Senator SMITH.
When it got daylight did you see any icebergs or floating ice?
Mr. WOOLNER.
Yes; a number of icebergs.
Senator SMITH.
How near the place where the Titanic went down?
Mr. WOOLNER.
It is was rather difficult to identify that unless one took the wreckage that was floating away as an indication of where she went down. Taking that, I would say that the nearest was several miles away; but there were a great many of them.
Senator SMITH.
At daylight?
Mr. WOOLNER.
Yes; and they were of different colors as the sun struck them. Some looked white and some looked blue, and some sort of mauve, and others were dark gray.
Senator SMITH.
Did any look black?
Mr. WOOLNER.
A dark sort of gray.
Senator SMITH.
How large were they?
Mr. WOOLNER.
It is very difficult to tell.
Senator SMITH.
Did you see any as large as the Capitol Building, here?
Mr. WOOLNER.
No; there was one double-toothed one that looked to be of good size.
Senator SMITH.
How high; 100 feet high?
Mr. WOOLNER.
I should think it must have been; but it was a considerable distance away.
Senator SMITH.
About 20 or 30 feet higher than the Titanic?
Mr. WOOLNER.
It may easily have been that.
Senator SMITH.
Did you see any field ice?
Mr. WOOLNER.
Yes.
Senator SMITH.
How much of that?
Mr. WOOLNER.
I saw a faint line, what looked like a faint line along the horizon; but when we got on the Carpathia, we saw it was a huge floe which stretched out, I do not know how far but we were several hours steaming along it.
Senator SMITH.
Twenty or thirty miles?
Mr. WOOLNER.
Quite that, I should say.
Senator SMITH.
And did that field ice follow closely these icebergs?
Mr. WOOLNER.
No; they looked more like scouts out in front.
Senator SMITH.
Out in front?
Mr. WOOLNER.
By out in front I mean to the south.
Senator SMITH.
That is, the icebergs were out south of the field ice?
Mr. WOOLNER.
That is the way it looked to me.
Senator SMITH.
The field ice came down behind it how far?
Mr. WOOLNER.
One could not see whether it moved at all. It seemed to be stationary the whole time; but there were lumps on it, sort of lumps like haystacks or little mountains.
Senator SMITH.
I have not yet been able to discover - and I hope you will pardon me for persisting - how far to the north of these large icebergs this field ice lay.
Mr. WOOLNER.
From the boat it looked like a little white thin line along the horizon. I could not possibly judge how far.
Senator SMITH.
That is, the water line?
Mr. WOOLNER.
The water line, and then a line of brilliant ice. From the boat I could not tell how far it was.
Senator SMITH.
Did the icebergs seem to be moving?
Mr. WOOLNER.
I did not watch them very closely
Senator SMITH.
The Carpathia lingered in that vicinity for an hour or so?
Mr. WOOLNER.
Yes; she seemed to come up very slowly and then she stopped. Then we looked out and we saw that there was a boat alongside her, and then we realized that she was waiting for us to come up to her instead of her coming to us, as we hoped. Then, just at that time, when we began to row toward the Carpathia, Mr. Lowe came down with his boat under sail, again, and hailed us and said, "Are you a collapsible?" We answered, "Yes." He said "How are you?" I said, "We have about all we want." He said, "Would you like a tow?" We answered, "Yes we would." So he took our painter and towed us away from the Carpathia, and then we looked and saw that there was another little group of people standing up in the sea who had to be rescued, and there were about -
Senator SMITH.
Where were they?
Mr. WOOLNER.
They were standing on an upturned boat.
Senator SMITH.
That is, on the bottom of the upturned boat?
Mr. WOOLNER.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
How many of them were there?
Mr. WOOLNER.
I do not know how many at them, but it looked like a dozen or 13.
Senator SMITH.
Were there any women among them?
Mr. WOOLNER.
One; one woman with black hair [Rhoda Abbott]. A man helped her in the boat first, when it came alongside.
Senator SMITH.
Did you go in that boat?
Mr. WOOLNER.
We were only our painter's length away. Mr. Lowe took them all on board his boat.
Senator SMITH.
Would you recognize them?
Mr. WOOLNER.
The men?
Senator SMITH.
Yes.
Mr. WOOLNER.
