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.
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