(The witness was sworn by Senator Smith.)
Senator SMITH.
What is your full name?
Mr. RAY.
Frederick D. Ray.
Senator SMITH.
Where do you live?
Mr. RAY.
No. 56 Palmer Park Avenue, Reading, Burks.
Senator SMITH.
England?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
How old are you?
Mr. RAY.
Thirty-three.
Senator SMITH.
Are you a man of family?
Mr. RAY.
No, sir; married.
Senator SMITH.
What is your business?
Mr. RAY.
Steward. I was first class steward on the Titanic.
Senator SMITH.
What were your duties?
Mr. RAY.
To wait at the tables and set the saloon generally. That is all.
Senator SMITH.
Did you perform that service on the voyage from Southampton to the place of the wreck of the Titanic?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Were you on duty on Sunday?
Mr. RAY.
Not after 9 o'clock, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Sunday morning or evening?
Mr. RAY.
Evening.
Senator SMITH.
Not after 9 o'clock?
Mr. RAY.
Not after 9 o'clock, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Up to that hour were you on duty?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Where?
Mr. RAY.
In the saloon.
Senator SMITH.
Just give the location of that saloon on the ship.
Mr. RAY.
As near to amidships as could be, I should imagine; about five decks down and between fore and aft; about amidships.
Senator SMITH.
In the main saloon?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Did you know the captain of the Titanic by sight?
Mr. RAY.
Very well, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Was he in that saloon that night?
Mr. RAY.
I did not notice him, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Would you have noticed him if he had been there?
Mr. RAY.
It is doubtful, sir. I was waiting on the starboard side, quite close to him, but I can not remember whether he was there at dinner that night or not. I did not make any point of remembering.
Senator SMITH.
Was it his custom to come there?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Often?
Mr. RAY.
To most meals.
Senator SMITH.
Did he dine there that night?
Mr. RAY.
I could not say, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Where was his table?
Mr. RAY.
In the center of the saloon; the sixth table on the forward end of the saloon; back toward the bow of the ship.
Senator SMITH.
Did he have a personal waiter or steward of his own?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Who was he?
Mr. RAY.
A man named Phainten [James Paintin], I think it was; I am almost sure.
Senator SMITH.
Did he survive?
Mr. RAY.
No, sir. He was last seen on the bridge, standing by the captain.
Senator SMITH.
Did you see Mr. Ismay in the saloon that night?
Mr. RAY.
I did not notice him, sir. He was on the other side. I believe he had a table on the port side of the saloon, and I was waiting on the starboard side. It being a large saloon and there being a great number of people there, I would not have noticed him, because I would not go over to the other side of the saloon. I would go right up on the starboard side.
Senator SMITH.
Did you know him by sight?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir; very well.
Senator SMITH.
Did you know he was on board ship?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir; I have seen him on several occasions.
Senator SMITH.
I think I understood you to say you did not know whether the captain dined at his customary place that Sunday evening or not?
Mr. RAY.
Quite correct, sir.
Senator SMITH.
If you can remember, whom did you serve on that voyage from Southampton to the place of the accident, if you know any by name?
Mr. RAY.
Who did I serve?
Senator SMITH.
Yes.
Mr. RAY.
I waited on Maj. Butt, Mr. Moore, Mr. Millet, Mr. Clark, and Mrs. Clark.
Senator SMITH.
Any others?
Mr. RAY.
That is all, sir.
Senator SMITH.
What time did they dine on Sunday night?
Mr. RAY.
Mr. Moore and Mr. Millet dined together about 7:30, and finished dinner about 8:15. Maj. Butt was not down, because he was dining in the restaurant.
Senator SMITH.
Did you know with whom he was dining?
Mr. RAY.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Have you since heard from anyone whether he was dining with the captain?
Mr. RAY.
No, sir. I heard since that he was dining with the Widener's. I do not know whether it is true or not, though, sir; that is only what I heard.
Senator SMITH.
