Captain's Suicide on the Bridge

The latest news of the terrible disaster is published this (Friday) morning by The Daily Telegraph who, at 4.00 am, received the following telegram, containing a statement issued by a Committee of the Survivors:-

We, the undersigned surviving passengers of the Titanic, in order to forestall any sensational and exaggerated statements, deem it our duty to give to the press a statement of the facts which have come to our knowledge, and which we believe to be true.

On Sunday April 14th, at about 11.40 on a cold, starlit night, the ship struck an iceberg. Rockets were fired at intervals. Captain Smith shot himself on the bridge. The Chief Engineer likewise committed suicide. Three Italians were shot to death in the struggle for the lifeboats. The passengers, who were first told of the captain’s end, were told that two attempts were necessary in ending his life. His brother officers wrestled the revolver from his hand in the library, but he broke away to the bridge and shot himself through the mouth.

The ship struck an iceberg which had been reported to the bridge by the look-out, but not early enough to avoid collision. Steps were taken to ascertain the damage, and save the passengers and the ship. Orders were given to put on lifebelts. The boats were lowered, and the usual distress signals were sent out by wireless telegraphy, and rockets were fired at intervals - Reuters NEW YORK, Thursday night.

Mrs Andrews, an elderly lady interviewed by the press representatives, said the crash occurred at 11.35 pm on Sunday night. The women and children got off in the lifeboats at 12.45 am. The Titanic sank at 2.00 am, and the Carpathia picked up the boats at 8.30 am. Many women were insane. We did not know, she continued, until daybreak, whether we would be rescued. We were in the open boat for eight hours, and the suffering of all was indescribable.