TELLS OF SEEING MEN SHOT DOWN ON TITANIC
Newark Evening News
Special Service of the NEWS
ELIZABETH, April 19---Almost prostrated by the terrible experiences which she had undergone since the Titanic went down, Mrs. Peter Renouf, of 21b Florida street, returned to her home here today. She told of seeing men shot down by officers while trying to force their way into boats, and declared that it was only in this way that some of the men could be forced back.
Mrs. Renouf’s husband, her two brothers, Clifford and Ernest Jeffries; a cousin, Charles Cann, and Herbert Denbouy, a friend of the family, formed a party. All were lost except Mrs. Renouf. All of the party but the Renoufs were residents of England.
Mrs. Renouf is in a condition bordering on hysteria, and it was between sobs that she told her story to a News reporter who found her at the home of her brother, Frederick Jeffries, in this city. She is about thirty years old. Mrs. Renouf said that she cannot realize the awful calamity and that it haunts her all the time. She will make her home with her brother for a while at least.
“The shock evidently was not very severe,” side Mrs. Renouf, “for it did not awaken either myself or my husband. The first we knew that the boat had struck an iceberg was when my brothers came running into our stateroom and told us to get ready to leave, as there was danger that the boat would go down. Neither of us could hardly believe it, and at first we thought that they were joking. They soon convinced us, however, that they were serious.
“My brothers pulled me out of bed, and handing me a blanket told me to take it and protect myself as best I could, for we could not take any chances of getting more covering. All of us then hurried on deck and we were placed with the second cabin passengers. My husband wanted to remain by my side, but the officers would not let him. They said ‘Women and children first.’ I believed my husband and brothers would follow in another boat. That was the assurance the officers gave me.
“Suddenly there was a rush on the part of several men to get into the lifeboats, which were already crowded with women and children. They pushed women aside and became frenzied. It seemed for a while as if they would leap into the boats. Then the officers raised their guns and shot these men down. I don’t suppose there was anything else to do. It was horrible.
“It seemed only about half an hour after we left the Titanic when she went under. I had hoped that my husband and the rest of the party were fortunate enough to get into another boat, but I gave up all hope after the survivors grouped on the Carpathia and I could not find any other member of our party among them.”
Lawrence Garvey, formerly of Elizabeth, is also said to have been among the lost. He was frequently in the Renouf party. While he lived in Elizabeth, Garvey made a reputation in amateur circles as a football player.
ELIZABETH, April 19---Almost prostrated by the terrible experiences which she had undergone since the Titanic went down, Mrs. Peter Renouf, of 21b Florida street, returned to her home here today. She told of seeing men shot down by officers while trying to force their way into boats, and declared that it was only in this way that some of the men could be forced back.
Mrs. Renouf’s husband, her two brothers, Clifford and Ernest Jeffries; a cousin, Charles Cann, and Herbert Denbouy, a friend of the family, formed a party. All were lost except Mrs. Renouf. All of the party but the Renoufs were residents of England.
Mrs. Renouf is in a condition bordering on hysteria, and it was between sobs that she told her story to a News reporter who found her at the home of her brother, Frederick Jeffries, in this city. She is about thirty years old. Mrs. Renouf said that she cannot realize the awful calamity and that it haunts her all the time. She will make her home with her brother for a while at least.
“The shock evidently was not very severe,” side Mrs. Renouf, “for it did not awaken either myself or my husband. The first we knew that the boat had struck an iceberg was when my brothers came running into our stateroom and told us to get ready to leave, as there was danger that the boat would go down. Neither of us could hardly believe it, and at first we thought that they were joking. They soon convinced us, however, that they were serious.
“My brothers pulled me out of bed, and handing me a blanket told me to take it and protect myself as best I could, for we could not take any chances of getting more covering. All of us then hurried on deck and we were placed with the second cabin passengers. My husband wanted to remain by my side, but the officers would not let him. They said ‘Women and children first.’ I believed my husband and brothers would follow in another boat. That was the assurance the officers gave me.
“Suddenly there was a rush on the part of several men to get into the lifeboats, which were already crowded with women and children. They pushed women aside and became frenzied. It seemed for a while as if they would leap into the boats. Then the officers raised their guns and shot these men down. I don’t suppose there was anything else to do. It was horrible.
“It seemed only about half an hour after we left the Titanic when she went under. I had hoped that my husband and the rest of the party were fortunate enough to get into another boat, but I gave up all hope after the survivors grouped on the Carpathia and I could not find any other member of our party among them.”
Lawrence Garvey, formerly of Elizabeth, is also said to have been among the lost. He was frequently in the Renouf party. While he lived in Elizabeth, Garvey made a reputation in amateur circles as a football player.
Related Biographies:
Ernest Charles Cann
Albert ("Herbert") Denbuoy
Laurence Gavey
Clifford Thomas Jefferys
Ernest Wilfred Jefferys
Lillian Renouf
Contributor
Mark Baber
