(Testimony taken separately before Senator Fletcher on behalf of the subcommittee.)
(The witness was duly sworn by Senator Fletcher.)
9217. Will you state your full name?
- John Hardy, sir.
9218. Where do you reside?
- Oakleigh, Holy Rood Avenue, Highfield, Southampton.
9219. What is your age, Mr. Hardy?
- I am 36 years old.
9220. Are you married or single?
- I am married. I have a wife and two children.
9221. How long have you followed the sea?
- I have been 14 years at sea.
9222. What is your position now?
- Now and for the last seven years I have been chief steward, second class.
9223. With what company are you employed?
- I have in the White Star Line service for 12 years past.
9224. With what ships were you employed?
- I was with the Majestic, the Adriatic, the Olympic, the Teutonic, and the Titanic.
9225. When did you ship with the Titanic?
- I shipped with the Titanic on her last voyage.
9226. In what capacity?
- As second class steward.
9227. Did anything unusual occur on that voyage?
- Nothing unusual occurred until we struck the iceberg.
9228. What were your duties?
- My duties were to be around the ship until 11 o'clock at night, when I would see to the closing up of the rooms and the turning out of the lights.
9229. You may begin now at the time of the collision of the Titanic with the iceberg, and state fully what happened?
- I did not retire until 25 minutes after 11. I went down to my room after going around the ship and seeing that all the unnecessary lights were out. I went to my room and stripped and turned in. I had not been in more than five minutes before I heard this slight shock. I got up and slipped on my pants and coat over my pajamas and went on deck to see what the trouble was. I got on deck and could not see anything, and I went below again and turned in again within about 10 minutes after I had gone on deck.
9230. What deck?
- I had gone up then to B deck to look over the ship's side to see if I could see anything. I could not see anything, and I went below and retired again and was reading a few minutes when the chief first class steward came to my room and asked me to get up, as he thought it was pretty serious, that she was making water forward. I went with him forward to see what water she was making, and on my return to my end of the ship I met Purser Barker.
9231. Who was he?
- Purser Barker. He advised me or told me to get the people on deck with their lifebelts on as a precaution. Immediately I sent down for all hands to come up. The stewards were interested in their own cabins, because they had all retired, and the middle watch came on at 12. They all came along, and I went among the people and told those people to go on deck with their lifebelts on, and we assisted the ladies with the belts, those that hadn't their husbands with them, and we assisted in getting the children out of bed. I also aroused the stewardesses to assist them. The whole of the men came, and they assisted me in going around calling the different passengers.
9232. On which deck? Was it on just the one deck?
- On all the decks, sir; D, E, and F.
9233. How many men did you have?
- I had 12. The whole class numbered 70, which, of course, they were not interested in bedrooms, consequently it is only the bedroom stewards that would be interested in the rooms. We commenced to close the watertight doors on F deck. I assisted the bedroom stewards also in sending the people up through the companionways to the upper decks.
9234. Who told you to close the watertight doors?
- We had this order also from Mr. Barker, when he told me to rouse the people as a precaution.
I got them all up on the outer decks, and they were grouped about the ship in different parts, and I went to my station at the boat, which was boat 1, on the starboard side. I saw that lowered before I myself got there; that is, I myself did not get into it, as there was no room. By that time all the starboard boats had gone, and I went over to the port side and assisted the ladies and children in getting into the boats, and finally I was working on deck until the last collapsible boat was launched.
9235. Where was that located?
- Right forward, on the port side. We launched this filled with passengers. We launched the boat parallel with the ship's side, and Mr. Lightoller and myself, two sailors, and two firemen - the two sailors were rigging the poles and getting them in working order and Mr. Lightoller and myself loaded the boat. When the boat was full, Mr. Lightoller was in the boat with me; and the chief officer came along and asked if the boat was full, and he said yes. He said he would step out himself and make room for somebody else, and he stepped back on board the ship and asked if I could row. I told him I could, and I went away in that boat.
We lowered away and got to the water, and the ship was then at a heavy list to port by the time we commenced to lower away.
We got clear of the ship and rowed out some little distance from her, and finally we all got together, about seven boats of us, and I remember quite distinctly Boatswain Lowe telling us to tie up to each other, as we would be better seen and could keep better together. Then Officer Lowe, having a full complement of passengers in his boat, distributed among us what he had, our boat taking 10. We had 25 already, and that number made 35.
