The strangest things are washed up from the sea, such as this message in a bottle from Major Butt who was believed to have sunk with the Titanic.
Major Butt’s Last Word
Pawtucket, R.I., July 31. — The ocean gave up another grim reminder if the Titanic disaster today.
A message purporting to be the last word of Maj. Archibald Butt, aide to President Taft, was picked up in a bottle off Block Island. It read:
“April 16 — Mid ocean — help — on a raft — Titanic sinking — no water or food — Major Butt.”
The message was written on a wireless blank bearing the Titanic imprint.
The bottle was found by three men out sailing. At first they were inclined to regard it as a ghastly joke, but the fact that the message was written on a Titanic blank led them to believe that it was authentic.
An effort will be made to have the handwriting identified.
Source: The Day Book (Chicago, Illinois newspaper). July 31, 1912.
