Mr. RAY.
I spoke to him and asked him where his wife was. He said she had gone off in a boat. I said, "This seems rather serious." He said, "I do not think there is any occasion for it." So we walked leisurely up the stairs until I got to A deck and went through the door. I went out there onto the open deck and along to No. 9 boat. It was just being filled with women and children. I assisted. I saw that lowered away. Then I went along to No. 11 boat, and saw that loaded with women and children and then that was lowered away. Then I went to No. 13 boat. I saw that about half filled with women and children. They said, "A few of you men get in here." There were about nine to a dozen men there, passengers and crew. I saw Mr. Washington Dodge there, asking where his wife and child were. He said they had gone away in one of the boats. He was standing well back from the boat, and I said, "You had better get in here, then." I got behind him and pushed him and I followed. After I got in there was a rather big woman came along, and we helped her in the boat. She was crying all the time and saying, "Don't put me in the boat; I don't want to go in the boat; I have never been in an open boat in my life. Don't let me stay in." I said, "You have got to go, and you may as well keep quiet."
After that there was a small child rolled in a blanket thrown into the boat to me, and I caught it. The woman that brought it along got into the boat afterwards. We left about three or four men on the deck, at the rail, and they went along to 15 boat.
The boat was lowered away until we got nearly to the water, when two or three of us noticed a very large discharge of water coming from the ship's side, which I thought was the pumps working. The hole was about 2 feet wide and about a foot deep, a solid mass of water coming out from the hole. I realized that if the boat was lowered down straight away the boat would be swamped and we should all be thrown into the water. We shouted for the boat to be stopped from being lowered, and they responded promptly and stopped lowering the boat.
We got oars and pushed it off from the side of the ship. It seemed impossible to lower the boat without being swamped; we pushed it out from the side of the ship and the next I knew we were in the water free from this discharge. I do not think there were any sailors or quartermasters in the boat, because they apparently did not know how to get free from the tackle. They called for knives to cut the boat loose, and somebody gave them a knife and they cut the boat loose. In the meantime we were drifting a little aft and boat No. 15 was being lowered immediately upon us, about 2 feet over our heads, and we all shouted again, and they again replied very promptly and stopped lowering boat No. 15.
We pushed out from the side of the ship. Nobody seemed to take command of the boat, so we elected a fireman to take charge. He ordered us to put out the oars and pull straight away from the ship. We pulled all night with short intervals for rest. I inquired if the ladies were all warm, and they said they were quite warm and they had a blanket to spare. There seemed to be very little excitement in the boat. They were all quite calm and collected.
Senator SMITH.
Did you return to the scene of the sinking of the vessel at all after you left the boat's side?
Mr. RAY.
No. I was not in charge of the boat, I was only pulling an oar. I objected to pulling away from the ship at all.
Senator SMITH.
You objected?
Mr. RAY.
Yes. I wanted to stand by the ship, but, of course, my voice was not much against the others. We had six oars in the boat, and several times I refused to row, but eventually gave in and pulled with the others.
Senator SMITH.
How many people were in your boat, No. 13?
Mr. RAY.
I did not count them. It was impossible to count them, either then or in the morning.
Senator SMITH.
You never did count them?
Mr. RAY.
No; I never did.
Senator SMITH.
What was the proportion of men to women?
Mr. RAY.
I should imagine there, were about two-thirds women and one-third men.
Senator SMITH.
Did you know who the men were, or any of them?
Mr. RAY.
I know several of them: yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Will you give their names?
Mr. RAY.
I can give the name of one of them; Wright, steward. Another was Mr. Washington Dodge, first class passenger.
Senator SMITH.
Anyone else?
Mr. RAY.
I am afraid I do not know anybody else.
Senator SMITH.
Do you know the names of any of the women?
Mr. RAY.
No, sir; I do not. They were mostly second and third class women.
Senator SMITH.
Waitresses or stewardesses?
Mr. RAY.