One man I saw was a first class passenger whom I had seen in the saloon.
Senator SMITH.
Look at that young man back of you and see whether you saw him there?
Mr. WOOLNER.
I do not remember him.
Senator SMITH.
Who had charge of that upturned boat?
Mr. WOOLNER.
I do not know, at all.
Senator SMITH.
Any officer?
Mr. WOOLNER.
I did not recognize anybody. I did not know of them by sight. They were simply people.
Senator SMITH.
Was this boat that you jumped into hanging straight down from the davits -
Mr. WOOLNER.(interrupting). Rather out than straight.
Senator SMITH. (continuing)
On the boat deck, or was it held out from the side of A deck by anything?
Mr. WOOLNER.
No; it seemed to me to be hanging out from the side of the ship.
Senator SMITH.
The ship listed to the port side?
Mr. WOOLNER.
Yes; and that is why I judge the boat was hanging out so far away.
Senator SMITH.
And that threw this lifeboat out away from the side of the ship?
Mr. WOOLNER.
Yes, sir; that is how I judged it.
Senator SMITH.
About 9 feet?
Mr. WOOLNER.
Yes, sir; I should judge it was about that; about 8 feet 6, perhaps. It was not less than 8 feet, and probably 9.
Senator SMITH.
Did the lifeboats appear to be new?
Mr. WOOLNER.
I could not tell. They were perfectly watertight.
Senator SMITH.
Did you have any food or water in your lifeboat?
Mr. WOOLNER.
We had a water breaker, I think they call it; but there was no water in it.
Senator SMITH.
Did you have any food in the boat?
Mr. WOOLNER.
Not that I know of.
Senator SMITH.
Did anybody ask for food?
Mr. WOOLNER.
No. A sailor offered some biscuits, which I was using for feeding a small child who had waked up and was crying. It was one of those little children for whose parents everybody was looking; the larger of those two.
Senator SMITH.
Its mother was not on this boat?
Mr. WOOLNER.
No.
Senator SMITH.
How old was that child?
Mr. WOOLNER.
I should think it was about 5, as nearly as I can judge.
Senator SMITH.
Do you know of what nationality it was?
Mr. WOOLNER.
I could not quite make out.
Senator SMITH.
Do you know whether it was English or American?
Mr. WOOLNER.
I should say it was not either. I should think it was -
Senator SMITH. (interposing)
I mean whether it belonged to an English parent or American parent?
Mr. WOOLNER.
It looked like a French child; but it kept shouting for its doll, and I could not make out what it said before that. It kept saying it over and over again.
Senator SMITH.
Were there two of these children in the boat?
Mr. WOOLNER.
I can not tell. This is the only one that I had anything to do with. There were several other children in the boat. We handed them into a bag, and they were pulled up the Carpathia's side.
Senator SMITH.
Have you seen them since?
Mr. WOOLNER.
Yes, I think I saw it once on the Carpathia. It had very curly hair, light brownish curly hair.
Senator SMITH.
Was the child identified on the Carpathia?
Mr. WOOLNER.
Not as far as I know.
Senator SMITH.
From what you say, Mr. Woolner, I should judge that you have no complaint to make about the discipline of the crew or the conduct of the officers?
Mr. WOOLNER.
Absolutely none.
Senator SMITH.
And you do not know whether these men that crowded up around there, and crowded the women back, were of the crew or were passengers?
Mr. WOOLNER.
I could not possibly tell.
Senator SMITH.
That is the only instance where they did crowd?
Mr. WOOLNER.
That is the only instance that I saw.
Senator SMITH.
On the way out from this group of lifeboats that were tied together to the swamped boat where these people were standing up in the water -
Mr. WOOLNER. (interrupting).
The first one or the last one?
Senator SMITH.
The first one. At that time did you hear any revolver shots?
Mr. WOOLNER.
Yes.
Senator SMITH.
Who fired them?
Mr. WOOLNER.
I think it was then. I do not know who fired them. Somebody fired, I think, 4 shots in rapid succession, and we in our boat were wondering what it was, and somebody in our boat said, "I suppose it is meant for a signal."
Senator SMITH.
Could you see the man who fired the shots?
Mr. WOOLNER.
No; they were so rapid one hardly had time to turn one's head around.
Senator SMITH.
