. | did not like it and did not al
, prove it. believe it would have beef
: better if the operator had sent out
;, story soon afterward to the Maroon
, company for public information. 2
did the company secure the SUP
. preston of all OF it's stations t.
; expedite the receipt of news aske'
n Senator Smith.
1T did"
The inventor said 1t would hav
been difficult to send detailed ao
v. count of the Titanic disaster, but tina
meagre recital of the facts coul
have been flashed from the Carpathia
The witness said there WIS a specia
le clause in his company's agreemen
,e with the steamship lines that in emel
O. gencies the captain might censor a
,e messages.
ii Smith wanted to know If 1T woul