“Did you hear the captain of the Carpathia testify here today?” “No.”
“He said you were about to retire and caught this Titanic distress message rather providentially?” “Yes, sir.”
“How far had you got along in your arrangement to retire? Had you taken off your clothes?” “Yes, my coat.”
“Did you have any instruments then?” “Yes, the telephones were on my head. I was waiting for the Parisian’s answer. I had just called it.”
“How long would you have waited?” “Several minutes.”
“Would you have retired pretty soon, you think?” “Yes.”
“Well, when you got the distress message from the Titanic Sunday night, how did you get it?” “I called the Titanic myself, sir.”
SENDING MESSAGES TO THE TITANIC.
“Who told you to call the Titanic?” “No one, sir. I did it of my own free will. I asked the Titanic operator if he was aware that Cape Cod had been sending messages for the Titanic.”
“What was the answer?” “‘Come at once’ was the message, sir,” said Cottam.