Senator SMITH.
Do you know of his taking a message to this effect:
8.12 P.M.
SEAGATE TO "CARPATHIA":
Say, old man. Marconi Co. taking good care of you. Keep your mouth shut and hold your story; It is fixed for you so you will get big money. Now, please do your best to clear.
Did you hear anything like that?
Mr. COTTAM.
Yes, sir; I saw something like that. Bride took it.
Senator SMITH.
Bride took it and you talked with him about it?
Mr. COTTAM.
Yes.
Senator SMITH.
Do you recall this message:
MARCONI TO OPERATORS "CARPATHIA" AND "TITANIC": 8.30 P. M
Arranged for your exclusive story for dollars in four figures. Mr. Marconi agreeing. Say nothing until you see me.
J. M. SAMMIS
Where are you now? O. P. R. "C."
Do you remember that?
Mr. COTTAM.
The first one I do not remember. I never saw or heard anything about it.
Senator SMITH.
But this second one, this 8.30 one, which refers to four figures, you do remember?
Mr. COTTAM.
Something about it; yes.
Senator SMITH.
What do you remember about it?
Mr. COTTAM.
I remember Bride mentioning something about it.
Senator SMITH.
What did he say to you?
Mr. COTTAM.
I do not just remember. I believe he read that message out.
Senator SMITH.
And what was said?
Mr. COTTAM.
I do not remember, sir.
Senator SMITH.
What did you say?
Mr. COTTAM.
Well, I should imagine I acknowledged it. I do not know what I did, further.
Senator SMITH.
Mr. Franklin, do you remember what time the Carpathia docked?
Mr. FRANKLIN.
At 9.30 o'clock.
Senator SMITH.
You talked that over with Mr. Bride?
Mr. COTTAM.
I do not remember talking it over. I acknowledged it.
Senator SMITH.
You were not at the apparatus?
Mr. COTTAM.
No, sir; I was only in the room for about two minutes.
Senator SMITH.
You acknowledged it to Mr. Bride?
Mr. COTTAM.
Yes.
Senator SMITH.
And did not attempt to reply to it?
Mr. COTTAM.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
By wireless?
Mr. COTTAM.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
You can not recall what Bride said to you or what you said to him about it?
Mr. COTTAM.
No, sir: I had a message from the company asking me to meet Mr. Marconi in the Strand Hotel and I was preparing to get ashore as she touched, sir.
Senator SMITH.
But you got that information, and then you got another message a little later?
Mr. COTTAM.
I do not know which came first.
Senator SMITH.
I will read this one to you. This is dated 9 p.m., from Seagate to Carpathia operator:
Go to Strand Hotel. 502 West Fourteenth Street, to meet Mr. Marconi.
Did you get that message? It was signed "C."
Mr. COTTAM.
Yes.
Senator SMITH.
And you arranged to do that?
Mr. COTTAM.
Yes, sir.
Senator NEWLANDS.
All this was within about an hour of your docking, was it not?
Mr. COTTAM.
It was within less than that. We were getting into the dock when the message came.
Senator SMITH.
I will read this. The date. is 9.33 p.m., from Seagate to Carpathia (personal to operator, Carpathia):
Meet Mr. Marconi and Sammis at Strand Hotel, 502 West Fourteenth Street. Keep your mouth shut.
MARCONI.
Senator SMITH.
Did you get that telegram?
Mr. COTTAM.
I do not remember which it was, sir. Apparently you have two there.
Senator SMITH.
I have two; yes.
Mr. COTTAM.
I do not know which one it was.
Senator SMITH.
Did you get one signed "Mr. Marconi"?
Mr. COTTAM.
I do not remember. Bride was writing it down, and I looked over as he was taking it.
Senator SMITH.
Did he write down "Mr. Marconi"?
Mr. COTTAM.
I do not remember, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Did he write down "Sammis"?
Mr. COTTAM.
I do not remember, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Did you know the telegram came from Mr. Sammis?
Mr. COTTAM.
I do not remember anything about it. I remember the message. I was running about the ship at the time.
Senator SMITH.
Did you keep your mouth shut in accordance with that injunction?
Mr. COTTAM.
Certainly.
Senator SMITH.
And said not talk to anybody?
