Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-21
ana Albert Haines of the IT.

given their evidence
The committee devotes its entire day
to an investigation of the connection OF
the wireless with the disaster. II. T.
Gotham. the operator on the Carpathia,
was the first witness. Senator Smith
sought to establish certain testimony
he had given on the stand yesterday.
and this soon was ended. Then came the
star" witness of the day.
Seated in an invalid's chair. Bride was
wheeled to the end Of the table. He was
hollow-cheeked and wan and had just
come from a physicians care. His hands
were never quiet and he locked and in
terlocked his fingers necessarily.
Like Gotham, who Is twenty-three years
old. Bride Is merely boy. Neither had
any Geographic experience previous to
taking up wireless biography and both
told tales OF long hours at low wages
and days and nights spent without sleep.
This inexperience and the mental con-
dition of the young operators were the
two points On which Senator Smith
bore persistently. He had put Gotham
through a grueling examination, in
which the youth testified that he had
not slept more than eight or ten hours
between Sunday night. when the Titanic
called for help. and Thursday night.
when the vessel locked here. Brides
story was one that bore out virtually
all that Cottam's had esta blished, ex
cept that his was one of nervous strain
and worry and high-keyed suspense.
Told Frankfurt to keep Out"
Bride was closely questioned as to the
first call for aid sent out by the Titanic.
He said the first vessel to answer was
the Frankfurt Of the North German
lloyd line The operator on the Frank
furt. according to the witness, apparent
lv considered the call more or less
trivial. for half an hour after receiv-
ing the imperative appeal of the sea
he called the Titanic to inquire specif-
ically just what was wrong.
Mr.. Phillips said he was fool, Bride
testified. referring to the chief operator
on the Titanic. who lost his life, and
told him to keep out.
No effort was made to re-establish COM
munication with the Frankfurt, although
Phillips felt certain that the vessel was
much nearer than the Carpathia. with
which communication had been estab-
lished. This. Bride said. Phillips judged
by reason Of the greater power Of the
hertsian waves.
Senator Smith expressed establishment
at the statement. He repeatedly pressed
the witness to answer why the aid of
vessel many miles nearer a sinking ship
was not invoked. Bride evaded a direct
probably the Frankfurt's operator could
not understand and that Phillips, his
had used his own judgment
Too Busy to Answer.
Another phase of the laxity of the
wireless. 50 far as man is concerned, was
developed by the chairman. He drew from
the witness an acknowledgment that on
Sunday evening Bride was sitting, the
telephone apparatus strapped to his
ears. adjusting his accounts. while the
steamship Californian. seeking to warn
the Titanic that icebergs were invading
the lanes Of ocean travel, called inces-
sanity.
Bride said he heard the call. but did
not answer because he was busy" 1t
Was not until half hour later that the
Californian, striving to reach the steam
ship Baltic. reached also the Titanic,
the warning that three huge
icebergs had been sighted was noted by
Bride and verbally communicated to the
liners captain.
Senator Smith established by Guglielme
Marconi. inventor Of the wireless system
bearing his name, that both the Titanic
and Frankfurt operated virtually the
same type Of instruments.
In the opinion Of the inventor there
existed no reason why communication
between the two vessels should not have
been perfect. provided weather conditions
were favorable. The night, it previously
had been established. was clear and there
Vas no fog or other atmospheric dis
turbance.
! Bride on Verge Of Collapse.
Under insistent questioning. Bride be-
gan to show signs of collapse, SO Senator
Smith ended the wireless inquisition and
questioned him about the final scenes
aboard the Titanic. Bride and his SUI
perior. Phillips. were among the last to
leave and were witnesses of the closing
scenes on the boat deck, the topmost
oh pYid a.
story was fragmentary because it was
drawn from a memory that had not
ceased to see the actual living horror Of
II. Without Senator Smiths interroga-
tons II ran about as follows:
I'VE did not feel the shock when the
ship struck. In fact, I was asleep at
the time. and was not even awakened
by the impact When the engines stopped
Mr.. Phillips called me, and I put on the
telephone apparatus while he went out
to see what was the trouble A little later
he came back. He said things looked
queer. BY queer i suppose he meant
that everything was not as it should be.
AT this time, however. neither of us
fusion on deck l went out to investigate,
and when i returned found Mr.. Phillips
sending out a C. ID. O. call. giving our
pos ton. We raised the Frankfurt first
and then the Carpathia and the Baltic.
As ] have said, We did not try for the
for any length of time, but
our messages on the Carpa-
thia. which had answered that she was
rushing to our aid
THE captain came into the wireless
cabin from the deck when the Carpathia
advised US of her position and figured
out the time when that vessel probably
would arrive. He left when that was
of and proceeded to the bridge
Then we began unofficially to keep in
communication with the Carpatha.
Confusion on Deck.
From time 10 time either Mr.. Phil
lips or ! would go on deck TO observe
the situation. The last time | went on
deck found the passengers running
around in confusion and there was al
most a pane. They were seeking life
belts. All of the large lfeboats were
gone. 6ui there was one liferaft remain
ing. ~ lad been dashed on the top Of
TIE quarters on the boat dec. A num-
b"r ~ men were striving To launch it.
went back to the wireless cabin
thtn. Mr Phillips was striving to send
. ~ tinal q. g. ID. call The power was
90 that We could not tell exactly
whether il was being carried OF not. for
Sc wee In closed cabin and we could
+ = hca- ihe crackle of the wireless at
q mast Phillips kept on sending, now
orr. wailr ! bucked on his life belt and
Il ri ny OWL. Then We both cared for
Woman who had tainted and who had
s~r tipusht INTO our cabin.
Tasn. about ton minutes before the
40 >aB.. Capt. Smith gave word for
s-.ety one 10 -ool ~ his own safety. |
Ispg 10 aid IN" men struggling 10
ta&T i .Je lie raft. and We had Sue
: ..eGed in getting IL tp the edge OF the
,o3t uhsn giant wave carried il away
/. velt si;h il and found myself under
H. l. n