Senator SMITH.
Was there any information given to your customers in any other manner than by the tape ticker or the bulletin service or the Wall Street Journal?
Mr. FARRELL.
No, sir; except possibly a customer would call up during the day and say; "What is the latest news," or, "What do you hear," and we would simply tell him over the telephone what were the latest advices.
Senator SMITH.
I notice items of news appear occasionally on the ticker tape that are not included in the bulletin. What is the occasion of that?
Mr. FARRELL.
Sometimes it is by accident. At other times an item will go out on the tape, and before it gets printed on the bulletin we will receive additional information which will embody the previous item.
Senator SMITH.
Is the ticker tape supposed to be more authentic, and in a sense confidential to your subscribers, than the bulletin?
Mr. FARRELL.
No, sir; they are both the same in that respect, only from the tape ticker our subscribers get the news quicker. That is practically instantaneous. The bulletins, of course; have to be set up in the printing department and printed and then carried around by boys.
Senator SMITH.
They have practically the same information?
Mr. FARRELL.
Usually the same information, except that on the ticker tape the information is condensed.
Senator SMITH.
That is, it is edited when it reaches the bulletin, and it comes in its original form when it comes on the ticker?
Mr. FARRELL.
No; it is the reverse. Of course, the matter is edited for both.
Senator SMITH.
Yes.
Mr. FARRELL.
But you understand that the ticker can not carry all the stuff which we publish in the bulletins, so that we take the meat of the stuff we publish in the bulletins and put it on the ticker, eliminating all superfluous words and everything of that sort.
Senator SMITH.
All of the information that is contained on the ticker tape and in the bulletins is reflected in the Wall Street Journal?
Mr. FARRELL.
So far as possible. Of course, like every other newspaper we are frequently heavily overset and there is not room enough in the Journal to cover all we publish in the bulletin. That sometimes occurs.
Senator SMITH.
Items appearing in the Wall Street Journal are not necessarily the exact items that appear either upon the ticker tape or in the bulletins?
Mr. FARRELL.
Usually they are. Sometimes they are revised for the Wall Street Journal, which goes to press, the afternoon edition, shortly after 3 o'clock. Sometimes they have to be revised, because, you see, an item which went out in the present tense at 9 or 10 o'clock in the morning would be in the past tense at the time for the afternoon paper.
Senator SMITH.
Stock quotations are supposed to be exactly the same in all three of these publications?
Mr. FARRELL.
Yes; allowing, of course, for typographical errors, which are corrected as much as possible.
Senator SMITH.
But events that happen during the day sometimes appear in one a little more fully than in the other?
Mr. FARRELL.
On the bulletins they usually appear more fully than on the ticker.
Senator SMITH.
Have you here the bulletins which correspond with the items you have just read into the record?
Mr. FARRELL.
I find one here which I think would be of interest which I do not think appeared on the tape. It is headed, "Those false reports." It reads:
Uncle of Phillips, wireless operator of Titanic, solved one of the mysterious wireless messages that at first gave hope vessel was saved. He acknowledged that he sent the following messages from London to Mr. and Mr. Phillips, Godalming, Surrey, England, parents of the wireless operator, to reassure them: "Making slowly for Halifax; practically unsinkable; don't worry."
Senator SMITH.
From whom did you obtain that information?
Mr. FARRELL.
From the Laffan News Bureau.
Senator SMITH.
Mr. Farrell, do you know of any news item or information possessed by your company or by any of its officers or agents that was attempted to be suppressed?
Mr. FARRELL.
No, sir; I do not.
Senator SMITH.
Do you wish to be understood as saying that no pressure of any kind or character was brought to bear upon you?
Mr. FARRELL.
Oh, absolutely none.
Senator SMITH.
For the purpose of suppressing news concerning this matter?
Mr. FARRELL.
Absolutely none whatever. It would not have been tolerated if there had been; and there really was no pressure. There was not a suggestion of that sort.
Senator SMITH.
All that you printed on the tape or in the bulletins or the paper you have given here?
Mr. FARRELL.
Yes, sir. There may have been one or two further unimportant items, but all of the important items, so far as I have been able to find them, I have submitted here.
Senator SMITH.
And these exhibits you leave with the committee?
Mr. FARRELL.
Yes.
Senator SMITH.
Have you at any time had any talk with any officer or agent of the White Star Line or of the International Mercantile Marine Co. concerning what was to be said by you regarding this matter at the hearing?
Mr. FARRELL.
None whatever. In fact, none of them knew that I was to appear here. I said nothing to them.
Senator SMITH.
And you have given the committee the sources of all your information, so far as you know them?
Mr. FARRELL.
To the best of my knowledge and belief, so far as I have been able to ascertain.
Senator SMITH.
So far as you have been able to do so?
Mr. FARRELL.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
You spoke of one of the reporters, who turned in several important items of news in connection with this matter, who is now on the ocean or in England?
Mr. FARRELL.
Yes, sir.
Senator SMITH.
When did he go?
Mr. FARRELL.
I do not recall the exact date, but his trip had been arranged some time before this occurred.
Senator SMITH.
On what boat did he sail?
Mr. FARRELL.
I can not tell you that, either. If you wish to know, I can find out.
Senator SMITH.
Can you not think of it?
Mr. FARRELL.
No; I do not remember.
Senator SMITH.
What day did he go?