Mr. COTTAM.
No, sir; not during all the voyage, from the catastrophe up to the time of arriving in New York, I did not say anything.
Senator SMITH.
And you did not send out a great deal, did you?
Mr. COTTAM.
No; I sent out nothing.
Senator SMITH.
Frequent requests were made for details, were they not?
Mr. COTTAM.
Yes.
Senator SMITH.
But you sent out nothing?
Mr. COTTAM.
No.
Senator SMITH.
Why?
Mr. COTTAM.
Because I had the passengers' messages and official traffic to get off before I could provide newspapers with news. That was not the most important thing to do -
Senator SMITH.
Exactly; and I do not want you to infer that I think it was.
Mr. COTTAM.
The captain told me to ignore all stations other than those I was in communication with and could benefit by.
Senator SMITH.
And you say you had messages from passengers?
Mr. COTTAM.
Yes.
Senator SMITH.
And for passengers?
Mr. COTTAM.
For passengers. I had a few; yes.
Senator SMITH.
Were you in communication with Cape Race Station?
Mr. COTTAM.
No sir.
Senator SMITH.
Were you in communication with any shore station?
Mr. COTTAM.
Yes.
Senator SMITH.
With what station?
Mr. COTTAM.
Sagaponack, Siasconset, and Seagate. I had five for Sable Island, and when I offered him about 250 he ignored me altogether.
Senator SMITH.
Two hundred and fifty what?
Mr. COTTAM.
Two hundred and fifty messages.
Senator SMITH.
And were you unable to work them off through other stations?
Mr. COTTAM.
I was in touch with no other station. Sable Island is a long way out to sea.
Senator SMITH.
When you left the Carpathia did you go to the Strand Hotel?
Mr. COTTAM.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Whom did you meet there?
Mr. COTTAM.
I met nobody.
Senator SMITH.
Did you meet Mr. Sammis?
Mr. COTTAM.
No.
Senator SMITH.
Or Mr. Marconi?
Mr. COTTAM.
No.
Senator SMITH.
But you reported there and found no one?
Mr. COTTAM.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Then what did you do?
Mr. COTTAM.
I walked about and waited.
Senator SMITH.
How long did you wait?
Mr. COTTAM.
An hour or an hour and a half.
Senator SMITH.
Did you see anybody? Did you see either of these men or any other officer of the Marconi Co.?
Mr. COTTAM.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Did you say anything to anybody about your story?
Mr. COTTAM.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Were you alone?
Mr. COTTAM.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Where did you leave Bride. On board the ship?
Mr. COTTAM.
Yes. He was lying in the cabin. He was trying to get some of the other passengers' messages off, but it was not much good getting them off after the ship had docked.
Senator SMITH.
But he continued to try?
Mr. COTTAM.
He continued to try to attend to official traffic.
Senator SMITH.
You sold your story about this disaster to the New York Times?
Mr. COTTAM.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
When did they print it?
Mr. COTTAM.
I don't know, sir; about midnight, I should think.
Senator SMITH.
On what night?
Mr. COTTAM.
On the night of docking, Thursday night.
Senator SMITH.
With whom were these negotiations held?
Mr. COTTAM.
With one of the New York Times reporters.
Senator SMITH.
What did he say to you?
Mr. COTTAM.
He told me I had permission to relate my story to the Times.
Senator SMITH.
Did he tell you what he would give you for it?
Mr. COTTAM.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
What did he give you for it?
Mr. COTTAM.
I have not got anything for it yet.
Senator SMITH.
You have received nothing?
Mr. COTTAM.
No.
Senator SMITH.
Has anybody received anything for that story?
Mr. COTTAM.
Not to my knowledge.
Senator SMITH.
Have you been told you would receive anything?
Mr. COTTAM.
I expect something, but I don't know what.
Senator SMITH.
You made no contract with him?
Mr. COTTAM.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
And no figures were mentioned?
Mr. COTTAM.
Oh, figures were mentioned.
Senator SMITH.
What figures?
Mr. COTTAM.
The figures in the message.
Senator SMITH.
That said "four figures"?
Mr. COTTAM.
Yes.
Senator SMITH.
How many did they mention?
Mr. COTTAM.
Four.
Senator SMITH.
