MRS. WILLIAM T. GRAHAM AND MISS MARGARET AMONG RESCUED FROM TITANIC.
RELATIVES OF OTHER GREENWICH PEOPLE ON STRICKEN SHIP ALL REACH PORT - TALES OF THE DISASTER FROM MISS GRAHAM AND MR. CARTER'S FAMILY - CHARLES E. FORCE, COUSIN OF MRS. ASTOR, AWAITS REPORT FROM HER
Members of the families and many Greenwich friends of several of the passengers on the ill-fated Titanic have been breathlessly awaiting news of the disaster and anxiously scanning every list of those who were saved. The disaster affected Greenwich people deeply from the first for it was known that Mrs. William Graham and Miss Margaret Graham of the prominent Belle Haven family were aboard the Titanic. Besides these residents of the town were William E. Carter of Philadelphia, a nephew of Mrs. Henry H. Adams of Belle Haven, Mrs. Carter, their daughter, Miss Lucille Carter and son, Master William Carter were also on board. Mrs. John Jacob Astor, a former Ely School girl, and a cousin of Charles E. Force of Milbank Avenue, was also a passenger.
Mrs. Graham and Miss Margaret were among those rescued from the lifeboats which had been put off from the stricken steamship. Every member of the Carter family was rescued as was also Mrs. Astor. The survivors arrived last night in New York on the Carpathia.
Mr. Graham and son, Samuel J. Graham met their relatives on their arrival last night. Miss Graham's only statement to the press was "The Titanic struck at 12:30 and sank two hours later. I'm too tired to say anything else." Mr. Graham when seen after the arrival, said "My wife and daughter have nothing but praise for the captain and crew of the Carpathia. They deserve every credit. The impact wasn't even hard enough to knock an ornament from the wall. Mrs. Graham could see the iceberg from her window. People didn't want to go into the lifeboats, they were so frequently assured by the officers that she couldn't sink. Miss Graham lost $700 she had left with the purser, but both my wife and daughter are well. They were in the third lifeboat."
Captain Henry H. Adams, Jr., was one of the first to greet the members of the Carter famiiy who were all saved. Mr. Adams came back to Greenwich last night and says that his relatives gave him a vivid description of the terrible scenes. Mr. Adams learned that the captain and crew worked bravely. The Carters say that many of the passengers would not embark in the lifeboats, preferring to take their chances on the big ship. They left in one of the lifeboats which could have taken eighteen more passengers. The lifeboat remained within sight of the Titanic, and about twenty minutes after they left the ship there was a terrific boiler explosion and the ship sank almsot immediatetly. The lifeboats rescued some of those who came up after the vessel sank.
Mrs. Henry H. Adams is a sister of Mr. Carter's mother, Mrs. William T. Carter. The Carters have visited here often and the famiiy were guests of the Adams family some years ago. A maid of the Carter famiiy was saved but the chauffeur and car were lost.
Mrs. John Jacob Astor is a second cousin of Charles E. Force, who has recently taken the Murray residence on Milbank Avenue. Mr. Force is the first cousin of William H. Force, the father of Mrs. Astor. Mrs. Astor, who was returning from a bridal trip to Egypt, was rescued, but Mr. Astor lost his life on the Titanic.
Greenwich News, April 19, 1912
Comment and discuss