Evening star., 1934-09-25
BOMBED"
WATCHMAN SAYS
Tells Probers He Heard
Loud Report Near Writ
ing Room.
Continued From First Page)


ventilator, and I went to the lobby
forward on B deck"
What did you see in the lobby?"
Il saw a young man in gray suit,
about 80 l should say. l had never
seen him before and l knew he was
not a member of the crew. He seemed
TO be terror stricken.
Flames Came From Locker.
Then 1 saw a steward, Danny
Campbell. open a locker. Coming out
of it was not smoke. but white flame.
1 realized now there must have been
two separate fires, one in the hold and
one in the lobby
Did you report the fire to the
BRIDGE"
No sir. As I was rushing to the
bridge passed my watch partner also
rushing madly I assumed he was
also reporting the fire to the bridge,
so l went back 10 the fire and started
TO lay a hose line.
1T didn't look like a natural fire.
1t looked more like chemical fire. And
as l passed those two suites on "A
deck. they simultaneously burst into
an inferno 1 learned they were not
sold and were unoccupied."
What time was this?"
when 1 got to the lobby. the L.
brary clock said 20 minutes to 3.
Il was trying to hold a hose on
the fire. which spread through the
lobby like it had been sprayed with
gasoline. 1t was too hot. and
feared the hose would burn, and
backed out.
Heard Terrific Explosion.
"As I backed out 1 heard very,
very terrific explosion. You must re-
member this was a distinct explo-
sion"
Where was it?"
in the vicinity of the writing
room"
Did you hear orders to lower
bosts?"
Il heard a voice on b deck that
sounded like Mr. Hackney's. saying,
lower the boats"
Who lowered the boats?"
'I can't say definitely, sir"
How did you get OFF,"
That's what I'll never know. !
forgot l was a subordinate and began
acting in my old capacity of third
mate. I was ordering the men around
and finally told them all the pas
Sengers are off. let's go, boys. Every
man for himself Then l felt my
self getting dizzy, and l tainted.
Whether I fell or was blown over
board by a hot-air explosion, I don't
know"
Render said he was certain that the
smoke he saw was not issuing from
the small library ventilator. 1t was
the cargo hold ventilator, he declared.
Investigated Noise Forward.
Questioned then by Hoover. Pender
said he sought to investigate noise
forward, near the officers quarters on
the bridge deck While up there, he
testified, he looked into the radio room
at 2:35 am. and saw Operator MAXI
on duty and everything in order.
Reuuestioned concerning the smell
of burning rags. Pender declared:
l QlOIl lIldC oOoL NhNAA oOS
down to b deck when I was looking
for the source Of the fire.
You didn't smell it when you were
on the hurricane deck?"
"Oh, no. sir"
1t was from the suites forward OF
the lobby, Pender said. he smelled the
odor of cleaning fluid"
1T smelled like the stuff you put in
cigar lighters" he explained.
Called upon to describe the mysteri-
GUS man in the gray suit" Pender
said his eyes were the eyes OF
frightened man.
you were very observant," said
Hoover.
TT was an unusual situation" said
Pender.
1T was unusual to smell rags burn
ing and all the rest of it,
Did you see him again."
"No, sir; he disappeared"
when did you see him?"
Between 25 and 27 minutes Of 3.
I saw him first before looked in the
writing room and saw Campbell open
the locker and the fire came"
Before this you saw no fire."
Not before Campbell opened the
locker door. 1t was white, blush
flame"
Pender. who said that he had seen