Not four naughts? What was the figure?
Mr. COTTAM.
I beg your pardon?
Senator SMITH.
What was the figure?
Mr. COTTAM.
I do not know, I do not know what the figures were - four figures.
Senator SMITH.
In this conversation was any amount stated?
Mr. COTTAM.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Either by him or by you?
Mr. COTTAM.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Did you tell him what you wanted?
Mr. COTTAM.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Did he tell you what he was going to give you in payment?
Mr. COTTAM.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
You just relied upon his generosity?
Mr. COTTAM.
Yes.
Senator SMITH.
And upon this telegram that you received?
Mr. COTTAM.
Yes.
Senator SMITH.
The telegram from Mr. Sammis.
Mr. COTTAM.
Yes.
Senator SMITH.
Do you know whether Mr. Sammis received any money from this paper?
Mr. COTTAM.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Have you seen Mr. Sammis since that night?
Mr. COTTAM.
I did not see him that night.
Senator SMITH.
Have you seen him since you docked?
Mr. COTTAM.
Oh, yes.
Senator SMITH.
Where?
Mr. COTTAM.
At the inquiry in New York, at the Waldorf.
Senator SMITH.
Did you see him at any other place?
Mr. COTTAM.
No; I do not remember. I may have met him on the street.
Senator SMITH.
Did you go to the Marconi offices?
Mr. COTTAM.
Yes; I went there one afternoon.
Senator SMITH.
In New York?
Mr. COTTAM.
Yes.
Senator SMITH.
Whom did you see there?
Mr. COTTAM.
One of the clerks.
Senator SMITH.
Nobody else?
Mr. COTTAM.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Have you a report of that story that you gave to the New York Times?
Mr. COTTAM.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Have you ever had one?
Mr. COTTAM.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Did you ever see it?
Mr. COTTAM.
I saw it in the paper.
Senator SMITH.
When?
Mr. COTTAM.
The following morning.
Senator SMITH.
Friday morning?
Mr. COTTAM.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
But you have not a copy of that?
Mr. COTTAM.
I may have a copy somewhere. It may be in New York. I believe I have a copy somewhere, but I do not know where it is, exactly.
Senator SMITH.
How much of a story was it?
Mr. COTTAM.
I gave them only a short story. I gave them brief notes, and the brief notes were copied out.
Senator SMITH.
Do you know how much Bride got?
Mr. COTTAM.
No.
Senator SMITH.
He has not told you?
Mr. COTTAM.
No.
Senator SMITH.
Where did they see Bride, if you know? They must have seen him at the boat.
Mr. COTTAM.
They must have seen him on the ship; yes.
Senator SMITH.
And you were not present when he gave his story?
Mr. COTTAM.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
And you do not know how much he got for it?
Mr. COTTAM.
No.
Senator SMITH.
Do you know that he got anything for it?
Mr. COTTAM.
I do not know anything about it.
Senator SMITH.
Have you heard that he got anything for it?
Mr. COTTAM.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
And you have had no talk with him about it?
Mr. COTTAM.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
I notice in the wireless messages that are sent and received the term "old man" is often used.
Mr. COTTAM.
Yes.
Senator SMITH.
Is that a cipher or code term, or is it a term of friendly endearment, or what is it?
Mr. COTTAM.
It is a term of friendly endearment.
Senator SMITH.
As recognized among the wireless boys?
Mr. COTTAM.
Among all the wireless fellows.
Senator SMITH.
And it is used as a pleasantry?
Mr. COTTAM.
Yes.
Senator SMITH.
Did you telephone Mr. Marconi for permission to give out this story?
Mr. COTTAM.
Yes.
Senator SMITH.
Did you receive his consent?
Mr. COTTAM.
Yes.
Senator SMITH.
And talked with him personally?
Mr. COTTAM.
On the phone.
Senator SMITH.
Over the phone?
Mr. COTTAM.
Yes.
Senator SMITH.
Mr. Marconi. I would like to ask if you will endeavor to obtain for the committee the wireless message sent from the Amerika on Sunday, supposedly received by the Titanic, warning the Titanic that there was ice ahead.
Mr. MARCONI.
Yes, I will endeavor to obtain it; or, if I can not obtain the original a certified copy.