The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1912-05-02
carpathia's Commander Tells
of incidents Leading Up
10 the Rescue.
GOES TO TITANIC SPEEDILY
says He Does Not Remember Rsess~-
tns Any Message From scout
Cruiser Salem ~ Comlns
From President Taft
nv CAPT. n. w. RosrRoN.


Cunard steamship Carpaihia. rescuer
OF the Titanic survivors:
cannot yet make . connected
statement have gone through 50
much since I received aboard my ship
the first distress call OF the Titanic
that a complete narrative Is impos-
sible. I was between so and SO miles
away from the Titanic when the wire
less sang into the ears of my operator
the first call for help. The operator
said that We received only one call.
The silence after the first frantic
appeal for relief was ominous TO me.
Our Marconi sent out rays that
scraped the sky In vain. but there was
no response whatever to any OF our
inquiries. swung the Carpathia
around straight to the position the
poor Titanic's first aerogram said she
occupied. Our engines were put at top
speed
The silence of the air so far as the
Titanic was concerned made me shud-
der as we sped on our way to the res
cue. realized what II meant On
and on We sped. Our stokers never
worked harder. When the first faint
daylight came and ! knew We were
still miles from the spot of the trag-
edy, ! felt as IL We should arrive too
late to be of any service.
Sights First Lifeboats.
When. however, after full daylight
we sighted the first lifeboat filled with
women and children and eight or ten
strong armed and brave hearted men
OF the Titanic's crew. | realized that
We could at least save a few human
lives. was too busy for the next
hour or so to recall now just what &C.
Cured. My mind was wholly set up
on saving the lives Of the people who
crowded the boats
The sea was calm. There was
scarcely ripple upon it's face. Great
ice foes were crunching down from
the north. In the distance several
icebergs shimmered like mirrors Why
the lifeboats were not crushed by the
swiftly moving ice foes ! could not
understand. The 16 boats seemed at
first nearly all women.
] remember that it occurred to me
that the good God had stretched out
his mighty hand and had checked
further murder by his elements.
We got aboard the Carpathia every
human being in the 16 lifeboats of the
Titanic. Every officer and member Of
our crew stood by like the brave and
Cd
duty
My mind is in no condition now to
tell you much more of what I heard
and felt during the two hours work
of the rescues
We took aboard 705 women and chill
dren who were alive, but some OF
them were unconscious. We also
dragged to the decks Of she Carpathia
four members OF the Titanic's crew
who had been tolled of to man the
lifeboats and were stark dead. They
had been frozen to death Their
strong, horny fingers still clutched rbe
oars that they had been desperafe,v
pulling. We buried these men in
sailors graves only yesterday from
the deck of the Carpathia.
Doesn't Recall President. Mess,o.
am told that II was reported to
President Taft by Captain Cnanler Of
the scout cruiser Salem that the Car.
pathia had received Wednesday nigh,
wireless messages from the command.
er OF the Salem asking in the name Of
the president If Major Butt, John ia.
cob Astor. Frank NHnet. Clarence
Moore and Isidor Straus were aboa 20
his vessel
upon my word as a man-upon INV
nonor as sailor, ! canno, remerha,
receiving any such message fro-,
Captain Chanier or anybody cleo g.
the name of the president or any 9th.
er person Had such a message been
referred to me ! Immediately wou,a
nave ordered that all other bpsinas.
Oh the wireless be sidetracked un,,,
the answer could have been son, >.
the president that none of his frianas
OF "hom he had inquired. was ahoa "a
the Carpathia.
1t Is possible the Carpathia.s w,r
iess operator acknowledged. bur re-
FUSED to answer messages even So
.ne president OF the United States re.
ce1ved after Wednesday nigh, os -
mao then been at his post more tb.n
~ hours without rest. But he go
reported such a message to ms go !,
do not blame him.
Knows Nothing of Shooting.
AFTER | reached the Cunard r,. +,
was asked as to the truth ~ go
.nat some passengers. and particu,.r,
" some men passengers on The r,
.anlc' were kept back from tba ;te
ooats at the point of the pis,o, az
tnat two well-known men were sso oe
VI course, ! was not there. / did not
.ne snip go down. But from the
head ne VINO came aboard my ship /
hearo no such story.
20 not give the least credenc. m
ina. report Ii had to write ahon, :.
l would denounce 1t as an aho-nt.. 49,. -