Mr. FARRELL.
I do not remember the date. It is a matter of record in our office. I could find out, if that would interest you.
Senator SMITH.
Did he return with any of the White Star officials or officers?
Mr. FARRELL.
No: he has not yet returned.
Senator SMITH.
I mean did he go over with any of those officials?
Mr. FARRELL.
No, sir.
Senator SMITH.
And he is still over there?
Mr. FARRELL.
He is still there.
Senator SMITH.
On matters of his own and not on any business connected with this affair?
Mr. FARRELL.
No; nothing at all. He had made arrangements some months before to take this trip - for some business matter of a personal nature - and I remember it very distinctly because he had made the arrangement before I became managing editor.
Senator SMITH.
What is his name?
Mr. FARRELL.
Oliver Gingold.
Senator SMITH.
This summary which you have handed to the committee you desire to appear as a part of your testimony?
Mr. FARRELL.
I would like to have it appear if you have no objection. While, as I say, it contains a good deal that is matter of opinion, it seems to me it helps a good deal to explain how some of these things got so badly twisted.
(The summary referred to, submitted by Mr. Farrell, will be found appended to this day's hearing.)
Senator SMITH.
I think I asked you if you knew any person connected with your company in any capacity whatsoever who was interested in the International Mercantile Marine Co. or any of its constituent companies?
Mr. FARRELL.
Yes.
Senator SMITH.
And you said no; not so far as you knew?
Mr. FARRELL.
Not so far as I know, and if there were they would have had nothing to do with any news we published, because I was responsible for that and I am not a stockholder in any one of them - in the Western Union, in the Postal Telegraph, or the Marconi. We simply published the news that we got from various sources which we supposed we had reason to rely on.
Senator SMITH.
Do you obtain any information for your company directly through the wireless telegraph companies?
Mr. FARRELL.
No; we do not. We obtain none directly.
Senator SMITH.
And you did not in this instance?
Mr. FARRELL.
No, sir; except one message which one of our reporters got from the Marconi Co., and that was direct.
Senator SMITH.
Do you know of any attempt that was made by anyone connected with the White Star Co. to influence the publications in your paper?
Mr. FARRELL.
I know very positively that no such attempt was made by anyone. I am absolutely certain of it.
Senator SMITH.
You refer particularly in your testimony to the Boston News Bureau?
Mr. FARRELL.
Yes.
Senator SMITH.
Do you know what composes the Boston News Bureau?
Mr. FARRELL.
The Boston News Bureau is a news agency for the dissemination of financial news, operating in Boston. It is somewhat similar to Dow, Jones & Co., in New York. They publish bulletins during the day and publish the paper known as the Boston News Bureau.
Senator SMITH.
Are the interests of the two, of your company and of that company, identical?
Mr. FARRELL.
They are allied.
Senator SMITH.
They are allied. Do the same people own both?
Mr. FARRELL.
Substantially.
Senator SMITH.
Is there any understanding or relationship between your company and the Laffan News Agency?
Mr. FARRELL.
None; except that we receive their service.
Senator SMITH.
You are subscribers?
Mr. FARRELL.
We are subscribers to their service; that is all.
Senator SMITH.
But you do not own any of their stock?
Mr. FARRELL.
No.
Senator SMITH.
What is the Laffan News Agency?
Mr. FARRELL.
It is a press association which was organized a good many years ago by the New York Sun.
Senator SMITH.
By Mr. Laffan himself, or did they adopt his name as a compliment to him?
Mr. FARRELL.
I do not know whether it was organized during Mr. Laffan's regime on The Sun or before that. I rather think it was while he was proprietor. It derived its name from him, anyway.
Senator SMITH.
And their function is to supply news to their subscribers?
Mr. FARRELL.
Yes.
Senator SMITH.
The Boston News Bureau seems to have supplied your company with information from Montreal - with news from Montreal?
Mr. FARRELL.
Yes.
Senator SMITH.
Have they any special facilities for getting Montreal news?
Mr. FARRELL.
I do not know much about the organization of the Boston News Bureau, because I have been with Dow, Jones & Co. only about two months, so that I do not know their special connections.
Senator SMITH.
Have you any news agency at Montreal?
Mr. FARRELL.
We have not. Dow, Jones & Co. have not.
Senator SMITH.
Has the Boston News Bureau?
Mr. FARRELL.
Do you mean, have they a regular news agency, the same as in New York and Boston?
Senator SMITH.
Yes.
Mr. FARRELL.
No; not so far as I know. Of course I am not in a position to give positive testimony with reference to the Boston News Bureau.
Senator SMITH.
So the information you get from Montreal is such information as goes out generally?
Mr. FARRELL.
I should assume so.
Senator SMITH.
And not through direct correspondents of your own?
Mr. FARRELL.
They may have a correspondent in Montreal. I do not know as to that.
Senator SMITH.
You say that they may have?
Mr. FARRELL.
They may have.
Senator SMITH.
Who are the officers of Dow, Jones & Co.?
Mr. FARRELL.
W. Barron is president, Hugh Bancroft is secretary, and Joseph Cashman is treasurer.
Senator SMITH.
Have you given to the committee all the information in your possession which will tend to throw any light upon the Titanic disaster, and the events subsequent thereto?
Mr. FARRELL.
I have.
Senator SMITH.
I am very much obliged to you.
(Witness excused.)