BRIDE INTERROGATED.
“Would you still make the same reply if you were told that the Frankfurt was twenty miles nearer to you than the Carpathia?”
Bride replied that the Carpathia was then on its way with its lifeboats ready.
Mr. Marconi testified to the distress signals and said the Frankfurt was equipped with Marconi wireless. He said the receipts of the signals C. Q. D. by the Frankfurt’s operator should have been all sufficient to send the Frankfurt to the immediate rescue.
Under questioning by Senator Smith Bride said that undoubtedly the Frankfurt received all of the urgent appeals for help sent subsequently to the Carpathia.
“Why did you not send the messages to the Frankfurt as well as to the Carpathia?” asked Senator Smith.
“He would not have understood.”
The witness said that before leaving the cabin ten minutes before the ship went down Phillips sent out a final C. Q. D. There was no response, Bride saying the spark was then so weak that it probably did not carry.
When Bride and Phillips stepped out on the beatdeck he said they found persons rushing around in confusion. They were seeking life belts.
“There were no big lifeboats aboard at that time,” said Bride. “There was a life raft over the officers quarters, which later was lost over the side.”
The witness then told of his experience in following with a small boat beneath which he nearly was drowned before he could extricate himself. With a number of other survivors he clambored on the overturned boat.
“One of these was Phillips,” said the witness. “He died on the way to the Carpathia and was buried later at sea.”
When Bride gained the bottom of the boat he found between 35 and 40 men already there.