The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-04-24
Tsmay Was Interfering With
Lowering of a Boat.
Fifth Officer of Titanic Told
Him to Get Out.
He WANTS ALL THE FACTS
Sen. Smith Makes Announce
ment Regarding Investigation
OF the Accident to the White
Star Steamer.

Washington, April 24.-J. Bruce
Ismay, chief official of the steamship
line, which owned the ill-fated Ii
tanic, was ordered away from one o1
the ships life boats while it was be
ing lowered, because in his excitement
he was interfering with the ships Of
ficers.
Language too Objectionable to be re-
peated aloud in the senate inquiry
into the Titanic disaster was used by
Harold G.. Lowe, the fifth officer OF
the ship
Lowe dramatically recited to the
senate investigating committee how he
not knowing that he was talking to
the head of the company which en-
plOyed him, had told Ismay to Get to
h out of here so that 1 can work,
while Lowe and other sailors were
trying to lower the first life boat on
the star board side of the Titanic
Lowe declared that Ismay was not
he was very much excited and was
interfering with the proper lowering
of the boat.
This man Osmay)", said Lowe,
"was greatly excited. He was holler-
ing, Lower away, lower away, lower
away and I swore at him to order
him back.
Lowe said Isnay went back and
made no reply to him. Lowe also
testified he never would have known
the man was Ismay if he (Lowe) had
not met a steward on the Carpathia,
who told him what he had done ana
asked him why he 'swore at !smay
Senator William Alden Smith, the
chairman announced after a meeting
with his colleagues that the British
witnesses would be called as rapidly as
possible before any more passengers
were examined.
Fleet Is Recalled.
Frederick Fleet, lookout on the IL
+anfc was recalled as the first witness.
Senator Burton asked; r,+anio
when YOU were on the Tltanlc
were YOUR eyes examined ??
How often?"
Frequently" 10,
can YOU distinguish colorsE
..3id 96s' gnn r when in the Titanic's
crows nest. see hghtT
.s>Jo I saw no light until 1 got IN the
,5eehoa+ Then 1 saw a bright lsht on
the forward bow. 1 don't Know What II
was Mr. Lightoller saw II peIore we
got off the Titanic ana tolo US u W. W.
toward it. 1t finally disappeared we
never made out what it was.
when YOU have binoculars, wnat
share of time do you have the glasses
70 your eyes while on the lookout
IF we fancy we see anything on tne
horizon" said Fleet, then we use tle
glasses to make sure.
Fyleet said he saw no lifeboats loadeo
other than No. 6. the boat in whlch ne
nuIIed away with about 30 passengers
Were there any women leIt ot on n, tne
decks who did not get in the poat!
Saw No Women Left
No sir; I saw none.
The witness said that there were men
on the decks but that none OF them
sought or even asked to be taken on.
.sDid YOU hear any cries for help?"
asked Senator Smith.
ives. but they were very faint.
Did you go back to help?
NO sir. some of the passengers !
wanted to but the quartermaster, who
was in command, ordered us to keep on
prom YOUR experience in trying to |
estimate how far the Titanic was from |
the iceberg when you sighted it, L
should say you did not have any judg- |
ment of distance Smith commented
mo more haven't" Fleet answered, |
and then was excused.
senator Smith then arose and formal |
" announced he wanted to meet an in |
quiry that had arisen as to the purpose |
of the committee
1T is to get all of the facts attending
+tis accident" he said. THE surviving |
of7cers and men of the ship are not |
and if we can get from |
them what they know it is all that we
can expect now. Now, word as to the |
nIan. 1t is the intention of the COM |
Great Britain who may be in this coun-
trv and who may know anything of the
disaster and to hold them here until |
we have learned all that we can.
ssThfs course will be pursued until the |
committee concludes it has obtained all |
accessible and useful information to a
proper understanding of this disaster.
Smith Is Emphatic.
seNow, a word about the difficulty.
To the credit of most of the officers
and mem bers of the crew, we have ex-
esu,r with esses as we thought neces-
kary but from the beginning until now
there has been a voluntary, gratu1touS
attempt on the part or
certain persons to influence the MEM
bers of the committee and to shape its
procedure
.Misrepresentations have been made,
7 have heard. I have not, however,
read the newspapers because did not
wish to be prejudiced-
saT-he REPRESENTATIVES of the press
have all co-operated in every way to
l{gbtan the burden of the committee.
s'The committee VIII not tolerate
anv further attempt on the part of
any one to shape its course. We shall
nroceed in our own way and the
indgnent of our efforts well may be
SviffheId until those who criticise our
course may have opportunity to ex-
anime the official record
AS Senator Smith delivered this an
he spoke emphatically
and nunctured his remarks by pound
ing the table with his fist. Afterwaro
ba aid not give any detailed explana-
80, Of what actuated him to make the
; "a Harold G. Lowe, fifth officer of the
T5tanic. was the next witness.
ssyou were present at the test OF the