Page 91 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 10 -13

12947. Did you say then, “An awful silence seemed to hang over everything, and then from the water all about where the ‘Titanic’ had been arose a Bedlam of shrieks and cries”? - No, I never said that. 12948. That is entirely untrue? - Absolutely. And is it true that you said this - 12949. (The Commissioner.) Who was this gentleman? - He was the editor of the “Sunday American.” His name was Mr. Merrett. 12950. What is the “Sunday American”? - It is a newspaper. 12951. Is it published in London? - No. 12952. Where is it published? - In New York. I could tell you exactly how it came out if I were allowed to. 12953. (Mr. Clement Edwards.) Is this true that you said this: “Women and men were clinging to bits of wreckage in the icy water”? - No. 12954. “And it was at least an hour before the awful chorus of shrieks ceased, gradually dying into a moan of despair”? - No, I never said that. 12955. Did you say this: “I remember the very last cry; it was a man’s voice calling loudly, ‘My God, my God,’ he cried monotonously, in a dull, hopeless way.” That is untrue? - Absolutely untrue. 12956. “And we waited gloomily in the boats through the rest of the night, the stokers rowing as hard as they could to keep themselves warm”? - Quite untrue. Mr. Duke: May I borrow that? Mr. Clement Edwards: Yes. (Handing the paper to the learned Counsel.) Examined by Mr. LEWIS. 12957. Do you write for any American papers at all? - Yes, the “Sunday American.” 12958. Did you supply an article to the “Evening Herald”? - No. Mr. Duke: I do not think Lady Duff-Gordon can hear; I cannot - whether “he” wrote or “she.” The Attorney-General: She. 12959. (Mr. Lewis.) Do you write in the “Evening Herald”? - No. The Commissioner: Mr. Duke, do you wish to ask anything? Mr. Duke: Yes, my Lord. I think Lady Duff-Gordon should explain about this article. Examined by Mr. DUKE. 12960. When you were at New York you went to an hotel? - Yes. 12961. And that evening you had supper together with your husband? - Several people - six ladies. 12962. Did Mr. Merrett come there? - Yes. 12963. Was he a gentleman you had known? - A great friend of ours. 12964. Had you any idea of any publication of anything at that time? - Yes. 12965. What did he say to you? - After he had left us about half an hour he telephoned to me, and he said, “Mr. Hurst has just rung me up, and must have your story of the ‘Titanic’ wreck for tomorrow morning’s newspaper.” He said, “May I tell your story as I have heard it?” 12966. What did you say? - I said “Yes,” and he tells me afterwards that he telephoned to their head office all he knew about it, and then a clever reporter put all that into words and it appeared next morning in the “New York American.” 12967. Your friend told some clever American reporter what he had heard? - Yes.