Harris, Jacques Futrelle and others in the long list of first-
cabin passengers. The account continues:
"The crash against the iceberg, which had been sighted
at only a quarter mile distance, came almost simultaneously
with the click of the levers operated from the bridge, which
stopped the engines and closed the water-tight doors. Captain
Smith was on the bridge a moment later, summoning all on
board to put on life preservers and ordering the life-boats
lowered.
"The first boats had more male passengers, as the men
were the first to reach the deck. When the rush of frightened
men and women and crying children to the decks began, the
`women first' rule was rigidly enforced.
"Officers drew revolvers, but in most cases there was no
use for them. Revolver shots heard shortly before the Titanic
went down caused many rumors, one that Captain Smith
had shot himself, another that First Officer Murdock had
ended his life, but members of the crew discredit these rumors.
"Captain Smith was last seen on the bridge just before the
ship sank, leaping only after the decks had been washed
away.
"What became of the men with the life-preservers was a
question asked by many since the disaster. Many of these
with life-preservers were seen to go down despite the preservers,
and dead bodies floated on the surface as the boats moved
away.
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