THIS is the poignant account given by Laura in Newark soon after being rescued from the Titanic when staying at Newark, New Jersey. It was published in the Echo barely two weeks after the liner sank... and she lost her ‘Papa’:
“It was terrible.
“We were up later than usual for the night for the weather was fine and the stars were bright.
“I said goodnight to Papa and was in my room but had not disrobed and that is how I was wearing the same black dress which I wore all day on the Titanic.
“I felt a jolt when the iceberg struck but was not much frightened until the men and women commenced to shout and scream and rush for the deck.
“Then I looked around for father.
“I was sure he was looking for me, too.
“I thought I heard his voice calling my name.
“It sounded faintly above the tumult and even after I had been taken away from the ship I still imagined I could hear Papa calling.
“And tried to answer but my voice was nothing against that awful noise.
“I saw someone struggling and heard someone say it was the captain whom they were trying to make leave the ship and save himself but he would not.
“They say the captain told the men who wanted to put him on the raft that if he were compelled to go he would shoot himself so they might as well let him go back on the ship.
“It did not seem long after we were taken off until the big vessel went down.
“It was terrible to realise that there were people drowning.
“Of course, I could not help but hope and almost feel sure my father is safe.
I was almost frozen before we were taken on board the Carpathia.”
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