THRILLING NARRATIVE
HEART-RENDING SCENES ON THE DOOMED VESSEL.
We have received a copy of an American journal, the ‘’montclair Times,’’ containing an interview with Miss Troutt, the Bath lady who was saved from the ill-fated Titanic. Miss Troutt, who is a sister of Mrs. Collins, tobacconist, etc., of Stall Street, was taken to New York with the other survivors on the Carpathia, and thence proceeded to Montclair where she is the guest of their relative, Miss J. Bolwell, of (illegible, ends with 9), Bellevue Avenue. It was at this address that the reporter of the ‘’Montclair Times’’ found her and she gave him a thrilling story of her experience.
‘’Shortly after bedtime on Sunday evening,’’ she said, ‘’I was awakened by sudden shock and the vibration of the ship. Because the engines had stopped, I realised that something unusual must have happened. Having put on light clothing, I started to investigate and was met in the stairway by only a few curious passengers. Seeing an officer of the ship, I made inquiries and was assured that there was no danger and that I should return to bed as the ship had only struck an iceberg. Still, although having confidence that the Titanic was unsinkable, I did not return to bed, but went on deck and viewed the lovely, starlit night and noted how calm the water was.
TAKEN AS A JOKE.
‘’I was ordered off the deck, however, and returned to the state-room of my friends whom I knew were heavy sleepers. I awoke them, telling them not to be afraid, but should life belts be required to put on warm clothing. It was all taken as a joke, no one believing that anything serious could happen. Before I could return to my own state-room, however, an officer was shouting, ‘All passengers put on life belts and go up to the top boat deck! Leave everything! It is only a precaution, and you can all return to your state-rooms.’ Many a joke was being passed among the passengers, but upon seeing the lifeboats being lowered, we realised that there was danger.
NO PANIC WHATEVER.
Miss Troutt said she saw no panic whatever and she and some friends remained on the deck, still unable to comprehend the greatness of their peril.
‘’I could hear the sailors shouting instructions,’’ Miss Troutt continued. ‘’ ‘Babies and ladies first,’ they cried. Screams were then heard, and there were heart-rending partings as husbands forced their wives into the waiting boats. ‘Oh, Harry, I don’t want to go!’ and ‘My God, John, I can’t leave you like this!’ Were some of the utterances that I heard. I could hear the men shouting, ‘Stand back! Make room for the ladies! Remember, you are English!’
‘’WHO WILL TAKE MY BABY?’’
‘’I had no difficulty upon reaching the lifeboat, and was very reluctant in going until I heard a frantic cry from a man, ‘Who will take my baby?’ I shouted, ‘I will!’ I (sic) was thrown into the boat, and the child placed carefully in my arms. A blanket was also thrown in and it enabled us to keep warm.’’
Miss Troutt said it was one o’clock when her lifeboat cleared the sinking Titanic and a half hour later she saw the big steamer sink into the ocean.
LAST OF THE TITANIC.
‘’It was a sight that I will never forget,’’ said the young woman. ‘’The men in charge of our boat were singing, ‘Pull for the Shore,’ while aboard the doomed Titanic we could see the remaining passengers join in prayer, the ship’s band playing ‘The Land of Hope, and ‘Nearer my God, to Thee’ just before she went down.
Miss Troutt speaks in high praise of their treatment on the Carpathia, where she gave her infant in the care of its mother, who along with two others of her children had preceded them in another lifeboat. Miss Troutt said the babe’s parents were from Southern Europe.’’
Comment and discuss