“Where were you when the Titanic sank?” “In the officers’ quarters.”
“Were all the lifeboats gone then?” “All but one. I was about fifteen feet from it. It was hanging in the tackle, and they were trying to get it over the bulwarks the last time I saw it. The first officer, Mr. Murdock, who lost his life, was managing the tackle.”
The last boat, a flat collapsible, to put off was the one on top the officers’ quarters, Lightholder said. Men jumped upon it on deck and waited for the water to float it off. Once at sea, it upset. The forward funnel fell into the water, just missing the raft, and overturning it. The funnel probably killed persons in the water.
“This was the boat I eventually got on,” declared Lightholder. “No one was on it when I reached it. Later about thirty men clambered out of the water on to it. All had on life preservers.”
DIED AND SLIPPED OFF INTO THE WATER.
“Did any passengers get on?” asked Senator Smith. “J. B. Thayer, the second Marconi operator and Colonel Gracie I recall,” said the witness. “All the rest were firemen taken out of the water. Two of these died that night and slipped off into the water. I think the senior Marconi operator did that.”
“Did you see any attempt to get women to go who would not?” “Yes.”
“Why would they not go?” “I hadn’t time to learn.”
“Did any ask for their family to go?” “Yes, one or two.”
“Did any families go?” “No.”