The Irish standard., 1912-05-04
.|SMAY WOULDMAKE
ALL LINERS SAFE
MORE LlFEBCATS AND DOUBLE
HULLs AMONG REFORMS
SUGGESTED.
DAMAGE SUITS FILED.
e. J. Dunn Declares Officials Sup.
pressed Disaster News for IL
Hours-Refuses to Give
Name of informant.

Washington, May 1.-More life
boats on transatlantic liners, an
equipment Of RATS that automatically
would float clear of sinking vessel,
and the construction of great pas
senger steamers with double hulls
and extended water tight compart-
ments--all these reforms it was indi-
Gated before the senate committee
investigating the Titanic disaster
would follow in the immediate flu
ture. ]. Bruce Jsmay, president and
managing director of the lnternation-
al Mercantile Marine company, told
! the committee that in his opinion this
should be done He promised to take
up the question with the constructors
of the big liners as soon as he re-
turned to England.
The head of the most powerful ship
ping combination in the world shared
interest with e. j. Dunn, a New York
importer. Mr.. Dunn proved recalci-
trant witness for, after telling of in
formation he had received to the eff
! feet that the White Star line officials
had received positive information of
the Titanic disaster II hours before
they gave it out, he refused to give
the name of his informant.
Senator Smith insisted upon know
ing the name OF the person RESPONSE
had received it in confidence and had
pledged himself not to divulge the
name. Summarily dismissed from
the stand in the charge of an as
sistant sergeantat-arms OF the SEN
ate, the witness spent most of the
morning on the long distance tcle-
phone endeavoring to be absolved
from his pledge. AS a result Of
Dunn's testimony, Senator Smith dis
patched two officers to New York to
interrogate the officials of the West
ern Union Telegraph company, by
whom was employed the man who
was said to have originally made the
statement
Senator Bourne inquired about Mr..
lsmay's order that no ships of his
company should leave port without
sufficient lifeboat capacity for pas
sengers and crew. Mr.. Ismay said
the order would be adhered to even
if passenger lists on all ships had
been decreased.
Mr.. lsmay said he would return to
this country at any time the commit
tee might want him and that all the
information the committee might
want would be at its disposal.
Replying to Senator Burton, Mr.. H.
may said there We're no experts in
naval construction, so far as safety
appliances were concerned in this
country. He expressed the willing
ness of his company to send such ex-
perts from England to testify before
the committee if it desired.
White Star Men Face Contempt.
Contempt of court proceedings
against J. Bruce lsmay and Joseph G.
Boxhall and Charles Lightoller, sur
viving officers of the lost Titanic,
may be one of the first developments
In a civil action begun here to re-
cover for the life of a victim of the
disaster.
The three men left the city and
went to. New York, ignoring sum.
monses issued by the district su-
preme court directing them to appear
before a referee and testify in an
action brought by Mrs. Louise Rob-
bins, of New York, the widow of
Colonel John Jacob Astor's valet, who
was lost with the ship. The action
Is an unusual one in equity to pre-
serve the testimony of the officers for
q suit which may be filed later, when
they may be without the Jurisdiction
Of United States court.
Ismay, Boxhall and Lightoller &C.
cepted service from a United States
marshal, and after conference with
attorneys boarded train for New
York. Attachments will be asked to
arrest the men in New York and
compel their return.
Underwood Ahead In Florida.