You would not recognize him if I were to point him out to you?
Mr. WOOLNER.
No; he was quite a ways off.
Senator SMITH.
Did that firing of those shots seem to add to the composure of the situation?
Mr. WOOLNER.
It did not excite anybody. Nobody took any notice of it. They did not know what it meant, and they did not take any notice of it.
Senator SMITH.
Were you looking at the Titanic when she went down?
Mr. WOOLNER.
Yes.
Senator SMITH.
As you were looking at her when she went down, do you think she broke in two?
Mr. WOOLNER.
I did not think so.
Senator SMITH.
You did not hear any explosions?
Mr. WOOLNER.
No, sir; only a continuous rumbling noise.
Senator SMITH.
As she was going down?
Mr. WOOLNER.
Yes.
Senator SMITH.
Were you where you could see the funnels?
Mr. WOOLNER.
I could not really see a thing when the lights went out. It was all brilliantly lighted at the stem end, and suddenly the lights went out, and your eyes were so unaccustomed to the darkness, you could see nothing, and you could only hear sounds.
Senator SMITH.
Did you see anyone on the ship at all when you jumped into this lifeboat?
Mr. WOOLNER.
There was nobody in sight.
Senator SMITH.
Nobody on your deck?
Mr. WOOLNER.
Not a soul.
Senator SMITH.
And you saw no one on the other decks, I presume, as you were being lowered? I presume it was impossible for you to see those upper decks until you got out from the ship?
Mr. WOOLNER.
Quite so. We were right up close, and it was like the side of a house and we could see nothing at all.
Senator SMITH.
Do you think you have said everything that tends to throw any light on this inquiry regarding the ship, its crew, or officers, or equipment?
Mr. WOOLNER.
I can not think of anything else, sir.
Senator SMITH.
You say the speed of the ship greatly increased?
Mr. WOOLNER.
Judging by the log.
Senator SMITH.
And you looked at the log?
Mr. WOOLNER.
Quite so.
Senator SMITH.
Did you look at it the first day out?
Mr. WOOLNER.
I was not very much interested, because it was not a full 24 hours. I do not remember what the figure was.
Senator SMITH.
Did you look at it the second day out?
Mr. WOOLNER.
Yes.
Senator SMITH.
What did it record then?
Mr. WOOLNER.
As I remember, it was 514 - 514, I think it was; either 500 or 400. I think it was 514, and then 546 the next day.
Senator SMITH.
You said 314 before.
Mr. WOOLNER.
Did I? I meant 514.
Senator SMITH.
You meant 514 and 546?
Mr. WOOLNER.
Yes.
Senator SMITH.
You want your statement to stand corrected in that regard?
Mr. WOOLNER.
If you please; if you will kindly correct it.
Senator SMITH.
When did you next see the log?
Mr. WOOLNER.
I do not remember any more.
Senator SMITH.
When did you see the record next?
Mr. WOOLNER.
I do not remember any figure.
Senator SMITH.
You saw it twice?
Mr. WOOLNER.
Yes, sir; it was about 40 miles more the second time, I think.
Senator SMITH.
It had increased ?
Mr. WOOLNER.
About 40 miles, as nearly as I can remember. I have not thought of the figures since I looked at them, and I do not pretend to remember them accurately.
Senator SMITH.
That was for one day's run?
Mr. WOOLNER.
Yes.
Senator SMITH.
A full day's run, 24 hours?
Mr. WOOLNER.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
What time was that? Do you know? Was it noon, Sunday?
Mr. WOOLNER.
Yes; noon, Sunday. It was put up at about 1 o'clock on Sunday in the companionway.
Senator SMITH.
Did you see the Californian at the scene of the wreck?
Mr. WOOLNER.
I saw her when she came up within a mile or two of the Carpathia.
Senator SMITH.
Did you see any ice between the Californian and the Carpathia at that time?
Mr. WOOLNER.
I don't think there was any between them; no. I think there was some behind the Californian.
Senator SMITH.
Did you see the Mount Temple that morning?
Mr. WOOLNER.
No; I did not.
Senator SMITH.
This Canadian Pacific Railway boat?
Mr. WOOLNER.
No.
Senator SMITH.
I think that is all, Mr. Woolner, and we are very much obliged to you for your courtesy.
(Witness excused.)