Page 45 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 10 -13

cowardice in not going back in that welter of people? - When I read the paper in Liverpool on Saturday. 11972. You had made your deposition in New York while you were there? - Yes. 11973. And you had attended before the Sub-Committee of the Senate? - Yes. The Attorney-General: That was earlier; April, I think it was. Mr. Duke: I am much obliged. (To the Witness.) You had attended before the Sub-Committee and made a deposition before the British Consul? The Attorney-General: Yes, the 2nd May. 11974. (Mr. Duke - To the Witness.) I do not know what the suggestion is about that money, but tell me this, while you were in New York were the newspapers full of scandalous stories about people who had been on board this boat, and whose lives had been saved? - Yes, also scandalous reports about myself. 11975. Was there any truth in them? - No, none whatever. 11976. Was this story about Sir Cosmo Duff-Gordon the only story that was set on foot about the people on board the ship? - That is all, Sir, the cowardice and the money. It was the only story that was in the papers. 11977. Was there a suggestion at that time that an American millionaire had bribed the crew to take him away, and that Mr. Ismay was a party to it? - Yes. The Commissioner: I do not know that you need go into that. Mr. Duke: These suggestions were made in cross-examinations by learned Counsel; they go through the country, and are read by all sorts of people, and there seems to be no remedy. Mr. Clement Edwards: I was the Counsel who put the questions with regard to the money. I then had no knowledge whatever of similar statements having been made concerning this man in America. Mr. Duke: Perhaps we shall find out why somebody suggested it. The Commissioner: I know nothing about these things. 11978. (Mr. Duke - To the Witness.) I will ask you one other question about this matter. Were you aware of any inducement held out by anybody to take any particular person in that boat? - No, none whatever. I simply obeyed my orders. 11979. And was there any inducement to you to do anything which you did while you were in the boat? - No. 11980. What became of the lifeboats when they got to the “Carpathia,” were they taken on board? - Some were, and there were one or two set adrift. 11981. Was this boat you were in, the dinghy, set adrift? - No, she was put on board. 11982. She was put on board? - Yes. Examined by Mr. LAING. 11983. While you were on the look-out, up to 10 o’clock, what sort of a night was it? - Pretty clear, Sir, a fine night, rather hazy; if anything a little hazy on the horizon, but nothing to speak of. 11984. Would you describe it as a very clear night? - Yes. 11985. With stars? - Yes. 11986. With regard to what you said about binoculars, would you rather trust your eye for picking up anything than a binocular? - Well, it is all according to what you were picking up. 11987. If you were on the look-out on a fine, clear night would you rather trust to the eye than a binocular to pick up anything? - Yes. You use your own eyes as regards the picking up anything, but you want the glasses then to make certain of that object. 11988. You mean when you have picked up something with your naked eye, you like to