The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1912-04-23
BAND PLAYS AS
STEAMER SINKS
Survivors viii Never Forget
Impressive Incident
HOW TITANIC met HER FATE

Authorized Version Of Disaster Says
That Liner Was steaming at Full
Tilt When II Struck Submerged
Ledge OF Icebsrg-Passensers Re-
main Calm In Face Of Certain Death
and Leap Into Water Before Boat
Takes Final Plunge
New York, April 10 - II was the
submerged ledge OF an iceberg of Or
dinary proportions that sent the
White Star liner Titanic more than
two miles to the bottom OF the Allan
tic off the banks OF Newfoundland.
She was steaming almost full tilt
through a gently swelling sea and un-
der starlit sky in charge Of First
officer Murdoch, who, a moment af-
ter the collision, surrendered the com
mand 20 Captain Smith, who went
down with her The captain was
washed from the bridge and was seen
to make his way back again. He had
been urged to get into lifeboat. but
refused.
The lifsboats that were launched
were not filled to their capacity. The
general feeling aboard the ship was,
even after the boats had left her
sides, that she would survive her
wound, and tho passengers who were
left aboard believed almost up to the
last moment that they had q chance
for their lives. The captain and Off
, GERS behaved with the utmost gal
lantry and there was perfect order
and discipline in the launching Of the
boats, and after all hope had been
abandoned for the salvation Of the
ship and for those who were on
board. Just as she went down, she
broke her back
Resumed Their Game.
To illustrate the placidity with
dent, 1t Is related that four men who
were In the smoking room playing
bridge calmly got up from the table
and, after walking on deck and look
ing over the rail. returned to their
game. They resumed their game un.
der the impression that the ship had
stopped for reasons best known to
the commander and not involving
any danger to her. The tendency Of
tho whole ships company, except the
mon In the engine department, who
were made aware OF the danger by
tho inrushing water, WAS to make
light of and in some instances ridi-
cule the thought OF danger TO 80 sub
stantial vessel The stewards had
almost to force the doors of the state
rooms to make some OF the somnolent
appreciate their peril. Mr. and Mrs
Astor we're in their room and saw the
Ice vision fash by, but they had not
appreciably felt the gentle shock and
supposed that nothing out Of the or.
dtnary had happened. They were
both dressed and came On deck leis
urely.
II was not until the ship began To
take heavy list TO starboard that a
tremor Of fear pervaded her. The
Grew had been called to clear away
tho lifeboats, OF which there were 90
four Of which were collapsible The
boats that were lowered on the port
side OF the ship touched the watel
without capsizlng. Some Of the 9th
eW lowered to atarboard, including
one collapsible. were oapsized. AL
hands in the collapsible boats. thai
pratcticaly went TO pieces. we're res
cued by the other boats. Sixteen
boats in all got away safely, It wal
even then the general impression tha
the ship was all right, and there il
no doubt that that was the belief o
even some OF the offlcers. At the low
ering OF the boats the officers superin
tending the lowering were armet
with pistols, but thero was no neces
sity for using them, az there wa.
nothing in the nature of a panic ant
no man made an effort to get into I
boat while the women and children
were being put aboard.
Jumped Into Sea.
As the ship began to settle 10 star
board, heellng at an angle OF nearl.
;, As degrees. those who had believe,
. 1t was all right to stick by the shiI
$ began to have doubts. and feV
a jumped into the sea. They were fo
: lowed Immediately by others, and Il
4 few minutes there were score
; swimming around. Nearly all of then
o wore life preservers. One man. WIN
s had Pomeanian dog. leaped over
t board with 1t and. striking piece O
i wreckage, was badly stunned. He re
r covered after few minutes an
swan toward one of the lifeboats an