(The witness was sworn by the chairman.)
Senator SMITH.
Where do you reside?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
In Southampton, England.
Senator SMITH.
How old are you?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Thirty-eight.
Senator SMITH.
What is your business?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
I was stateroom steward on the Titanic.
Senator SMITH.
What deck were you assigned to, if any?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
C deck aft, on the starboard side.
Senator SMITH.
How many rooms did you have charge of?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Nine, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Do you know who occupied those rooms on the voyage from Southampton to the place of the wreck of the Titanic?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Who were they?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
In number 85 were Mr. and Mrs. Bradley Cummings, of New York City; in 87 Mr. and Mrs. Clark, of New York City; in 89 W. T. Stead, the editor of the Review of Reviews, from London; in number 91 were a Mr. [Mrs. Edith] and Miss Graham, of New York City; in 125 was a Miss Schutz [Shutes], a governess to Miss Graham. The other cabins were vacant.
Senator SMITH.
Where were you the Sunday afternoon and evening preceding this accident?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
It was my afternoon off. I was off that Sunday afternoon.
Senator SMITH.
You were off that afternoon
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Yes, sir. It happened to be my turn for the middle watch, or from 12 to 4. So I was excused from duty from 9 until the time I was called to go on the middle watch.
Senator SMITH.
Were you on duty when this accident happened?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
I was just called, sir.
Senator SMITH.
What did you do when you found that there was an accident?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
I was stationed on D deck, forward, that night.
Senator SMITH.
In charge of what?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Of the bells; to answer bells - the wants of any passengers.
Senator SMITH.
Were you on D deck at the time the impact occurred?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Where were you?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
I was leaving the glory hole, where we lived.
Senator SMITH.
After the ship struck this obstacle, what did you do?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
I answered one or two of the bells. The ladies wanted to know how to put on lifebelts. There had been no order passed then. They asked me how to put them on, and I showed several of them; six or seven probably. I do not know their names. I looked down on E deck to see how things were there. There was a stairway that led from the E deck to the post office, and the water was down there then. That was level with F deck.
Senator SMITH.
Do you know the names of any of the passengers on D deck whom you assisted that night?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
No, sir; it was not my section.
Senator SMITH.
Have you ever seen any of them since?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Yes; I saw one maid on the Carpathia afterwards.
Senator SMITH.
What was her name?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
I do not know.
Senator SMITH.
Was that Miss Graham's maid?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
She was no one you had known before; no one from your special section on the ship?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
No; only seeing her on the ship.
Senator SMITH.
Did you look about the Carpathia to see whether any of those passengers whom you had assisted were on board?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
I saw 6 of my own passengers.
Senator SMITH.
Who were they?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Mr. [Mrs. Edith] and Miss Graham and the governess, and Mrs. Clark, and Mrs. Cummings.
Senator SMITH.
Did you make diligent search?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
On the Carpathia? No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Do you know whether the others survived or were lost?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
My own people? They were lost, sir.
Senator SMITH.
After you found that there was water in the post office, what did you do?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
There was another bell rung, and I came up and answered it.
Senator SMITH.
Was there any signal given or order given, within their staterooms?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Oh, yes. About half-past 12 all the stateroom stewards came on duty again, to their respective stations. I went back to my own station on C deck, and my passengers had then been aroused. There were only three left, then.
Senator SMITH.
At half-past 12?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Did you hear any order of that kind given before half-past 12?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
That was about 55 minutes after the ship had struck the iceberg?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Forty-five or fifty minutes; I think she struck about a quarter to 12.
Senator SMITH.
Do you know whether any of the passengers were given any warning by any order or by any person before that time; do you know that of your own knowledge?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Not that I know of. A sort of a general order was passed around.
Senator SMITH.
At that hour?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
At that hour.
Senator SMITH.
Were you awake when this collision occurred?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
I had just been called to go on watch.
Senator SMITH.
Were you dressed, or were you in bed?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
I was lying on my bunk with my clothes on.