Officer Lowe then returned with his crew back to the ship to pick up all he could. I found out afterwards he had picked up some. We hung around then until dawn, until we sighted the Carpathia, pulling now and again. We were towed up by Mr. Lowe with a sail to the Carpathia, not having enough men in the boat to pull. There was only just this quartermaster and myself, two firemen, and about four gentlemen passengers, and the balance were women and children.
9236. Do you know the names of the quartermaster and firemen?
- I do not know the names of the firemen, but Bright was the quartermaster, and he took the tiller. He was using an oar to steer by. I myself pulled with all my might.
9237. Do you know the names of any of the passengers?
- No, sir; I do not. They were all strangers to me. There were a number of third class passengers, that were Syrians, in the bottom of the boat, chattering the whole night in their strange language.
9238. Then you were taken aboard the Carpathia?
- Yes, sir.
9239. What boat had been unloaded before you got to the Carpathia?
- Five or six of them, or possibly more. We were some of the last.
9240. How many boats had been lowered before you lowered the collapsible?
- All the lifeboats had been lowered and had left the ship.
9241. All of the lifeboats?
- Yes, sir.
9242. And the sea boats?
- They are lifeboats. Those are the wooden boats.
9243. Had the other collapsibles gone?
- From the port side?
9244. Yes.
- I do not know that.
9245. This was on the starboard side?
- I came in the last collapsible boat that left the ship and, greatly to my surprise, when I got on the Carpathia I saw Officer Lightoller coming in the following afternoon. When he stepped from this collapsible bat, I was sure he had gone down in the ship and I was greatly surprised when I saw him on the Carpathia.
9246. Did you see Mr. Ismay at any time?
- I never saw Mr. Ismay from Southampton until today in this building.
9247. You did not even see him on board the Carpathia?
- No; I did not see him. I was in the second class and more interested in the second class, and was doing all I could to pacify them.
9248. Did you take in that collapsible boat all of the people that you could take on her or that were there?
- From where?
9249. From the Titanic, when you were lowered away.
- Yes; and we took 10 off the other boat.
9250. I mean when you lowered away from the ship did you take all that she would hold safely or all who were there.
- We took all who were there. There was nobody to lower the afterfall until Mr. Lightoller went aboard to do it himself.
9251. Were there passengers on board the ship standing there trying to get on board the lifeboat?
- There was nobody on board, because we could not get our collapsible boat lowered from one end of it. The forward part of the collapsible boat was lowered, but there was nobody there to lower the afterend, which you will find in Mr. Bright's evidence. Mr. Lightoller stepped from the collapsible boat aboard the ship again and did it himself.
9252. There were no women and children there?
- No, sir; not in sight at all. There was nobody to lower the boat.
9253. The women and children could not lower it?
- No, sir.
9254. There were no men passengers there on the deck?
- No, sir; not when we were ready to lower the boat.
9255. When you were ready to lower that boat every passenger in your vicinity had gone?
- Yes, sir; they had gone.
9256. Which way had they gone?
- I could not say.
9257. Did you see passengers on the decks?
- Afterwards?
9258. Yes.
- We were too near the water when we lowered away. We were not more than 40 feet from the water when we lowered.
9259. Did you hear any passengers calling out on deck at the time you were lowered, or before, trying to get into the boat?
- We picked up the husband of a wife that we had taken off in the load in the boat. The gentleman took to the water and climbed in the boat after we had lowered it.
I remember that quite distinctly.
9260. You mean you took a woman on board the boat -
- Before we lowered. Her husband took to the water.
9261. Jumped in the water?
- Yes; and climbed in the boat when we were afloat.
9262. Do you know who he was?
- I know the gentleman - but I do not know his name - because he sat there, wringing wet, alongside of me, helping me row.
9263. Did you see him afterwards on the Carpathia?
- Yes, sir.
9264. What became of him; do you know?
- No, sir; I do not know, sir.
9265. Was he an American?
- Yes, sir; an American gentleman.
9266. Did you see any icebergs?
- At daylight we did; quite a lot.
