Senator SMITH.
I would like you to state what you did just after the impact on the night of the accident.
Mr. CRAWFORD.
After we struck I went out and saw the iceberg passing along the starboard side. Then I went back and went around to all the staterooms to see that all the passengers were up and called all those; and as I was going around Mr. and Mrs. Bishop [Dickinson and Helen] came out and asked me what was the matter. I said we had run into a piece of ice. I told them to go back to their rooms and dress; to put on as much of their clothes as they could; that I did not think there was any immediate danger. Afterwards a gentleman - a Mr. Stewart - came down and asked me to help dress him, and to tie his shoes, and I did so. He went on deck and came back again and told me that it was serious; that they had told passengers to put on lifebelts. I got the lifebelts down and tied one on him, and also one on others. I gave them to other ladies and gentlemen on the deck. After that, during that time, I saw Mr. Ismay come out of his room, and a bedroom steward named Clark, and went on deck.
Senator SMITH.
What was the number of Mr. Ismay's room, if you know?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
I should say it was either B-48 or 50.
Senator SMITH.
On which deck?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
B deck.
Senator SMITH.
Go ahead.
Mr. CRAWFORD.
I went around to all the staterooms and told Mrs. Rogers [Elisabeth Robert]and Miss Rogers [Georgette Madill] to dress, and I helped tie lifebelts on them. After I saw all the passengers on the boat deck, I went on the boat deck myself, and I went to No. 5 lifeboat.
Senator SMITH.
Was that your station?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
No. No. 8 was my station. I went on the starboard side to No. 5 boat. I saw Mr. Murdoch and Mr. Ismay helping to get the passengers in. They were calling out and assisting all the women into the boat. Mr. Ismay stopped Mr. Murdoch from lowering the boat a bit because the after-end was getting hung up. Mr. Murdoch called out to the aft man that was lowering the fall to lower away all the time, that he would beat him, and they lowered the boat to the water.
Senator SMITH.
All right. What did you do then?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
After I heard they were lowering away the port boats, I went around to my proper station.
Senator SMITH.
Which was No. 8?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Which was No. 8. Mr. Wilde, the chief officer, was there. We filled that boat up with women first. Mrs. Isidor Straus and her husband were there, and she made an attempt to get into the boat first. She had placed her maid in the boat previous to that. She handed her maid a rug, and she stepped back and clung to her husband and said "We have been together all these years. Where you go I go." After that Capt. Smith came to the boat and asked how many men were in the boat. There were two sailors. He told me to get into the boat. He gave me orders to ship the row-locks and to pull for a light. He directed me to a light over there. We were pulling for about six hours, I should say, and there were four men in the boat and a lady at the tiller all night.
Senator SMITH.
Do you know what lady that was?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
I have found out since. It was the Countess of Rothes. She was a countess; I do not know exactly her proper name.
Senator SMITH.
The captain told you to get into that boat and row toward the light?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Yes; the captain told me to get in the boat and row toward that light. He told us to row for the light and to land the people there and come back to the ship. We pulled until daybreak and we could not catch the ship.
Senator SMITH.
What boat was that, No. 5?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
No. 8, on the port side.
Senator SMITH.
Did you see the light?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Yes, sir; there were two lights.
Senator SMITH.
How far away?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
I should say it was not farther than 10 miles.
Senator SMITH.
What were they; were they signals?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
They were stationary masthead lights, one on the fore and one on the main. Everybody saw them - all the ladies in the boat. They asked if we were drawing nearer to the steamer, but we could not seem to make any headway, and when day broke we saw another steamer coming up which proved to be the Carpathia; and then we turned around and came back. We were the farthest boat away.
Senator SMITH.
You had not been rowing toward the Carpathia?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
No; we had been rowing the other way.
Senator SMITH.
Toward this other light?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Yes.
Senator SMITH.
You say you rowed how long?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Until we left the ship, because the ladies urged us to pull for the ship.
Senator SMITH.
Until daylight?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
And you got no nearer to that light?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
We did not seem to be making any headway at all, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Tell the committee what you think that light was.
Mr. CRAWFORD.
I am sure it was a steamer, because a sailing ship would not have two masthead lights.
Senator SMITH.
How far do you think it was away from the Titanic when the captain told you to row toward it?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Capt. Smith could see the light quite plain, as he pointed in the direction that we were to make for. We pulled toward the light, and we could not reach it.
Senator SMITH.
You never returned to the ship's side after you left it?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
No, sir; not after we left.
Senator SMITH.
How many passengers were in boat No. 8?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
I should say between 35 and 40.
Senator SMITH.
How many women?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
All women.
Senator SMITH.
All women except the four men that you have referred to?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Any children?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Was there any light on lifeboat No. 8, was there any lamp?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Yes, sir; the lamp trimmer brought a light long before we were lowered into the water.
Senator SMITH.
Hemming?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Did you get the lamp from him?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Did he have other lamps?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Yes; he had a handful of lamps, taking them to all the boats.
Senator SMITH.
He had a lot of lamps and was distributing them to all the boats?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Yes.
Senator SMITH.
And you saw him do so?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
I did; yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
And he handed one to you?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
He handed one to No. 8 boat; yes.
Senator SMITH.
And was it in condition to burn?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
We lighted it and kept it burning. The wick kept falling down, but we kept raising it and lighting it. There was plenty of oil in the lamp.
Senator SMITH.
Was that the only boat you assisted in loading?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
No; I was in No. 5 boat. I was over there assisting Mr. Ismay to clear the falls after they were lowering it.
Senator SMITH.
On which side of the boat?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
The starboard side of No. 5. I did not go on the deck until quite a while, because the order was to clear the passengers out first.