Senator SMITH.
Who called you?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
One of the other stateroom stewards.
Senator SMITH.
What did he say to you?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
"It is time to turn out."
Senator SMITH.
Is that all he said?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
That is all he said.
Senator SMITH.
When did you first learn of the very serious character of the collision?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
From my own knowledge, when I saw the water in the post-office deck, I thought it was pretty bad then.
Senator SMITH.
That was the first information that you got that was reliable, and you then formed your opinion?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
About its seriousness? You yourself judged as to its seriousness at that time.
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Do you know whether they had an emergency alarm on the Titanic at that time?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
To call all the passengers?
Senator SMITH.
Yes.
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
I do not think so.
Senator SMITH.
You do not think they had?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
In the absence of such an alarm, how would the passengers be awakened in case of distress?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Each stateroom steward would go around and call them himself.
Senator SMITH.
Then, if they were apprised of serious danger, they would be obliged to depend entirely upon the vigilance of the stateroom steward?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
That is so, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Did you return to your stateroom after you found that there had been a collision?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
About half-past 12, when the order was given to awaken all the passengers, I went back to my own section - C deck, aft - and all my passengers were gone out except three.
Senator SMITH.
They had gone out?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
They had gone up on the boat deck with lifebelts on, all except three.
Senator SMITH.
How do you know they had gone up there?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Because the stewardess had called the ladies and they were not in their rooms.
Senator SMITH.
The stewardess told you?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Yes.
Senator SMITH.
And where were the other three?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Mr. Cummings was in his stateroom.
Senator SMITH.
Asleep?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
No; he had come down for an overcoat. He had been on deck. Later, Mr. Clark came along and entered his stateroom, and he then put on a lifebelt. Then Mr. Stead asked me how to fix on a life belt and I helped him put it on and that was the last man of my passengers.
Senator SMITH.
You put the lifebelt on Mr. Stead yourself?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
That was the last lifebelt you adjusted to any one?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Did you ever see Mr. Stead after that?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Then you assisted these ladies you have mentioned to put lifebelts on - four or five altogether - and Mr. Stead?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Did you put lifebelts on any other persons?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
No, sir; not that evening.
Senator SMITH.
Or at any other time?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Did you put one on yourself?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Yes; when all the passengers had gone out.
Senator SMITH.
After the passengers from your staterooms had gone up, you put a lifebelt on yourself?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Yes.
Senator SMITH.
And where did you go?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
I waited on the ship until all the boats had gone and then I took to the water.
Senator SMITH.
You waited on the ship until all the boats had gone and then threw yourself into the water?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Yes; into the water.
Senator SMITH.
How long was it before the boat sank?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
I went in the water about 2 o'clock, I should say.
Senator SMITH.
How long had you been in the water before the boat sank?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
I should say about half an hour.
Senator SMITH.
When you struck the water what did you do?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
I swam clear of the ship, I should say about three-quarters of a mile. I was afraid of the suction.
Senator SMITH.
You were swimming away from the suction that you supposed would follow the sinking?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Yes.
Senator SMITH.
What did you do then?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
I had a mate with me. We both left the ship together.
Senator SMITH.
Did he have a life preserver on?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
What did you do?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
We saw the ship go down then. Then we struck out to look for a boat.
Senator SMITH.
You swam around in the water until you saw the ship go down?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Until I saw the ship go down.
Senator SMITH.
Then you turned to look for a lifeboat?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Then I turned to look for a lifeboat; yes.
Senator SMITH.
Did you see one?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
No. I heard one, and I called to it.
Senator SMITH.
Did that lifeboat come toward you, or did you go toward it?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
I went toward it.
Senator SMITH.
It did not come toward you?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
I do not think so.
Senator SMITH.
When you got in it, whom did you find in it?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
There was a quartermaster in charge - Perkins or Perkis. It was No. 4 boat. They picked us up. There was also a lamp trimmer in it named Hemming, and another sailor called Foley, and a fireman. The rest were ladies. Two of my own passengers happened to be there.