9267. How many?
- I should think there was, in my judgment, 5 or 6 miles of field ice, and any number of bergs. I could see them from the Carpathia.
9268. You did not see any bergs until after you were on the Carpathia?
- No, sir; I did not see one.
9269. How far away were you when the Titanic went down?
- We could get a full view of her, unfortunately.
9270. You could get a full view?
- Yes, sir.
9271. In what way did she go down?
- She went down head first.
9272. The stern almost perpendicular?
- Not perpendicular, but almost. Her stern was right out of the water.
9273. Did you see any passengers then on her?
- We were too far away for that and it was too dark.
9274. Could you hear any cries?
- Yes; I did, sir.
9275. After she went down or before?
- After she went down.
9276. None before?
- No, sir.
9277. Was there anything like a panic on board the ship?
- Not at all, because everybody had full confidence that the ship would float.
9278. Up to what time; up to the time your boat left?
- Up to the time my boat left. She began to list before we left her.
9279. People even then thought she would float?
- Of course I had great respect and great regard for Chief Officer Murdoch, and I was walking along the deck forward with him, and he said, "I believe she is gone, Hardy"; and that is the only time I thought she might sink; when he said that.
9280. How long was that before your boat was lowered?
- It was a good half hour, I should say, sir.
9281. Where did he go then, do you know?
- He was walking toward the afterpart of the deck. That was before all the boats had gone.
9282. He superintended the loading of the boats?
- Yes, sir; he went to see if a particular boat was properly manned.
9283. When you left the ship you thought she was going to sink?
- When I left the ship?
9284. Yes.
- Yes; it began to get serious. I still had confidence the thing would float, though, sir, without a doubt.
9285. You could have carried more people in your boat?
- Evidently, for we took on 10 more outside.
9286. You can not lower a boat with quite as many people in it as you can float?
- I can not say that. Of course they are only frail things.
9287. If there had been people there trying to get in, you would have taken them in, would you not?
- Without a doubt. Mr. Lightoller stepped right back aboard the ship to make room for somebody else.
9288. Where were all the passengers, these 1,600 people?
- They must have been between decks or on the deck below or on the other side of the ship. I can not conceive where they were.
9289. Was there any drinking among the stewards or any portion of the crew that night?
- Not to my knowledge, sir. In the first place, the crew could not afford to buy drinks. There is no other means of getting it but to buy it, so a man would not be in a position to do it if he drank.
9290. You did not see any members of the crew under the influence of liquor?
- That is impossible to think, that is impossible to suggest, that men drink while at sea; because in the first place, if it was possible for a man to want it he could not afford to buy it; and there is no hope for him to get it, because he would not be served, anyway.
9291. Where was your berth located?
- Where was my room located?
9292. Yes.
- Just beyond the engine room, aft; just a little farther aft than -
9293. (interposing) On what deck?
- E deck, right amidships, as near amidships as possible.
9294. Did you see any water coming in anywhere?
- Not until I went forward to see. Then I did not see it, in fact; I could only hear it.
9295. You could hear it?
- Yes, sir.
9296. Was it pouring in great volume?
- It was making too much noise to come in in any great volume.
9297. How do you mean?
- The fall of the water was not like a volume. It was coming in fast, but you could hear it falling, which, if you get a body of water - it was continuous - this flow of water that I heard. Of course it was gradually coming up. We could see it coming up the stairs gradually.
9298. Where did you see it coming in or hear it coming in?
- On the port side.
9299. Which side was struck - the starboard side?
- On the starboard side, I meant. I beg your pardon; yes.
9300. You saw it on the starboard side, then?
- Yes.
9301. Did you see the iceberg which she struck?
- No; and I went up within two or three minutes afterwards and did not see it.
9302. When did you first know she had struck an iceberg?
- Only through hearsay.
9303. You did not see any ice on the decks anywhere?
- No, sir; it was too dark. Our duty does not take us on deck at all. We are intrusted with the passengers, and that keeps us fully employed.
9304. How many people did you arouse?
- The method I used was to just open the doors and throw them back, and go right on down through the rooms myself.
9305. What did you say?
- Just, "Everybody on deck with lifebelts on, at once."
9306. You gave that order?
- Yes, sir; myself.
