Senator Smith then showed Mr. Franklin the telegram
received by Congressman Hughes, of West Virginia, from
the White Star Line, dated New York, April 15th, and addressed
to J. A. Hughes, Huntington, W. Va., as follows:
"Titanic proceeding to Halifax. Passengers probably
land on Wednesday. All safe.
(Signed) "THE WHITE STAR LINE. "
TELEGRAM A MYSTERY
"I ask you," continued the senator, "whether you know
about the sending of that telegram, by whom it was authorized
and from whom it was sent?"
"I do not, sir," said Franklin. "Since it was mentioned
at the Waldorf Saturday we have had the entire passenger
staff examined and we cannot find out."
Asked when he first knew that the Titanic had sunk,
Franklin said he first knew it about 6.27 P.M., Monday.
Mr. Franklin then produced a thick package of telegrams
which he had received in relation to the disaster.
"About twenty minutes of two on Monday morning,"
said he, "I was awakened by a telephone bell, and was called
by a reporter for some paper who informed me that the
Titanic had met with an accident and was sinking. I asked
him where he got the information. He told me that it had
come by wireless from the steamship Virginian, which had
been appealed to by the Titanic for aid.
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