There were no waitresses or stewardesses on our boat at all, sir. There were two or three children: one very young baby, 7 months old.
Senator SMITH.
Did all these people in lifeboat No. 13 reach the Carpathia alive?
Mr. RAY.
Quite safely, sir. It was about the best boat there, I imagine, from what I heard.
Senator SMITH.
Was lifeboat No. 13 a full-sized lifeboat?
Mr. RAY.
Full-sized; yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Did you have a lamp in it?
Mr. RAY.
We did not look for it, sir. Well, we looked for it, but it may have been in a locker; and owing to the crowded condition of the boat, we could not make a thorough search.
Senator SMITH.
You did not find any?
Mr. RAY.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
You saw No. 9., and, as I understood you, No. 11 and No. 13 boats loaded?
Mr. RAY.
I did, sir.
Senator SMITH.
And assisted in loading them?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
During that time, while you were loading those boats, did you see any of the people whom you especially waited on at your table in the dining room?
Mr. RAY.
No, sir; I did not.
Senator SMITH.
At no time?
Mr. RAY.
Not at that time, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Did you see them at all?
Mr. RAY.
I saw Mr. Moore coming from the smoking room, as I stated. That was the only one.
Senator SMITH.
But you did not see any of these people you have named at the lifeboats?
Mr. RAY.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
I wish you would tell the committee how far out from the side of the boat deck these three lifeboats that you helped to fill hung on the davits.
Mr. RAY.
We did not lower them from the boat deck, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Where did you lower them from?
Mr. RAY.
"A" deck.
Senator SMITH.
They were lowered to the next deck?
Mr. RAY.
They were lowered to the next deck down.
Senator SMITH.
And loaded there?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Were there people on the upper or boat deck at that time?
Mr. RAY.
I heard so, afterwards.
Senator SMITH.
You say you went to No.9, which was your boat?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Was it then suspended at the boat deck, or at A deck?
Mr. RAY.
At A deck, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Do you know of any other lifeboats that were lowered to A deck and filled from A deck?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir; No. 15, sir.
Senator SMITH.
That lowering of these four lifeboats on the starboard side to A deck suspended them by their gear how far below the upper deck?
Mr. RAY.
Four or five feet, sir - about 5 feet, I imagine - from the boat deck.
Senator SMITH.
In that position was it not a little difficult to get into the lifeboats?
Mr. RAY.
That was from the boat deck. They loaded them at A deck. You could get off A deck straight into the boat, without any difficulty. I saw no difficulty whatever in loading the passengers into the boat.
Senator SMITH.
That is, at A deck the lifeboats were out away from the deck about 2 1/2 or 3 feet?
Mr. RAY.
They certainly were not.
Senator SMITH.
I mean at the boat deck.
Mr. RAY.
At the boat deck they were lower than the boat deck. I say there were about 4 feet from the boat deck - that is, lower than the boat deck, not out from the boat deck. They hung straight down, and they were dropped to A deck, and the people got over the rail and got straight into them without any difficulty whatever.
Senator SMITH.
Lamp trimmer Hemming says that the boat he assisted in loading was out about 2 1/2 to 3 feet.
Mr. RAY.
I did not experience it, sir.
Senator SMITH.
You did not experience anything of that kind?
Mr. RAY.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
The boats, when lowered to A deck, were accessible without jumping into them?
Mr. RAY.
They certainly were, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Did anyone who attempted to get into them fall?
Mr. RAY.
No, sir. We had no accidents whatever. I saw no accident whatever.
Senator SMITH.
You spoke of the little baby being thrown to you.
Mr. RAY.
It was just thrown about 2 or 3 feet to me, and I caught it, unrolled the blankets, and found that it was a little baby.
Senator SMITH.
Did the boat hang against the rail at A deck?
Mr. RAY.
It was not touching the rail, sir; but it was quite close enough to get in without any exertion at all.
Senator SMITH.
