Family and Friends of Worcester Man Now Satisfied He Is Among Those Lost

Walter E. Bigelow, business associate and friend of Walter C.Porter, last of the Titanic, who made a special trip to New York yesterday in the hope of securing favorable news of the lost man today told a reporter of the Gazette that it was impossible to get from the officials of the White Star line anything in the way of definate replies.

"Knowing that the office was besieged by thousands, I resorted to the telephone in an effort to secure information of Mr. Porter." said Mr. Bigelow, " The only replies I would get would be "Wait a minute until I looked at the list" "No the name of Porter does not appear among those saved."

Reference would then be made to the "official" bulletins which were posted in every hotel and public place in New York city or to the newspapers "realizing" that among the crowds surging for a glimpse at the Carpathia upon her arrival, I would only have one chance in thousands of securing anything like definate version of what happened to Mr. Porter. I met and accompanied Miss Helen I. Porter, who has been teaching school at Haverstraw, New York to her home in Worcester. We left on the 4 o' clock train.

Neither myself or Mr. Porters family, who are all gathered here, expect to hear anything further than what has been published and we thank the "Gazette" for the courtesy shown to us during this trying time."

Leaving aboard the Megantic(?), another of the White Star Line's fleet. Mr. Porter had travelled the Continent in the interests of his business. Many letters had been received by the family telling of the incidents and pleasures on the trip, and expressing no fear for health or return voyage. He had encountered the dangers of the tropical seas many years before, when as a young man siling [sic] from South America in a pleasure yacht, his party had run nto a hurricane.

An early marriage to Miss Louise Philips, daughter of Oscar E. Philips was terminated by her death in 1905. A year later he was married to Mrs. Mabel E. Sanford, who with his two children, Miss Helen I. Porter and O. Stanley Porter, together with his stepchildren, F. Lyndon Sanford and Miss Nellie R. Sanford survive him. He also leaves one sister, Mrs. Albert J. Clifford (?) , 9 King street.

Mr. Porter's business career was extensive and he was well known in the shoe trade of the country through his sale of (?)ists.

Although not largely identified with clubs and societies, Mr. Porter was a member of the Commonwealth and Lakeside Boat Clubs and at one time a member of the Worcester Light Infantry.