From whom did you hear that? Just to refresh your recollection, let me ask whether you understood from anybody that Mrs. Widener gave a dinner in the cafe that night, Sunday night, to the captain of the ship, Mr. and Mrs. Carter, Mr. and Mrs. John B. Thayer, Harry Widener, jr., and Maj. Butt? Was this the report that you heard?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir. I think it was Mrs. Moore. I saw Mrs. Moore after I arrived here. I think it was. I heard Maj. Butt was dining with the Widener's. I did not hear it on the ship.
Senator SMITH.
You do not know who waited on them in the café?
Mr. RAY.
No, sir. No survivor. There was only one survivor, I believe, from the restaurant.
Senator SMITH.
Who was he?
Mr. RAY.
He was a scullion.
Senator SMITH.
He was a dishwasher, was he not?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir; a dishwasher, to be more correct; and there were two lady clerks. They would probably remember. They are not here. They are survivors, but they have gone back to England.
Senator SMITH.
You say none of the stewards in the café survived except -
Mr. RAY. (interrupting).
No stewards; the two lady clerks and the dishwasher.
Senator SMITH.
How many people were employed in that cafe?
Mr. RAY.
I believe over 100. 1 do not know how many, but I think over 100.
Senator SMITH.
Over 100, in the cafe?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
How many people were in the main saloon?
Mr. RAY.
In the main dining saloon, sir?
Senator SMITH.
Yes.
Mr. RAY.
I heard since that there were 104.
Senator SMITH.
Do you know how many survived among the employees in that dining room?
Mr. RAY.
I heard it was just over 40, but I do not know. I can not speak with any accuracy.
Senator SMITH.
When did you last see Maj. Butt and the other people on whom you waited at their regular table?
Mr. RAY.
I saw Maj. Butt for the last time at luncheon, when he left, on Sunday. Mr. Moore and Mr. Millet I saw at dinner. Mr. Moore I saw coming from the smoke room afterwards, with other people whom I did not notice, just before going to my station. Mr. Clark I did not see
Senator SMITH.
Just before you were going to your station?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
That is, to your lifeboat?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Go ahead.
Mr. RAY.
Mr. Clark and Mrs. Clark I did not see at all after luncheon that day.
Senator SMITH.
Where was your bunk located?
Mr. RAY.
On E deck, No. 8 room.
Senator SMITH.
Forward or aft or amidships?
Mr. RAY.
It was about amidships, on the deck below the saloon.
Senator SMITH.
Who had the rooms around you at that time?
Mr. RAY.
Other stewards were forward and aft.
Senator SMITH.
Anyone that survived, that you now recall?
Mr. RAY.
Lots of them.
Senator SMITH.
How were you aroused from your slumber?
Mr. RAY.
By the impact.
Senator SMITH.
What kind of a shock was it, if any?
Mr. RAY.
A kind of a movement that went backward and forward. I thought something had gone wrong in the engine room. I did not think of any iceberg.
Senator SMITH.
Did you know Mr. Andrews, of the shipbuilding firm of Harland & Wolff, who built this vessel?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir. I was at Belfast and waited on him around there on the Olympic and the Titanic.
Senator SMITH.
Do you know what deck his stateroom was on?
Mr. RAY.
No, sir; I do not know.
Senator SMITH.
Do you know where he sat generally in the main saloon?
Mr. RAY.
I could not be sure, sir; but I fancy it was on the port side, aft.
Senator SMITH.
Is that where Mr. Ismay had his table?
Mr. RAY.
No, sir; I do not know where Mr. Ismay sat.
Senator SMITH.
It was not at the captain's table?
Mr. RAY.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Did you see Mr. Andrews after the boat struck?
Mr. RAY.
No, sir; I did not.
Senator SMITH.
You were aroused by this impact?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
What did you do?
Mr. RAY.
Woke up everybody in the room. I sat up in my bunk and waited -
Senator SMITH. (interposing)
Was this a large room?
Mr. RAY.
Twenty-eight slept in the room, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Stewards?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir; mostly saloon stewards.