That is, within a few inches, or feet?
Mr. RAY.
It may have been that distance (indicating about a foot).
Senator SMITH.
A foot?
Mr. RAY.
It may have been a foot. There was not any difficulty in getting into the boat, anyway.
Senator SMITH.
Did you see any male passengers, or men of the crew, ordered out, or thrown out, of these lifeboats on the starboard side?
Mr. RAY.
None whatever, sir; I seen no occasion for it. Everybody was very orderly, and there was no occasion to throw any body about.
Senator SMITH.
Did you see Mr. Ismay in either of these boats?
Mr. RAY.
No, sir: I did not.
Senator SMITH.
How many boats had gone from the starboard side when you reached No. 9?
Mr. RAY.
I could not swear to that, but I fancied they had all gone forward. Nos. 15, 11, 9 and 13 were the last four to leave the ship. They had all left excepting those numbers.
Senator SMITH.
I do not remember whether I asked you - if not, I will now - how many of the crew were in your boat, No. 13?
Mr. RAY.
As far as I can remember, sir, there were about four or five firemen, one baker, and three stewards. The remainder were second and first class passengers and third class passengers.
Senator SMITH.
Do you know who they were?
Mr. RAY.
I only know Mr. Washington Dodge.
Senator SMITH.
You do not know who the others were?
Mr. RAY.
He was the only passenger that I knew by name.
Senator SMITH.
There were nine of the crew?
Mr. RAY.
About nine, sir.
Senator SMITH.
And one male passenger. Were there any more male passengers?
Mr. RAY.
Only second and third class; no more first class male passengers that I saw or first class female passengers.
Senator SMITH.
I would like to know how many first class male passengers there were.
Mr. RAY.
I could not say, sir. There was one Japanese. I remember a Japanese, very well, being there. I have no idea, because I could not discriminate second from third class passengers.
Senator SMITH.
Was there any crowd on A deck while you were loading those boats?
Mr. RAY.
None whatever, sir. I do not mean to say no crowd. There were people waiting to get into the boat, and when the boat was filled and ready to be lowered away we left about four men on the deck, and they went along to No. 15, and got in there quite easily.
Senator SMITH.
Was there any rule of your company with which you were familiar requiring lifeboats to be loaded from the upper or boat deck?
Mr. RAY.
I know of none, sir.
Senator SMITH.
Was the station list; or boat list, posted on the upper deck?
Mr. RAY.
In the first class pantry.
Senator SMITH.
I would like to know, if it is possible for you to tell me, how many you had in lifeboat No. 13, altogether?
Mr. RAY.
No, sir; I have no idea. There may have been 50, there may have been 60, or there may have been less.
Senator SMITH.
It was full?
Mr. RAY.
It was full. There was not room to pull the oars. We could not work the boat with any sense of satisfaction.
Senator SMITH.
Who attended the tiller on lifeboat No. 13?
Mr. RAY.
A fireman, I understood.
Senator SMITH.
You are sure one woman did not attend the tiller?
Mr. RAY.
Quite sure, sir; positive. No woman touched the tiller, sir, through the night, and no woman touched an oar through the night. A woman offered to take my oar, but I said I was good for another few hours.
Senator SMITH.
Have you any idea, yourself, or can you give any explanation, as to how those boats on the starboard side - Nos. 9, 11, 13, and 15 - happened to be loaded at A deck?
Mr. RAY.
Only from what I heard afterwards.-
Senator SMITH.
I do not ask for any gossip about it, and I do not want to press you on the matter; but if you do know I would like to know.
Mr. RAY.
I do not know. Had I not gone down below - had I remained on the boat deck I should not have been on A deck; but when I came out of the door and saw they were loading boats on A deck I remained on A deck and helped to load them with passengers.
Senator SMITH.
Do you know any of the passengers or crew other than those you have mentioned in these four lifeboats, Nos. 9, 11, 13, and 15?
Mr. RAY.
