The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1912-04-25
WISCONSIN WOMAN
Tells OF TRAGEDY
EXPERIENCE OF MRS. MlNAHAN,
WHOSE HUSBAND WENT TO
BOTTOM WITH TITANIC.
AMONG LAST LEAVING SHIP

Mrs. Minahan Was in Life Boat With
y. Bruce Ismay, Steamship Mag
nate. and Brands Him as Coward
Did Not See Capt. Smith.
Chicago. feebly upon the
arms of their brother, DR.. j. r. Min
ahan of Green Bay. their eyes moist
with the tears of four days, Mrs. W.
E. Minahan of Fond du Lac, Wis,
and Miss Daisy Minahan of Green
Bay. Wis, alighted from the platform
of the Twentieth Century Limited at
the LaSalle street station, at 9:15
o'clock yesterday morning-the first
survivors of the Titanic disaster to
reach this city.
TRAGIC END OF TRIP.
Mrs. Minahan, physically worn
out, nervously a wreck, burst into
hysterical sobs. 1t was at the same
station four months ago that she and
her husband, perhaps Fond du Laos
best known physician and surgeon,
had boarded the Twentieth Century
flyer, with Miss Minahan, bound for
New York, whence they had planned
a delightful Mediterranean voyage.
They were happy party then. But
yesterday, as she left the train, Mrs.
Minahan realized that she was a
widow-her husband had persisted
with the hundreds of others in the
most terrible accident in the annals
of marine history.
Mrs. Minahan tried in vain to re-
late the terrible story. Before each
word there was the barrier of a
throat choked with sobs, and it was
impossible to gain a coherent idea
of what she and her sister had en-
dured during the few, though long
days, since the tragedy, until short
ly before she left on Northwestern
train for the home of her brother in
Green Bay.
MRS. MINAHAN'S STORY.
Partly through DR.. j. P. Minahan,
Mrs. Minahan told the story, weep
ing frequently, about as follows:
CDR. Minahan, his sister and N.Y.
self had retired early Sunday night
on account of the frigid temperature,
which was even felt in the cabins.
In the salon of the first cabin a party
was in progress, and before retiring
we had joined those in the salon for
while. Cards were played by some,
others We're chatting and others were
enjoying the musical entertainment.
ut was about $50 when | got
into bed, and l know | had been
sleeping soundly for two hours or
more when both the doctor and my
self were awakened by frantic cries
outside our door. My husband peer
ed into the corridor and saw Mrs.
John Jacob Aston running frantically
and shrieking: THE boats sinking!
The boats sinking! Help! Help!
Help
Both fully awakening from our
sleep we felt the huge ship reclin-
ing upon it's portside. My husband
threw several blankets about me,
hurried into some clothes himself
and ran to the adjoining state room,
where Daisy was sleeping. After
throwing a blanket about her, he
took us to the main deck, where we
were being lifted down into the sea
and two We're already being put off
with frightened and hysterical wom-
en- in them.
WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST.
THE first thing that ! heard was
this cry: Not one man must leave
the boat until all of the children and
women are cared for 1t was Mr..
Astor shouting, and the cry was re-
echoed by a number of brave men at
his side. Among them l saw Ben
jamin Guggenheim, j. B. Thayer, C.
M. Hayes and Isidor Straus, and at
his side his wife.
There was a heart-rending wall
from the steerage, as the words that
the ship is sinking went up and
women clinging to their babies and
children were frenzied.
HEARD SHOTS FIRED.
"Then | heard members of the
ships crew crying out orders, which
no one seemed to hear or heed. /
can't remember any one vivid pic
ture, it was all SO awful. Both men
and women were praying and | re-
member someone shouted that the
wireless operator had called for help
and that a steamer was coming to
our aid. But that did not quiet
many, for the huge ship was sink
ing faster and faster
II was too dumbfounded to move,
and 7 think Daisy must have been,
also My husband was aiding in let
ting down a life boat and told Us
to be brave and all would be well.
AS every lifeboat was let down into
the sea with women and children, at
tempts were made by panic-stricken
men to jump into 1t, and then !
heard shots. The officers were firing
at them.
Aston A REAL LEADER.
"All the time / did not see Capt.
Smith, who had been In the party
in the salon, until the time of the
collision with the iceberg, nor did /
see Mai. Butt assisting in the work.
Mr. Astor seemed to be the man In
charge of all and so cool and manly