Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1912-04-26

Thayer. Of Hsverford, Pa. This is the
only statement that he has made:
FEATHER was in bed, and mother
and myself were about to get into bed.
There was no great shock. / was on
my feet at the time, and / do not
think ii was enough to throw anyone
down. put on an overcoat and rush
ed up on "a deck on the port side. /
saw nothing there. then went for
ward 10 the bow to see If could see
any signs of ice. The only ice saw
vas on the well deck. / could not see
vefy far ahead, having just come out
Of brightly lighted room. | then
went Gown 10 our room and my father
g'ia mother come on deck with me, to
The slarouard side OF "a deck. We
could not see anything there. Father
thought besaw small pieces OF ice float
ing around, but could not see any
Myself. There was no big berg. We
walked around to the port side aud the
ship had then fair list to port We
stayed there looking over the side for
about five minutes. The list seemed
very slowly to be increasing. We then
went down to our rooms on &C. deck.
All OF us dressed quickly, putting on
I'll our clothes. We all put on life
preserves, including the maid and
over these we put our overcosts. Then
we hurried up on deck and walked
around, looking out at different places
until the women were all ordered to
collect on the Port side. Father aud |
said good bye to mother at the top Of
the stairs on IA deck. Sine anu The
maid went right out on A deck on
the port side and we went to the star
board side. As at this time we had no
idea the boat would sink, we wake
around "a deck and then went To 'B'
deck. Then we thought we would go
back 10 see If mother had gotten of
safely, and went 10 the port side Of
IA deck. We met the chief steward
of the main dining saloon and he told
us that mother had not yet taken
a boat, and he took us to her. Father
and mother went ahead and | follow
ed. They went down to 81 deck, AID
crowd got in front of me aud i was
not able to catch them, and lost sight
of them. AS soon as could get through
the crowd tried TO find them on ''B''
deck, but without success. That Is the
last time saw my father. This was
about one-haif hour before she sank. l
then went 10 the starboard side, think.
ing that father and mother must have
gotten on in a boat. ALI OF this time
/ was with a fellow named Milton G..
Long OF New York, whom | had just
met that evening.
"On the starboard side the boats
were getting away quickly. Some
boats were already off in distance
We thought OF getting into one of the
ware part OF the starboard side, but
there seemed to be such a crowd around
/ thought it upwIse to make any at
tempt to get into it. He and | stood
by the davits Of one of the boats that
had left. | did not notice anybody
that / knew, except Mr.. Iindley,
hom had also just met thar even
ing. lost sight of him in a few MN
utes. Long and | then stood by the
rail just little aft of the Captains
bridge.
"The list to the port had been grow
ing greater all the time. About this
time the people began jumping from
the stern. thought of jun pting my
self, but was afraid of hitting the water.
Three times / made up my mind to
jump out and slide down the davit ropes
and try to make the boats that were ~
ing off from the ship, but each time
Long got hold of me and told me to
wait awhile He then sat down and
stood up waiting to see what would
happen. Even then we thought she
might possibly stay afioat.
81 got sight on rope between the
davits and star aud noticed thai she
was gradually sinking. About Ibis
time she Strengthened up on an even
keel and started to go down ia rly fast
at an angle OF about thirty degrees. A.
she started to sink we left the davis
and went back and stood by the raii
about even with the second funnel
Long and myself said goodbye to each
other and Jumped up on the rail. He
put his legs over and held on a minute
and asked me If was coming. | told
him | would be with him in min
ute. He did not jump clear, but slid
down the side of the ship. i never
saw nim again. About five seconds
after he jumped jumped out, feet
first. | was clear of the ship, went
down, aud as | came up I was push
ed away from the ship by some force.