Loses Husband, But Saves Son

"We were all asleep when the Titanic crashed against the iceberg," said Mrs. Goldsmith, "but the jar was enough to wake us. There seemed to be no pressing danger until the order came from some of the ship's officers that all the women were to ascend to the upper deck and the men were to remain on the second deck and put on life belts. All passengers except the Italians seemed to be very calm, but their wailing and prayers were something terrible to hear.

"In the semi-darkness we ascended to the topmost deck and got into the lifeboat. It was the next to the last to leave, and as near as I can remember there were about 30 women, five members of the crew and four Chinese in the boat besides my boy. Among those saved were two Italian women and a girl whose wailings were terrible to hear. The members of the crew tried in vain to get the four Chinese out of the boat, but they refused to budge and they had to let them stay. Just before the men above began to let the lifeboat down a number of Italians tried to get in, and it was only by firing revolvers in the air and threatening to kill them that they were kept out.

"The descent to the water was the most terrifying part of all our experience. The lifeboat bumped against the side of the Titanic, and once so many people got on one side that it seemed the boat would turn over and spill us all into the sea. We reached the surface of the water in safety and put off with five members of the crew rowing. As we rowed away the shrieks of the dying could be heard arising from the water, but it was so dark that we were unable to see the men floating on the surface.

"The last I saw of my husband was when we separated, he to go to the second deck and I and Frankie to go to the upper deck. All the men who retained their presence of mind stayed on the second deck, but the Italians rushed above and tried by force to get into the lifeboats. If there had been lifeboats on the second deck all the men there could have been saved.

"We rowed around for six hours, until we were picked up by the Carpathia and brought to New York. It was a terrible scene, and one that I will never forget."

Mrs. Goldsmith said that Alfred Rush, the 16-year old brother of Charles J. Rush, of 26 Hobson avenue, were one of those who were ordered with the men to the second deck, and that he was lost when the ship went down. This story was corroborated by Frank Goldsmith, Mrs. Goldsmith's son, a bright little fellow.

Curator's note: This account was sourced from the May 18, 1912 issue of the East Kent Gazette, where Mrs. Goldsmith's Detroit News story was reprinted.