Page 104 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 14 - 18

MR. W. D. HARBINSON (instructed by Mr. Farrell) appeared on behalf of the third-class passengers. (Admitted on application.) MR. ROBERTSON DUNLOP watched the proceedings on behalf of the owners and officers of the s.s. “Californian.” (Leyland Line). (Admitted on Application.) MR. H. E. DUKE, K. C., M. P., and MR. VAUGHAN WILIAMS (instructed by Messrs. A. F. and R. W. Tweedie) appeared as Counsel on behalf of Sir Cosmo and Lady Duff-Gordon. (Admitted on Application.) ALFRED CRAWFORD, Sworn. Examined by Mr. BUTLER ASPINALL. 17829. Is your name Alfred Crawford? - Yes. 17830. And were you serving on the “Titanic” as first class bedroom steward on the 14th April of the present year? - Yes. 17831. I believe you were on watch on that evening? - Yes. 17832. At about 11.45 did you feel the shock? - Yes, I did. 17833. You subsequently learned you had struck an iceberg? - Yes. 17834. I think you got up and assisted passengers to put on their lifebelts. I do not want you to tell us the whole story. We have heard it very many times. I am just going to take you to the few main points. Later on I think you went to No. 5 boat and then eventually to No. 8 boat? - Yes, I did. 17835. No. 8 was your proper boat? - Yes. 17836. Did you assist to get the ladies into the boat? - Yes. 17837. I think some ladies, one in particular at any rate you can tell us of, refused to leave her husband, did she not? - Yes, Mrs. Straus. [Ida Straus.] 17838. And she and her husband were left behind? - Yes. 17839. I believe you got all you could in and the boat was lowered to the water’s edge? - Yes. 17840. Now, before the boat was lowered down, did Captain Smith ask you how many crew were in the boat? - Yes. 17841. And how many crew were in the boat? - There were two in the boat. 17842. Besides yourself? - No, he told me to get in then. 17843. That made three? - Yes; and another man got in as well, making four. 17844. Did the boat get away with four of the crew in it? - Yes. 17845. How many passengers were in it? - I should say about 35. 17846. What were they; were they women? - All women. 17847. And before you left the ship’s side did Captain Smith give you any directions with regard to a light? - Yes, he pointed to a light on the port side, the two masthead lights of a vessel, and told us to pull for there and land the people and return to the ship. 17848. Did you see those lights yourself? - I did. 17849. And what did you think they were? - I thought they were a vessel with two masthead lights. 17850. A steamer’s masthead lights? - Yes. The Commissioner: Is there anyone here representing the “Californian”? Mr. Cooper: Mr. Dunlop will be here in a few minutes. The Attorney-General: Somebody will be here, because we are calling somebody from the “Californian” today, and we have given them notice of it. 17851. (Mr. Butler Aspinall - To the Witness.) I do not know whether you are a judge of