Mr. William Murdoch

Mrs. Murdoch the widow of the late Lieutenant Murdoch, First Officer of the ill-fated liner, has received the following letter: Hotel Continental, Washington, April 24th, 1912. Dear Mrs. Murdoch, - I am writing on behalf of the surviving officers to express our deep sympathy in this, your awful loss. Words cannot convey our feelings - much less a letter. I deeply regret that I missed communicating with you by last mail to refute the reports that were spread in the newspapers. I was practically the last man, and certainly the last officer, to see Mr. Murdoch. He was then endeavouring to launch the starboard forward collapsible boat. I had already got mine from off the top of our quarters. You will better understand when I say that I was working the port side of the ship, and Mr. Murdoch was principally engaged on the starboard side of the ship, filling and launching the boats. Having got my boat down off the top of the house, and there being no time to open it, I left it and ran across to the starboard side, still on top of the quarters. I was then practically looking down on your husband and his men. He was working hard, personally assisting, overhauling the forward boat's fall. At this moment the ship dived, and we were all in the water. Other reports as to the ending are absolutely false. Mr. Murdoch died like a man, doing his duty. Call on us without hesitation for anything we can do for you. Yours very sincerely, (Signed) C. H. Lightoller, 2nd Officer, G Groves, Boxhall, 4th Officer, H. J. Pitman, 3rd Officer, H. G. Lowe, 5th Officer.