D. W. McMillan, of Pleasantville, Reassured as Carpathia Docked
MRS. THOMAS POTTER TELLS ABOUT ASTORS
Weikman, Titanic Barber, Saved, Known to George Lipipncott [sic]
Noticing that his sister, Mrs. Edward S. Robert, widow of former Judge Robert, of St. Louis, was reported in both the missing and in the surviving of the Titanic passengers, and becoming gravely alarmed lest the former of the two be correct, Mr. D. W. McMillan, of the McMillan Photographic Studio, of Pleasantville, left hurriedly Thursday night for New York, where he awaited the docking of the Carpathia, from which he sought to gain some tidings of his sister.
According to a telephone message from McMillan, received by his wife in Pleasantville about midnight Thursday, Mrs. Robert, together with her daughter, Miss Georgette Madill, popular in St. Louis Society, and her niece Miss Elizabeth W. Allen, well known belle of Cazenovia, New York, landed safely with other survivors on the Carpathia.
Mr. McMillan met his sister, Mrs. Robert and her daughter on the White Star Pier when the Carpathia docked. Mr. McMillan confirmed his telephone message by a telegram yesterday morning, and Mrs. McMillan stated that he intended mailing a letter to her at once to give her the details of his relatives' rescue.
The party of three women have been on a year's tour in England and other European countries and Miss Allen is to marry Dr. Mendell, a prominent London physician in about a month. It was her intention to accompany Mrs. Robert to her St. Louis home on Lindell Boulevard, and following arrangements for her marriage, to return to England and there be united with Dr. Mendell. Mrs. McMillan could not state positively whether the marriage would be postponed, but she did not think Miss Allen's nerves would stand a return trip on the ocean after such a frightful experience.
Escape of Weikman Interests Lippincott
Augustus H. Weikman, head barber of the Titanic, who was among the members of the crew of the steamship that were saved, is a resident of Palmyra, N.J. For a good many years Weikman has been employed on various transatlantic steamships and formed the acquaintance of George T. Lippincott, one of the owners of the Bartlett Building. On no less than three occasions Mr. Lippincott crossed the Atlantic on the same steamer on which Weikman was employed and was shaved a number of times by the man who helped to save the women and children from the Titanic. Weikman was sent into one of the lifeboats to man an oar.
Weikman suffered severely during the four or five hours of exposure in the ice field, and after three days of medical attention on the Carpathia was so weak that he had to be conveyed in a roller chair to the special train which brought him back to Philadelphia.
Mrs. Weikman and her three children had given up hope of ever seeing the head of the family again.
Weikman had crossed the ocean on many of the biggest ships of the White Star Line for the past fifteen years and was a favorite with the regular patrons of the line.
He was transferred to the Titanic on her maiden voyage and had sent word to his wife joyfully announcing his good luck and saying he would be home a few days after the Titanic should reach this side. His name was not in the list of rescued first sent from the Carpathia and it was feared by his family and friends that he was among those left behind when the life boats put off from the sinking ship.
Mrs. Potter Describes Confidence of Astors
Mrs. Thomas Potter, Jr.
“I was in the first boat with about ten others. There was plenty of room for forty more. I saw Mr. and Mrs. John Jacob Astor standing by the rail. I called to them to come in the boat, but they refused, saying it was safer where they were, that there was no danger.
“The first three or four boats that were launched were hardly filled.”
Wilson Potter, Mrs. Potter’s son, said: “I saw John B. Thayer, Jr., on the pier and he told me that he and his father jumped overboard and clambered aboard a raft, which overturned. That was the last, young Thayer told me, that he had seen of his father.
“I also saw Richard M. Williams, who comes from Germantown, at the pier. He told me that he was about the last one on board the Titanic. In fact, he said, that he was standing on the ship’s stern when she went down. He said that when she went down, she parted in the middle. He told me that after he struck the water, he swam to one of the rafts and was picked up by one of the boats, about two hours later.”
E. Z. TAYLOR DESCRIBES PANICKY SCENE ON BOARD
By. E. Z. Taylor
When we collided with the iceberg there was excitement in the first cabin. Persons ran out on deck. But the Titanic then seemed to be in no particular peril and the officers did not warn us. I doubt if even they knew she would sink.
As to the iceberg I do not see how the man at the wheel could have failed to see it at a great distance. It was bitter cold. The night was clear and the moon was shining.
The wireless operator had received a message warning of bergs in the vicinity. Even though the message had not been received I do not see how the Titanic could have struck the berg on such a clear night. I observed it after the collision. It looked like a glass castle.
The water came in very, very fast. It was not long after the collision that an officer said the boat was sinking. The Titanic stayed on a submerged shelf of the berg for about fifteen minutes. Then she slid back into the water, which began pouring into her hold by hundreds of tons.
Ismay came on deck. He was one of the first to get into a lifeboat. He entered [?] one as a sailor. He remained in it only a short time until some women came, when he got out and made way for them.
A few minutes later I saw him in the third boat that was launched. He was handling an oar as a member of the crew.
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