The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-04-23

Both With rockets and with the Morse electric signal. did the young officer hail the stranger. Captain smith and several others in the vicinity of the bridge declared at the time their belief that the vessel had seen them and was signalling in reply. Boxhall failed to see the reply signals how ever. and in any case the steamer kept on it's course obliquely past the Ii tanic without extending aid.
 This and the declaration by P A. s. Franklin, vice president of the Whita Star line. that there was not sufficient life boats aboard the Titanic to care for the ships company at one time, were easily the features of the hear ing.
 Quizzed About Messages
 The official was quizzed throughout , the morning session on the messages exchanged between the Carpathia and himself after the ship had started for New York with the Titanic's sur vivors aboard. Among the survivors was J. Bruce Ismay, managing di- rector of the line
 Among the wireless telegrams read into the record was one from Mir. lsmay urging that the steamship Cedric be held until the Carpahtia arrived with its sorry burden. He declared he be- leved it most desirable" that the sur vivors of the Titanics crew be rushed out of the country as quickly as pos sible. He also, the message said, would sail on the Cedric and asked that clothing be ready at the pier for him when the Carpahtia docked. The Sen ate's subpoenas blocked the plan.
 The committee will resume its hear ing at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning. Fearth offteer Boxiail is expected to continue on the stand to tell more fully of the events immediately pre- ceding the collision.
 Franklin on Stand
 Today's efforts of the Senate inves- tigating committee aiming in part to fix responsibility for last Mondays s messages which said the Titanic was safe and iimping into port did not serve entirely to clear the situation. Vice President Franklin of the Inter- national Mercantile Marine company, chief witness. declared he did not know who in the White Stars New York of fees had sent to Congressman Hughes of West Virginia a message saying all I aboard the Titanic were safe.
 Mir Franklin said he had tried to find out who sent the message, but added he had failed.
 Witness declared that he did not know the Titanic had sunk until after 8 o'clock in the evening week ago. He had heard of an accident to the Titanic early Monday morning, he said. He had appealed to the Associated Press for information. He directed White Star ships at sea to get in touch with the Titanic
 Witness read from a great sheaf of wireless information telegrams of the wrek of Monday. None contained data of value. II was upon this Information that the line issued it's statements in an effort to reassure anxious inquirers. he said.
 They Didn't Wait
 Later when the real news came, he said, he sent for the publishers and be- gan reading to them of the lengthy s Marconigram from the Carpathia giv- ing the gruesome news in considerable detail
 T began to read9 reiterated MT. Franklin, Titanic went down this morning at 2:20 o'clock. Then l looked up. There was not reporter in the room. All reached for telephones and sent out the news to the world,-
 Vice President Franklin denied the White Star line company had any in- tention to spirit away any of the of hcers of the Titanic or crew. or that plans to return the survivors of the crew on the Cedric were prompted by any desire to suppress the facts We said that nothing that the officers or crew could tell could affect what might be told by surviving passen- gers.
 The hearings are now being con ducted in the caucus room. the splen- didly fitted exhibit room of the Senate office building Although Chairman William Alden smith and senator New lands were the only members of the subcommittee of the Senate commerce committee present when the prelimi- nary testimony was taken in New York, the full subcommittee will be in at tendance at all of the hearings
 Other members are Senator Perkins ef California, Burton of Ohio. Bourne of oregon, simmons of North Carolina and Fletcher of Florida.
 To Call Number of Passengers
 Many of the Titanics surviving pas sengers win be called to give evidence before the committee It is expected that among the notable witnesses will zbe Mrs. John Jacob Astor, Mrs. J. B Thayer and Col. Archibald Oracle.
 Hours before the resumption of the inquiry great crowds swarmed to the Senate office building and made rush for the caucus room. Hundreds of them were women and as in the Titanic dis aster 1t was the women first because they had select chairs
 ]. Bruce Ismay arrived at the hsafins room carly He had some difficulty 1T getting in. He identihed himself tc g police officer and was ushered in among seats reserved for witnesses
 MT. Ismay us he sat talking to his at turney appeared wan and haggard !. l. Boxhall was the first witness called after Senator smith he'd cautioned the cro'yd against demonstration. Boxhall was the third officer of the Titanic one of the fcur officers to survive the disaster.
 When Boxhall enterSd the room Sena- sE tor Smith asked him 10 step aside and called r A. S. Franklin. vice president of the International Mercantile -.Iarins company. He began to question Mir Franklin as to the companies composing