Senator SMITH.
Two of your passengers and Hemming and Foley and Perkis and yourself?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
And myself; yes.
Senator SMITH.
That made six male passengers?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Then there was a fireman there, as well.
Senator SMITH.
What was his name?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
A fellow called Smith - F. Smith.
Senator SMITH.
Did you see any other man in the boat?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Yes. I think there was one of the galley hands; I am not quite sure.
Senator SMITH.
What was his name?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
I do not know. The reason I know the names of any of them is that Mrs. Cummings, one of my passengers, sent me around to find out who was in the boat. Otherwise I would not know their names.
Senator SMITH.
In addition to that fireman, were there any other male passengers in that boat?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Yes; I think there was another fireman in the bottom of the boat; and besides that there was my mate, who died just after he was pulled in.
Senator SMITH.
How many women were in that boat?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
I could not tell you.
Senator SMITH.
Did you count them?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
They were fairly well crowded. I could not count them. There was not room to row.
Senator SMITH.
What boat was it?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
No. 4 boat, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Who was in charge of it?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
The quartermaster, Perkis.
Senator SMITH.
You say you found Hemming in the boat?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Hemming was in the boat, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Do you know where he reached the boat?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
I do not know where he got in, but he himself has told me that he was picked up.
Senator SMITH.
He swam to the side of the boat?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
He swam to the side of the boat.
Senator SMITH.
Without a life preserver, 200 yards, and climbed into this boat?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
I do not know whether he had a life preserver on or not.
Senator SMITH.
I wish you would tell me accurately, if you can, or approximately, how many ladies were in that boat and how many children were in it?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
I would say there were 40 ladies in that boat.
Senator SMITH.
Were there any children?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
I did not see any.
Senator SMITH.
Was it the large lifeboat?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Yes; one of the large ones.
Senator SMITH.
How many people do you understand a lifeboat of that size is intended to hold on a calm night with an unruffled sea?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
I think 60 would be enough.
Senator SMITH.
And yours had 48 in it?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Of course, we picked up another man after I was picked up.
Senator SMITH.
When you were picked up?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Just after.
Senator SMITH.
They picked up you and your mate and another man?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Another man, yes; one of the storekeepers [Frank Prentice].
Senator SMITH.
That makes 49 in there. You have not yet said whether there were any male passengers?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
I never saw any male passengers.
Senator SMITH.
Did you hear the testimony of Hemming, that 15 minutes after the ship struck this iceberg his mate came to his room and aroused him and told him he had but 15 minutes to live; that this information came from Mr. Andrews, the builder of the ship and to say nothing to anyone?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
No. I never heard that until I saw it in the paper; last night, I think it was.
Senator SMITH.
Did Hemming say anything to you about that?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
How do you account for a large proportion of those in that lifeboat being members of your crew, and no male passengers?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Well, as far as I understand, when the boat left the ship's side there were only about three sailors in it, three men to man the boat; the rest were picked up.
Senator SMITH.
How do you know there were only three in it? You were not there when it was loaded, but you joined this boat out away from the Titanic. Did somebody tell you?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
There were only about eight or nine men in it.
Senator SMITH.
I understand that.
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
The majority of them were picked up out of the water.
Senator SMITH.
Not after you got aboard?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
When I came in the boat there was Smith, a fireman; another fireman whose name I do not know; Hemming; Foley; and the quartermaster.
Senator SMITH.
Yourself and your mate, and, you picked up another man?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Yes; Prentiss [Prentice], the storekeeper.
Senator SMITH.
Did you see the barber, Mr. Whitman, in your boat?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
No, sir; he was not in our boat.
Senator SMITH.
But this storekeeper you recall?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
I recall him.
Senator SMITH.