9307. How many doors do you think you opened?
- I should think 20 or 24. Before I got there the men were along doing the same thing, the bedroom stewards. They all went into their own sets of rooms. They each have a set of rooms to look after.
9308. How many bedroom stewards were there?
- Twelve, sir.
9309. Was that sufficient to arouse all the passengers on the boat?
- Oh, yes; because a man has no more than 12 rooms. That was early. By the time these men were along it was about a quarter to 12, I should say.
The way we work on board ship, all unnecessary lights are out at 11, and then there are four bedroom stewards kept on from 11 until 12. That is only one hour. Then two bedroom stewards come along for the middle watch, from 12 until 4 in the morning. Then they are relieved at half-past 5 by all hands for the day, until the following night.
9310. This collision occurred before 12 o'clock?
- Just between 11 and 12, 25 minutes to 12, I should say.
9311. You began giving this alarm about what time after the collision?
- I should think about between 20 minutes and a quarter to 12. I sent for all hands at once.
9312. That was immediately after the collision?
- Yes, sir.
9313. The order came to you then?
- I could prove positively, but there is not a bedroom steward living today. I have 14 men out of 70. That is all I did save, sir.
9314. Your recollection is that you had the order to give the alarm to put on lifebelts immediately after the collision?
- Yes, sir; within five minutes after the collision.
9315. How did that order come?
- From Purser Barker; that is Purser Barker brought it himself personally to me.
9316. How was it transmitted, do you know? Did it come from the commander?
- Yes, sir; to the two pursers. There is a first class purser and a second class purser. They would get it direct from the bridge, I presume. They are our superiors aboard the ship, and we take our orders through them.
9317. After the ship went down could you see the people in the water, or just hear them?
- Just hear them.
9318. Did you go back to rescue any of them?
- We were overloaded then, with ten more aboard.
9319. Did Lowe go back?
- Yes, sir; he did, with five or seven men in the boat to row.
9320. Did he return with people in his boat?
- Yes, sir; he did. He returned, I think, with seven. I think three died. He can give his account later, or I think perhaps he has already done it.
9321. The weather was cold?
- Very cold, sir.
9322. No fog?
- No, sir.
9323. Did the ship's sirens blow?
- We have no sirens. There is no whistle. The rockets were fired. They were fired for some time.
9324. Before she went down?
- Yes, sir.
9325. But no whistles?
- No, sir.
9326. The steam was escaping?
- Yes, sir; but they are more distinctive.
9327. You think there were sufficient stewards there to awaken and arouse all hands?
- Without a doubt. We work in three departments on the ship. Each man is assigned to his different department, and goes at once to his department. We have more than enough men to call.
9328. Do you know of anything further that will throw any light on this matter; is there anything you can suggest that will throw any further light on it?
- I have nothing I could suggest any further. I have answered all I know, from 20 minutes of 12 until we went with the boat at 12.30. That boat [lifeboat 14] that went back to the ship picked up a collapsible boat, and took about 20 men off of a collapsible boat. She was awash when we met her.
9329. What do you mean by that?
- She was waterlogged.
9330. There were people hanging on her or clinging to her?
- No, sir; they were standing up.
9331. Some of these people were taken off by Lowe?
- They were all taken off by the boat I spoke of, that returned to the ship.
9332. That was Lowe's boat?
- Lowe was in charge of it; yes.
9333. Could these firemen or any of these men in your boat row at all?
- Yes; there were two firemen in the forward end that could row, myself and a passenger rowed from the middle, and this quartermaster was at the stern to keep her head on. The sea got up early in the morning.
9334. Did you hear any explosions on the ship?
- Yes, sir; I fancied I did. There were two direct reports.
9335. What did it sound like, the giving way of bulkheads or the bursting of boilers?
- That I could not say. There were two reports or explosions. What it was, I do not know. I was not able to say.
9336. Did you feel the shock or jar when the collision took place?
- Very slightly, sir. I did not think it was anything at all.
9337. You were in bed, you say?
- Yes, sir.
9338. It did not throw you out of your bunk, or anything like that?
- No, sir. It was just a slight jar, just a gradual jar, and that is all. She did not heel over, or anything of that kind.
Senator Fletcher:
I believe that is all I desire to ask you, Mr. Hardy.
(Witness Excused.)
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