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CHAPTER VII
LEFT TO THEIR FATE
COOLNESS AND HEROISM OF THOSE LEFT TO PERISH—SUICIDE
OF MURDOCK—CAPTAIN SMITH'S END—THE SHIP'S BAND
PLAYS A NOBLE HYMN AS THE VESSEL GOES DOWN
Sinking of the Titanic and Great Sea Disasters |  |
COLONEL ASTOR'S DEATH
To Colonel Astor's death Philip Mock bears this testimony.
"Many men were hanging on to rafts in the sea. William T. Stead and Colonel Astor were among them. Their feet and hands froze and they had to let go. Both were drowned."
The last man among the survivors to speak to Colonel Astor was K. Whiteman, the ship's barber.
"I shaved Colonel Astor Sunday afternoon," said Whiteman. "He was a pleasant, affable man, and that awful night when I found myself standing beside him on the passenger deck, helping to put the women into the boats, I spoke to him.
"`Where is your life-belt?' I asked him.
"`I didn't think there would be any need of it,' he said.
"`Get one while there is time,' I told him. `The last boat is gone, and we are done for.'
"`No,' he said, `I think there are some life-boats to be launched, and we may get on one of them.'
"`There are no life-rafts,' I told him, `and the ship is going to sink. I am going to jump overboard and take a chance on swimming out and being picked up by one of the boats. Better come along.'
"`No, thank you,' he said, calmly, `I think I'll have to stick.'
"I asked him if he would mind shaking hands with me. He said, `With pleasure,' gave me a hearty grip, and then I climbed up on the rail and jumped overboard. I was in the water nearly four hours before one of the boats picked me up."
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CHAPTER VII
LEFT TO THEIR FATE
COOLNESS AND HEROISM OF THOSE LEFT TO PERISH—SUICIDE
OF MURDOCK—CAPTAIN SMITH'S END—THE SHIP'S BAND
PLAYS A NOBLE HYMN AS THE VESSEL GOES DOWN
Sinking of the Titanic and Great Sea Disasters | |