VIVID STORIES TOLD OF HOW GREAT SHIP SANK
(By United Press Leased Wire.) WASHINGTON, D. C., April 23 - Sworn testimony that neglect on the part of the White Star company to provide marine glasses for the lookout on the Titanic was responsible for the greatest sea disaster of modern times was the sensation this afternoon, of the investigation.Frederick Fleet, who was lookout in the crow's nest of the Titanic when the giant liner smashed into the iceberg, made oath that not a single lookout on the Titanic was provided with marine glasses and declared that had his request for such glasses in Southampton not been refused the Titanic might yet be afloat.
"I could easily have sighted the iceberg with marine glasses in plenty of time to have the vessel steered out of the way." said Fleet, and gave in detail the request he made in Southampton for them.
Although all other liners are so provided, Fleet swore, his request was flatly refused and he was told there were no glasses for him.
Third Officer Pittman admitted that the Titanic had been warned that icebergs were prevalent but said he did not see any on the Sunday of the disaster. He declared that in his 14 years' experience he had seen only one iceberg before.
Pittman started his testimony in a laconic and brusque manner. Comments on his stolidness were audible in every part of the room. Then the committee began questioning him on the scenes on the Titanic when it was found that there was no hope of saving the vessel.
Officer Breaks Down
Pittman's demeanor underwent a complete change, and in a choking voice he begged the committee not to press him regarding the death cries of the trapped victims.
"The prayers and moans of the passengers arose in a mighty chorus of woe when they learned that hope had vanished," Pittman said. "It was a continual moan for an hour, and it died away gradually. I wish you had not referred to this."
Women spectators wept, and committeemen shaded their eyes.
J. Bruce Ismay, Pittsman said, was standing near a lifeboat and he heard him ask about a boat loaded with women. Captain Smith, Pittman said, followed out Ismay's suggestions in issuing orders.
Pittsman declared that his boat saved 40 passengers and six members of the crew. He heard four explosions, he said, and then the Titanic sank.
OFFICER ADMITTED THAT IF EVERY LIFEBOAT HAD BEEN CROWDED THEY WOULD HAVE ACCOMMODATED ONLY 1,200 PERSONS. HE ASSERTED THAT HE TRANSFERRED TWO MEN, A WOMAN AND A BABY FROM HIS BOAT TO LIFEBOAT NO. 7 AT THEIR REQUEST.
Pittman said that when he [retired] at 10 p.m., the vessel was making about 21 1-2 knots."The collision awakened me," he said. "It sounded as if the ship was coming to anchor. I was half asleep and wondered why. I rushed to the deck undressed, saw nothing and returned to my bunk in the belief that I had a nightmare.
"Then Fourth Officer Boxhall came to my room and said the Titanic had struck an Iceberg.
"When I got to the deck I found that the lifeboats were being lowered. I saw the firemen coming up from the engine room.
"Women were crawling over the hatch and I rushed out to help load the lifeboats. I helped to lower boat No. 5, which was assigned to me.
A man in a dressing gown said: "You had better get those women and children over there and load them in that boat." I learned later that his [sic] was Mr. Ismay. I got the boat almost tilled and shouted:
"Are there any more women?
"There did not seem to be, so I let some men get on.
"First Officer Murdock shook hands with me, saying:
"'Good bye, old man, and good luck.'
"I never saw Murdock after that. I believed that only two or three of the compartments had filled and never haft the faintest idea that the Titanic would sink. All the passengers In my boat behaved admirably.
Women Didn't Row.
"Women in my boat were not permitted to row, although some of them wanted to do so that they could keep warm. It was about 3 degrees above zero and very chilly."
"If the Impart had been bow on," continued Pittman, "the Titanic would be afloat now. If two or three steamers had collided with her, she would not have sunk. It would have required about six steamer[s] to sink her by collision."
The officer stated that he left J. Bruce Ismay on the Titanic and did not Bee him again until they were both on the Carpathia.
Might Have Saved More.
"I know that my boat might have held more," [said] Pittman, "and I told my men to try to pick up passengers from among those who were struggling in the waters. Many of my passengers begged me not to do this, fearing that the boat would capsize. I turned the boat around to go in the direction of cries which I heard. When I saw that the passengers thought the swimmers would swamp up, I did not go back to the spot where the Titanic sank. We took in our oars and drifted for an hour. Gradually the cries grew fewer and finally ceased."
When the members of the committee insisted on pressing him for details as to his efforts to rescue the swimmers from the waters, Pittmans [sic] voice choked and he replied with feeling:
"I had rather you had left that out. That was all the effort I made to rescue people from the water.'
"We sighted the Carpathia at 3:30, when she seemed about 5 miles away," continued Pittman. "This was at daybreak, and all cries [had] stopped long before."
The officer stated that he saw no bodies floating in the water. At 1:30 o'clock he said he saw a white light on the horizon but was unable to tell whether it was from a lifeboat or a steamer.