Senator SMITH.
Did you see any side lights on this boat that the captain told you to pull for?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
No; I could not say I saw any side lights.
Senator SMITH.
Did you see any more of that light than you have now described?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
No. At daybreak it seemed to disappear. We came around and came back.
Senator SMITH.
Did you see any rockets?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Yes, sir; plenty of them went up from the Titanic, and the Morse code was used.
Senator SMITH.
The Morse code, also?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Did you see any rockets from any other ship?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
After you got away from the side of the Titanic, how long was it before that vessel sank?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
It was sometime after we got away; probably an hour or an hour and a half.
Senator SMITH.
During that time were you pulling toward that light?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Yes; we were, and some of them said not to do it; but we said that that was the captain's order.
Senator SMITH.
You pulled right for that light?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Right straight for the light.
Senator SMITH.
And did not turn back?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Until you turned to go to the Carpathia, at daylight?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Yes, sir.
Senator BURTON.
You saw two steamer lights, Mr. Crawford, did you?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Two lights; one steamer light; one steamer with two lights. A steamer carries two lights, one on the fore and one on the main.
Senator BURTON.
One was a little higher than the other?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Yes, sir; the after light was higher than the foremost.
Senator BURTON.
You can not be deceived about that, can you?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
No, sir; I am positive. Everyone in the boats was positive of that. We all thought she was making toward us.
Senator BURTON.
Did she seem then to be moving toward you?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
No; she seemed more like she was stationary.
Senator BURTON.
You thought she was coming toward you?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
We thought she was coming toward us.
Senator BURTON.
Why did you think she was coming toward you?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Sometimes she seemed to get closer; other times she seemed to be getting away from us.
Senator BURTON.
Those lights remained visible until it became daylight, did they?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Yes, sir.
Senator BURTON.
You say others in the boat recognized those lights?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Yes, sir; all the ladies. The lady with the tiller saw it.
Senator FLETCHER.
How far away could you see those lights? Have you had any experience to enable you to judge how far that ship was away from you?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
I should say it would not be any more than 10 miles at the moat; because, being in a low boat, you can not see like being raised high.
Senator FLETCHER.
But you could see the lights very distinctly?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Very distinctly; yes, sir.
Senator FLETCHER.
How was it that when day broke, and the sun rose, you could not see any ship?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
I could not say. We saw the other ship coming to us, and we turned around for it.
Senator FLETCHER.
But you could see nothing in the way of a ship or vessel, or anything, where these lights were?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
No, sir.
Senator FLETCHER.
Can you not see a ship 10 miles off, under those conditions?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
We did not look for her after we saw the Carpathia coming up.
Senator FLETCHER.
In what direction did the Carpathia appear?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
She came up this way (indicating), and we were pulling over that way.
Senator FLETCHER.
Do you know on what course you were moving your boat?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
No; I could not say.
Senator FLETCHER.
You could not tell?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
No.
Senator FLETCHER.
Did you see the Northern Lights?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
I did not notice.
Senator FLETCHER.
Do you know whether you were moving west?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
I do not know the compass, and I could not say.
Senator FLETCHER.
You do not remember observing the Northern Lights?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
No, sir.
Senator FLETCHER.
You could not tell from the stars in which direction you were moving?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
No.
Senator FLETCHER.
Did you move in the direction in which the Titanic was moving when she went down?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
No; we were the other way; that way (indicating).
Senator FLETCHER.
Which way?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
The Titanic was moving this way; we were that way (indicating).
Senator FLETCHER.
Suppose the Titanic was going west; then you went northwest?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
If the Titanic was coming along this way we went across that way, straight for the light.
Senator FLETCHER.
If the Titanic was moving west you moved southwest?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Probably so.
Senator FLETCHER.
Toward the light?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Yes, sir.
Senator FLETCHER.
And then the Carpathia appeared in what direction?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
She came right up around and started to pick up the boats.
Senator FLETCHER.
She came from the northeast from you, then?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Probably so.
Senator FLETCHER.
Assuming you had been going southwest?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Yes, sir.
Senator FLETCHER.
She appeared from the northeast. How far away was the Carpathia when you saw her?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Saw the lights?
Senator FLETCHER.
Yes.
Mr. CRAWFORD.
The captain saw the lights from the bridge.
Senator FLETCHER.
I mean, how far away was the Carpathia when you first saw her?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
We did not know it was the Carpathia. We saw a steamer coming up, and we could see she was picking up the boats. Then we turned around and made for her.
Senator FLETCHER.
How far away was she?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Three or four miles away.
Senator FLETCHER.
The first you saw of her was when she appeared to be picking up the other boats?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Yes, sir.
Senator FLETCHER.
Then you rowed back?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Pulled right back; yes, sir.
Senator FLETCHER.
How many men did you have at the oars?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Four, sir.
Senator FLETCHER.
Who were they?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Two sailors, a man out of the kitchen, and myself.
Senator FLETCHER.
Do you know the names of the sailors?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
I only know a man named Jones. The others I do not know.
Senator FLETCHER.
Those were the only men in the boat?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Those were the only men in the boat.
Senator FLETCHER.
The others were all women?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
Yes, sir
Senator FLETCHER.
Any children?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
No, sir.
Senator FLETCHER.
You had about how many in that boat?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
I should say between 35 and 40, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Did Mr. and Mrs. Straus recognize you when they came to your lifeboat?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
I could not say, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Did you recognize then?
Mr. CRAWFORD.
I recognized them; yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
That is all.
Mr. CRAWFORD.
I thank you, sir.
(Witness Excused.)
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