Wherever there is tragedy, there are people who will try and profit from it. That is the what article below, written nearly two weeks after the Titanic went down, reveals.
Death Agony of Titanic Victims Turned Into Dollars by Wireless Operators
Wizard of Wireless Tells Senate Committee How News Was Held From World — Disclaims Responsibility — “Binns Did It.”
Washington, April 25. — The death agony of the victims of the Titanic was turned into dollars by wireless operators.
This was the story told the senate investigation committee today by William Marconi, the Wizard of the Wireless.
He was the first man called to the stand today. Thomas Cottam, wireless operator of the Carpathia, followed him.
Marconi’s story was received with obvious disgust by the members of the committee and the audience.
Yet the wireless operators themselves are not so much to blame. They know too well that if they sent a story ashore, it would be used by every newspaper in the country. And they knew, too, that these same newspapers would refuse to pay them for the news they gave unless forced to.
So they held the newspapers up — that is what it amounts to.
“It is an offense under British laws for a wireless operator to give out news,” said Marconi.
“So long as Cottam was on the Carpathia, a British ship, he used his discretion in refusing to give out a story.
“Thursday evening, Cottam sent a message to me, asking permission to give out a story. I gave him that permission. I told him he could give it if he wished.”
Marconi then denied sending Operators Bride and Cottam orders to “keep their mouths shut.”
Senator Smith then read the following wireless messages from the Captain of the U.S.S. Florida to the Navy Department:
“The following radiograms were intercepted by Wireless Operator Simpson and appear significant enough to be brought to the attention of the department.
“‘Seagate to Carpathia, 8:10 p.m., April 18. Say, old man, the Marconi company is taking good care of you. It’s fixed for you so you will get big money. Please do best to clear.’
“‘Seagate to Carpathia and Titanic operators, 8:30 p.m., April 18. — Arranged for you exclusive story for dollars in four figures. Marconi agreeing. Say nothing until you see me.’
(Signed) “C”
“‘Seagate to Carpathia operators, 9:30 p.m. — Meet Mr. Marconi and Sammis at Strand, 542 West 14. Keep mouth shut.’
(Signed) “Marconi”
These messages were sent at the time the whole world was in ignorance of the fate of the Titanic’s passengers, when relatives and friends were clamoring for news of their loved ones, when the President of the United States himself was attempting to get news of his friend.
After reading the messages, Senator Smith turned to the inventor:
“What do you say about these, Mr. Marconi?” he asked.
“I don’t know anything about that. I told Mr. Sammis that as an official of the British company I would not prevent operators from making what they could out of the information they had. It is not a custom of our company, but it was done in the case of a former wreck — the wreck of the Republic. Jack Binns was permitted to give his statement for pay.”
“Do you mean,” asked Smith,”that an operator under your company shall have the right to prevent the public from knowing of the greatest sea horror in the world’s history, except through the exclusive appropriation of facts by the operator knowing them?
“Not at all. I gave no instructions regarding the holding of the news.
Source: (1912, April 25). Death Agony of Titanic Victims Turned Into Dollars by Wireless Operators. The Day Book.