No, sir. I do not remember.
Senator SMITH.
Do you know who had charge of these boats after they were lowered?
Mr. RAY.
No, sir; I do not.
Senator SMITH.
You never saw any of the persons who sat at your table after the accident occurred except Mr. Moore?
Mr. RAY.
Quite correct, sir.
Senator SMITH.
To whom you have already referred?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
I think that is all.
Senator FLETCHER.
Was No.15 lowered immediately after No.13?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir; lowered nearly on top of us.
Senator FLETCHER.
How many persons did No.15 contain?
Mr. RAY.
So far as I could see in the dark, it was full.
Senator FLETCHER.
Could you tell what proportion of them were male and what proportion female?
Mr. RAY.
I could not discriminate male from female, sir. When our boat was lowered away they shouted out, "Is there any women or children to go?" and somebody said, "No."
Senator SMITH.
Did you see any passengers or hear any passengers on the boat deck at that time?
Mr. RAY.
No, sir; we did not hear any thing up there.
Senator FLETCHER.
Do you know whether these lifeboats swung away from the rail on the boat deck?
Mr. RAY.
They swung straight down.
Senator FLETCHER.
I understand; but when they were suspended at the boat deck, what was the distance out from the rail?
Mr. RAY.
It would be so they could walk straight into them.
Senator FLETCHER.
From the boat deck?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir.
Senator FLETCHER.
The same as below?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir.
Senator FLETCHER.
How long was it after No. 15 reached the water, before the Titanic went down?
Mr. RAY.
I could not say. We had pulled away from the ship. The man at the tiller kept on urging us to pull and get out of the suction of the ship.
Senator FLETCHER.
How far away had you gotten?
Mr. RAY.
We had got about three-quarters of a mile, I suppose, to a mile so far as I could judge.
Senator FLETCHER.
Did you see the lights of the Titanic?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir.
Senator FLETCHER.
Had you gotten as far as three-quarters of a mile before the lights went out on the Titanic?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir; we were about a mile off when the lights went out.
Senator FLETCHER.
Those were the last boats lowered on the starboard side, were they?
Mr. RAY.
Yes, sir.
Senator FLETCHER.
Do you know anything about any being lowered on the port side?
Mr. RAY.
No, sir; I do not.
Senator FLETCHER.
You do not know whether the boats had been lowered on the port side when No. 15 was lowered on the starboard side?
Mr. RAY.
No, sir; I do not.
Senator FLETCHER.
Who was directing the loading of the boats on the starboard side?
Mr. RAY.
I could not see in the dark. I do not know who was acting in directing the loading of them. I believe there was an officer there, but I could not say.
Senator FLETCHER.
Was there any one officer who seemed to have charge of it?
Mr. RAY.
If he had charge of it - if he had charge when No. 13 was lowered - he must have been on the boat deck. I did not see any officer on the A deck when it was lowered. There were women and children came up and simply were put in the boat, and got in afterwards, and she was lowered away.
Senator FLETCHER.
Who superintended the work of loading the boats - your boat for instance?
Mr. RAY.
Nobody superintended the lowering of our boat, sir; that I know of.
Senator FLETCHER.
Was there not any officer superior to you in charge of that boat?
Mr. RAY.
No, sir; not that I know of.
Senator FLETCHER.
Did you see the collapsible boats?
Mr. RAY.
No sir; not that I know of; I did not see any collapsible boats.
Senator FLETCHER.
In the morning?
Mr. RAY.
No, sir; only one that was turned upside down in the morning.
Senator FLETCHER.
Where was that; how far away from the wreck?
Mr. RAY.
They were floating away. I saw that later on in the morning after I got on the Carpathia.
Senator FLETCHER.
There was nobody in that boat then?
Mr. RAY.
No, sir; they had been taken off.
Senator FLETCHER.
That is all.
Senator SMITH.
You may be excused.
(Witness excused.)
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