Senator SMITH.
When this impact came, you roused yourself?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
And woke up everybody in the room?
Mr. RAY.
They were all awakened by the impact.
Senator SMITH.
All were awakened?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Did they all get up?
Mr. RAY.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Did you get up?
Mr. RAY.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Did you go back to sleep?
Mr. RAY.
I was going off to sleep again when they came in and told us to get to the lifeboats.
Senator SMITH.
Who told you that?
Mr. RAY.
First the saloon steward and then Mr. Dodd, the second steward.
Senator SMITH.
To get to the lifeboats?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
How long was that after the impact?
Mr. RAY.
As near as I could make out, it was about 20 minutes. It was around about 12 o'clock.
Senator SMITH.
Did you all get out then?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Where did you go?
Mr. RAY.
I dressed myself and put on my lifebelt, and went along the working alleyway to the back stairway, waited to take my turn with about 20 others, and we went straight on up to C deck. I saw the second steward up there and he asked me to get a lifebelt. I went through five staterooms and saw nobody there in either of them. I found a lifebelt in the fifth stateroom and took it to him, and proceeded on up to the boat deck, to No. 9 boat, which was my boat, allotted to me.
Senator SMITH.
Did you find it there when you got on the boat deck?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Uncovered?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir; just being swung out.
Senator SMITH.
Whom did you find there at the boat?
Mr. RAY.
Sailors and about a dozen other men.
Senator SMITH.
How many sailors?
Mr. RAY.
About two sailors at each one at the winding arrangement to wind the boat up.
Senator SMITH.
And about a dozen other men?
Mr. RAY.
About a dozen other men; Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Who were the men?
Mr. RAY.
The crew in general and one or two passengers.
Senator SMITH.
Did you know any of the passengers that you saw there?
Mr. RAY.
No, sir; I did not take any notice.
Senator SMITH.
Did you see any women there?
Mr. RAY.
I did not at that time, sir.
Senator SMITH.
You did not?
Mr. RAY.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
What officer stood at lifeboat No. 9, if any?
Mr. RAY.
There was an officer there, but I do know what rank he took. He did not survive, so I do not know him. I did not know any of them, in fact only Mr. Murdoch.
Senator SMITH.
It was not Mr. Murdoch?
Mr. RAY.
They were new officers to me, and I did not have time to find out what rank he was.
Senator SMITH.
But you know it was not Mr. Murdoch?
Mr. RAY.
I know it was not Mr. Murdoch.
Senator SMITH.
He was the officer of the watch that night?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
When you got to lifeboat No. 9 and saw those 8 or 10 men standing around it and one or two passengers and no women, what took place?
Mr. RAY.
I went to the rail and looked over and saw the first boat leaving the ship on the starboard side. By that time I was feeling rather cold, so I went down below again, to my bedroom, the same way that I came up.
Senator SMITH.
What did you do then?
Mr. RAY.
I got my overcoat on. I went along E deck. There was nobody in No. 3 when I left.
Senator SMITH.
No. 3 room?
Mr. RAY.
No. 3 room, where I slept. I went along E deck and forward, and the forward part of E deck was under water. I could just manage to get through the doorway into the main stairway. I went across to the other side of the ship where the passengers' cabins were; saw nobody there. I looked to see where the water was and it was corresponding on that side of the ship to the port side. I walked leisurely up to the main stairway, passed two or three people on the way, saw the two pursers in the purser's office and the clerks busy at the safe taking things out and putting them in bags, and just then Mr. Rothschild left his stateroom and I waited for him -
Senator SMITH.
Did you know him?
Mr. RAY.
Yes; I had waited on him on the Olympic.
Senator SMITH.
Let us fix the place. You were still on E deck?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
And at his stateroom?
Mr. RAY.
I did not say that I was in any stateroom then -
Senator SMITH.
I thought you saw Mr. Rothschild?
Mr. RAY.
I had come through D deck and then C deck and I saw Mr. Rothschild.
Senator SMITH.
All right; go ahead.
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