Did any other person, man or woman, attempt to enter lifeboat No. 4 after you got into it?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
I never saw any, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Did the officer in charge of lifeboat No. 4 attempt to go to any persons in the water?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
I think his was the nearest boat to the scene of the accident, because he picked up most of the lot, I think.
Senator SMITH.
But he was some distance off, in order to avoid the suction?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
He was some distance off.
Senator SMITH.
What did you next do?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Well, as soon as I got into the boat, I took an oar, and we rowed about until morning, until we sighted the Carpathia.
Senator SMITH.
Did you row away from the scene of the wreck, in the direction of the Carpathia?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
We rowed in the direction of the Carpathia.
Senator SMITH.
Away from the scene of the wreck?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Away from the scene of the wreck.
Senator SMITH.
And did you row all night?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Up until about half-past 7 in the morning, when we went on board the Carpathia.
Senator SMITH.
So that you did not lie on your oars there and drift; you went in the direction of the relief?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Of the relief, as soon as we saw it.
Senator SMITH.
How far could you sight it?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
It might have been 4 or 5 miles off.
Senator SMITH.
Did all the passengers, or all the people in your boat, No. 4, reach the Carpathia alive?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
All alive, sir. Of course, we took the two dead men with us. They were taken on board.
Senator SMITH.
While you were in the water that night did you suffer from the cold?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Yes, sir; it was very cold.
Senator SMITH.
Bitter cold?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Bitter cold; nearly freezing, I should think..
Senator SMITH.
You had a regular station on the ship, did you not?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
On the ship; yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
In time of trouble?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Where was your station?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
I think it was No. 7 boat, sir.
Senator SMITH.
On the starboard side?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Yes; on the starboard side.
Senator SMITH.
Did you respond to your station when you first heard of the accident?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Go up to the boat, sir?
Senator SMITH.
Yes.
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
No; I did not.
Senator SMITH.
Why not?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
I waited down in my rooms, closed them all and shut off the lights, and went on deck. When I went up there that boat had gone, I think.
Senator SMITH.
No. 7 had gone?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
No. 7 had gone
Senator SMITH.
Did No. 4 have a lamp on it?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
I do not think so, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Did it have water and food?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
It had water, I know.
Senator SMITH.
Any food?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
There may have been food, forward; but I never heard anyone ask for food. I know there was a tank in the forward part. There was water there.
Senator SMITH.
What was your mate's name?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
A man called Sidney Seibert.
Senator SMITH.
So far as you know, did the boat list provide for all the crew and all the passengers?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
The boat list is only posted up for the crew, not of the first class passengers. It is only stationed there for the stewards and the galley hands. Of course, there was another list stationed in the firemen's forecastle for the firemen to see, one stationed for the sailors to see, in their own forecastle. They were quite distinct from our lists.
Senator SMITH.
Was your list posted in its proper place?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
It was posted in its proper place in the pantry.
Senator SMITH.
You had had no drills between Southampton and the place of the wreck?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
No, sir; only fire drill.
Senator SMITH.
What did that consist of?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Getting the hose out and seeing that was all right.
Senator SMITH.
Taking the hose out?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Your mate did not survive?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
I wish you would tell the committee the signal that calls you to your station in case of an emergency.
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
We have not any regular signal, sir. You mean to the heat station?
Senator SMITH.
Yes.
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Oh, that is a blast of the whistle from the bridge; one long blast of the whistle.
Senator SMITH.
Did you hear a blast of the whistle giving the signal that night?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
No, sir. It is very hard to hear, you know when you are between decks.
Senator SMITH.
It is expected you will hear it, is it not?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Did I expect to hear it, sir?
Senator SMITH.
It is expected you will hear that signal?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
I believe so, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Did you see any icebergs that morning as you were rowing toward the Carpathia?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
Yes, sir; three or four, sir; and a long field of ice.
Senator SMITH.
All the passengers on lifeboat No. 4 were safely landed on the Carpathia?
Mr. CUNNINGHAM.
All safely landed, sir.
Senator SMITH.
I think that is all.
(Witness excused.)
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